觀音玄義 1.45

1.45

Question: Merit and wisdom are mutually requisite and originally not separate from one another: if there is concentration without wisdom, this concentration is called foolish concentration. It is, for example, like a blind child riding a blind horse, who will without doubt fall into a pit and drop into a ditch. If there is wisdom without concentration, this wisdom is called wild wisdom. It is, for example, like lighting a lamp in the wind, flickering and wavering, wavering and unable to illuminate objects clearly. Therefore we know that merit and wisdom mutually support each other; when the two wheels are balanced, they are capable of conveying and carrying. If so, why is it that wisdom uproots suffering while merit bestows joy?