Final Wishes

I hope that we will not settle for becoming lost in the dogma of this work, of Buddhism, or of any contemplative traditions.

I hope that we learn to do the practices that lead to freedom and to the deep integration of that freedom into our lives.

I hope that we have faith that mastery can be attained.

I hope that we will learn to ask good questions that will help us to accomplish this.

I hope that the culture of Buddhism and the world in general will become less sectarian instead of more.

I hope that all practitioners of meditation will use spiritual conceptual frameworks as tools and not worship them as sacred dogma.

I hope that the huge amount of ignorant and fantastic thinking that accompanies spiritual traditions will immediately vanish from this planet forever and that people doing the experiment with good intention and honesty, while reporting their results honestly, will prevail.

I hope that all of us on the path will learn to speak kindly with one another in ways that are conducive to clear and ever-evolving practice.

I hope that any controversial points made in this book will promote skillful debate and real inquiry rather than contraction into fear, defensiveness, dismissiveness, and dogma.

I hope that we will work towards actual mastery of the path.

I hope that we will not spend our lives totally lost in content but will delve deeply into the liberating truth of the three characteristics.

I hope that the level of expectation about what is possible will be raised in a way that is helpful, and that any jealousy or frustration that results from this will be skillfully channeled into precise practice and the joy that it can be done by each person.

I hope that, whatever faith you have in realized teachers and the dharma, you will have as much or more faith in your own ability to reach your spiritual goals.

May all of this be for the benefit of all beings. Should you realize that you wish to awaken, know that it is within your capabilities, and do so.