为什么要修行？为了求智慧，所以要修行。因为愚痴，就尽做颠倒事，在轮回中受苦，不得自在。有了智慧，才不会被魔境所转，也不会认贼做子，更不会一边修行，一边起贪心，而能认识得清清楚楚。因为有择法眼，何者是正法，何者是邪法，一目了然，不会有鱼目混珠的现象。

Why do we cultivate? It's because we seek wisdom that we cultivate. Because we are stupid and we exclusively do inverted things, we suffer in samsara and cannot gain freedom and ease. If we had wisdom, we would not be disturbed by the states of demons, nor would we look upon thieves as our sons. We wouldn't cultivate on the one hand, and indulge in greed on the other. We would distinguish things clearly. With the Dharma-selecting vision, we would be able to identify at a single glance the proper Dharma and the deviant Dharma. We wouldn't mistake fish eyes for pearls.

怎么样能开智慧？唯一的办法，就是参禅打坐，就可以转识成智；或者诵〈楞严咒〉，这是开智慧的咒；或诵《楞严经》，这是开悟的经，开悟之后，智慧就现前；或者研究三藏十二部，所谓“深入经藏，智慧如海。”

How can we obtain wisdom? The only method is to practice Chan meditation. That way, we can turn our consciousness into wisdom. We can also recite the Shurangama Mantra, the mantra for opening wisdom. Alternately, we can recite the Shurangama Sutra, the Sutra for bringing enlightenment. When we become enlightened, our wisdom will appear. Or, we can investigate and study the Three Treasuries and Twelve Divisions of the Canon. That is to say, we should "deeply fathom the treasury of the Sutras and have wisdom like the sea."