A mountain pilgrimage is a diligent practice of body and mind. With the forehead and four limbs touching the ground, one prostrates every three steps. The mouth and the mind recite the Buddha’s name. By being diligent in body, speech, and mind we eradicate karmic obstacles and transform karma; then blessings and wisdom will increase and everything will be auspicious. We let go of self and others, of right and wrong, gain and loss, grasping and rejecting, kindness and enmity. We see through all things and let go of them, single-mindedly reciting the Buddha’s name without a single deluded thought. The mind that is reciting becomes totally clear.

A mountain pilgrimage is also a very meaningful practice; it fulfills the six paramitas—charity, precepts, tolerance, diligence, samadhi (meditation), and prajna (wisdom). Cultivating these six paramitas is the bodhisattva way. The meaning of a mountain pilgrimage is profound and far-reaching; it benefits self and others, helps us to extinguish vexations and attain enlightenment. The mountain pilgrimage builds resolve to attain nirvana. If we don’t have good resolve in our mountain pilgrimage, it’s as mundane as doing routine tasks like exercising, socializing or sightseeing. Making a mountain pilgrimage without resolve does not have great merit.

If we understand the principle of the six paramitas in the mountain pilgrimage, we can obtain the benefits of the Dharma without obstacles. A mountain pilgrimage is a good preliminary practice in cultivating the Way. After we have made this preliminary effort, we will gradually achieve success in our cultivation.

Click here to read Grand Master’s dharma lecture on Six Paramitas Mountain Pilgrimage.