Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

. Transformation of Mind. Unless one has a mental
transformation, one will be merely a scholar. One
should first pinpoint karma from previous lives. One
should make a thorough self-inquiry: "What bodhicitta
has been developed in me? What powers of examination
or insight do I possess now?" One question summarizes
all the others: "How have I changed?" If one cannot
honestly report any change for the better, then one has
made no progress in meditation, let alone possessing
realization. If change is seen, then it must be correctly
evaluated by comparison with our knowledge of the
characteristics of our ultimate goal—Buddhahood. One
should be able to see by examination, even from day to
day, an ever improving change in inner mental actions.
For example: "At first I had no mercy (maitri) but
now…"
Always remember that one is trying to change from an
ordinary human being into a Buddha. If one is able to
maintain visualization or see the yidam and multitudes
of Buddhas, but at the same time keeps one's selfish old
human mind—then what is the use? Real progress
means that human mentality is continuously
transformed into the mind of a Buddha—this is of the
essence.
One should also ask oneself, "Have I even enough merit
to become an arhat, let alone reaching the goal of
Buddhahood?" This is a way of cutting oneself down to
size. I know that many Mahayanists say that this is a
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