Po Chu-i was struck by the master's words. He realized that, whereas Niao-ch'ao was practicing hard, he was doing nothing, so he asked, "Do you have any advice that I can follow?"

Niao-ch'ao said, "Refrain from doing evil. Strive to do good deeds."

Po Chu-i was offended: "Even little children know that."

Niao-ch'ao answered, "A child of three might know it, but even an eighty year old can't do it."

Hearing this, Po Chu-i prostrated to the master.

At least Po Chu-i visited Niao-ch'ao with good intentions. Others have studied Buddhism with the intention of destroying the Dharma; but Buddhism welcomes people who begin with a strong determination to kill the Buddha intellectually. In the end, they usually become Buddhists. They are different from irrational people who want to destroy Buddhism for no apparent reason. Ignorant people have no desire to understand things. They act out of blind hatred. Fortunately, they cannot mount an effective offensive; they attack the external form ─ the monasteries. When they do this, the monks and nuns disappear. They let their hair grow and work the fields, but they go right on practicing. Practice is what is important, and it is indestructible.