Without good knowledge we do not know how to practice to achieve good progress

This time I also mentioned the important points to practice Dharma well. And those necessary conditions to practice Dharma well and for one to accomplish good result on the Path from your practice always are: faith, sincere devotion, is the most important. And then diligence, and knowledge. We often think knowledge is the first and it is true. When we do not have any knowledge we do not know how to practice and it is very difficult for us to practice well. But what make practice very wishful is faith. Therefore, one should examine oneself, one’s faith, one’s devotion. If it is true, if it is pure, it is strong enough, stable? That is very important that I remind you again tonight.

But the devotion that is unified with wisdom is even more important. Therefore, believing in real teaching of Buddha is very important. Do not believe in anyone without seeing any reason for one to accept, to believe. Nowadays people do not know something very well but they still somehow put some belief in, so by that people make mistakes. Therefore, Buddha often said to study first, to think carefully first and then you put your devotion in it. Still there are people who do not know Buddha’s teachings, do not train themselves very well, they do not study much, they do not have background but people still believe in [them], without studying, learning, knowing well. This kind of situation can be dangerous, too.

Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche, “There is Still Harmony – the Community Still Continues”