What the term ‘practice’ in Buddhism really means is often anyone’s guess. It is also certainly one’s prerogative to say that they are practicing Buddhism. But not all practices are the same. Some are better than others because they work towards illumination. Most, however, are external practices.

Before Siddhartha became a Buddha or awakened he engaged in brutal ascetic practices. Such practices Siddhartha eventually abandoned. For those not at the level of a Siddhartha, such things as giving alms, and making offerings make up the practice of seeking merit. Other practices include contemplating things as impermanent and unsatisfactory. Invoking the Buddha’s name (nien-fo) is still another kind of practice. In Tibetan Dzogchen there are twenty one mental focusing practices not to mention the practice of separating samsara from nirvana.

Not everything we physically do falls under the heading of proper practice. Just standing up, for instance, is not a Buddhist practice; nor is sitting on a sofa watching the television. Martial art practices are not Buddhist practices. Doing zazen or seated meditation is a practice, but not if you’re like a bump on a log. Arresting thoughts while sitting in meditation is also a practice, but it might not be the best practice.

We should keep in mind that not all practices are going to help us reach the other shore. Many practices are only concerned with this shore—not the other shore. We might strongly believe that our practices are good, but relative to what are they good?

The more our ordinary mind is engaged in seeking the higher Mind the better our practice is. Ultimately we hope to see our Buddha-nature instead of seeking quietude which ends up being an ineffective practice. Here is an excellent example of real Zen (dhyana) practice, one that is not external.

While still alive, be therefore assiduous in practicing Dhyana (contemplation). The practice consists in abandonments. ‘The abandonment of what?’ you may ask. Abandon your four elements (bhuta), abandon your five aggregates (skandha), abandon all the workings of your relative consciousness (karma-vijnana), which you have been cherishing since eternity; retire within your inner being and see into the reason of it. As your self-reflections grows deeper and deeper, the moment will surely come upon you when the spiritual flower will suddenly burst into bloom, illuminating the entire universe. The experience is incommunicable, though you yourselves know perfectly well what it is (Szu-hsin Wu-shin of Huang-lung [1044–1115]).

Not too many Buddhist practitioners are ready for this. It is probably for the reason that they are not yet committed to crossing to the other shore which begins from within.