Ways of Reading Spiritual Texts

 I have been reflecting recently on the correct attitudes toward reading spiritual texts. I believe that two factors in particular stand out in terms of effectively helping people to immerse themselves in reading spiritual texts. The first is that one should have an attitude of humility when reading spiritual texts. Texts are like living beings, and there is simply no way to swallow or absorb all the various meanings of the text in one big "gulp". This brings me to my next point, which is that spiritual texts are inexhaustible in terms of providing sources of wisdom. I have found that I can read Master Sheng Yen's books several times over and over, and yet still find something so valuable in reading them. It is as though each reading were an entirely new moment to which the text addresses itself in uniquely new ways.
   Sometimes, a reader like myself has to admit the fact that they are not able to absorb every possible aspect of a text. It doesn't always get "internalized" into one's worldview or way of being. I notice, for example, that I feel vexations after work, and I have noticed my need to come back to basic Chan texts by Shifu (or commentaries) to be able to ground my mind again, or at least provide a wider perspective on what I experience. My attitude at that point is one of admission, admitting that my practice is too weak to carry me through these rough patches, and I do need to remind myself of some teaching that will at least ground my awareness. Here, it's the text that grounds me, not necessarily my own personal embodiment of it. And sometimes being able to admit my need for reading something inspirational or informative helps me to ground myself and not to be so independent all the time. A lot of times, the desire to turn to a book is really that desire to surrender to something that is greater than the sum of desires, fears and dislikes.