Practice is the course taken, but the insight derived from practice is the compass by which the course is set and checked. Ch'an does not downplay practice, but it regards the insight derived from practice more highly than practice itself, because practice needs correct orientation and guidance. If you have any problems or doubts in your practice, you should straighten them out right away. If you sense that someone else's outlook is off base, you should try to steer that person back onto the right path. Of course, Yung-chia is speaking from the point of view of an enlightened practitioner. On this retreat and in your daily practice you should be careful about what you say, think or do regarding Ch'an. Even with his deep insight, Yung-chia claims to be only a humble mountain monk. He is not presumptuous.

A widely respected master may still have questions about his practice, but he might feel ashamed to seek advice for fear of losing his disciples' respect. If a person's view is off base, then he must be set straight regardless of his rank or stature. The true path of Buddhism is too important to be hindered by personal relations or feelings.

After Hui-neng formally received the robe and bowl from the Fifth Patriarch, he lived in the mountains for fifteen years, after which time he returned to the city to preach. When he arrived at the Dharma Nature Temple in Canton, two of Abbot Yin-tsung's disciples were arguing about a banner flapping in the breeze. One said, "The wind is moving." The other said, "The banner is moving."