Words are fine, as we long as know that it merely serves as a
pointer to the moon, it is not the moon itself. Also the Truth, the
"Meaning" of dharma is not in thinking as well. It is through
insights and realisation of our true nature that we can know.
When Transcendental Intelligence is considered, four things must
be kept in mind: words, meanings, teachings and Noble Wisdom
(Arya-Prajna). Words are employed to express meanings but they are
dependent upon discriminations and memory as cause, and upon the
employment of sounds or letters by which a mutual transference of
meaning is possible. Words are only symbols and may or may not
clearly and fully express the meaning intended and, moreover, words
may be understood quite differently from what was intended by the
speaker. Words are neither different nor not different from meaning
and meaning stands in the same relation to words.
If meaning is different from words it could not be made manifest by
means of words; but meaning is illumined by words as things are by
a lamp. Words are just like a man carrying a lamp to look for his
property, by which he can say: this is my property. Just
so, by means of words and speech originating in discrimination, the
Bodhisattva can enter into the meaning of the teachings of the
Tathágatas and through the meaning he can enter the exalted state
of self-realization of Noble Wisdom, which, in itself, is free from
word discrimination. But if a man becomes attached to the literal
meaning of words and holds fast to the illusion that words and
meaning are in agreement, especially in such things as Nirvana
which is un-born and un-dying, or as to distinctions of the
Vehicles, the five Dharmas, the three self-natures, then he will
fail to understand the true meaning and will become entangled in
assertions and refutations. Just as varieties of objects
are seen and discriminated in dreams and in visions, so ideas and
statements are discriminated erroneously and error goes on
multiplying.
The ignorant and simple-minded declare that meaning is not
otherwise than words that as words are, so is meaning. They think
that as meaning has no body of its own that it cannot be different
from words and, therefore, declare meaning to be identical to
words. In this they are ignorant of the nature of words, which are
subject to birth and death, whereas meaning is not; words are
dependent upon letters and meaning is not; meaning is apart from
existence and non-existence, it has no substratum, it is un-born.
The Tathágatas do not teach a Dharma that is dependent upon
letters. Anyone who teaches a doctrine that is dependent upon
letters and words is a mere prattler, because Truth is beyond
letters and words and books.
This does not mean that letters and books never declare
what is in conformity with meaning and truth, but it means that
words and books are dependent upon discriminations, while meaning
and truth are not; moreover, words and books are subject to the
interpretation of individual minds, while meaning and truth are
not. But if Truth were not expressed in words and books, the
scriptures, which contain the meaning of Truth, would disappear,
and when the scriptures disappear there will be no more disciples
and masters and Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, and there will nothing to
teach. But no one must become attached to the words of the
scriptures because even the canonical texts sometimes deviate from
their straightforward course owing to the imperfect functioning of
sentient minds. Religious discourses are given by myself
and other Tathágatas in response to the varying needs and faiths of
all manner of being, in order to free them from dependence upon the
thinking function of the mind-system, but they are not given to
take the place of the self-realization of Noble Wisdom. When there
is recognition that there is nothing in the world but what is seen
of the mind itself, all dualistic discriminations will be discarded
and the truth of image-less-ness will be understood, and will be
seen to be in conformity with the meaning rather than with words
and letters.
~ Lankavatara Sutra