Walk your talk

**Hint**: The six-word formula for cultivation, "Control your mouth, move your legs," represents the gradual shift between different stages of spiritual practice, transitioning from avoiding evil, to performing good deeds, to purifying the mind, and ultimately returning to the teachings of the Buddhas. This journey consists of four key quadrants, each symbolizing a deeper level of cultivation.

**First Quadrant: Avoid All Evil (Control your mouth)**  

In this initial stage, the practitioner focuses on self-control and avoiding wrongdoing, much like controlling one's speech to prevent harmful words. This phase represents the external discipline of not committing evil deeds, helping the practitioner reduce negative karma and begin purifying their external behavior.

**Second Quadrant: Perform All Good (Move your legs)**  

Here, the emphasis is on active engagement in virtuous actions. "Move your legs" implies not just doing good deeds, but living out compassionate actions in daily life. The practitioner physically embodies goodness, benefiting others while also cleansing their own karma through virtuous efforts.

**Third Quadrant: Purify the Mind**  

After focusing on external behavior, the next phase is inward purification. "Purifying the mind" refers to the deep introspection and meditation required to clear inner delusions and attachments. The practitioner now works on aligning their mental state with spiritual clarity, moving from outer actions to inner transformation.

**Fourth Quadrant: Return to the Teachings of the Buddhas**  

Ultimately, the practitioner reaches the highest level of wisdom, which is to embody the teachings of the Buddhas. At this stage, they transcend personal effort and merge with universal wisdom and compassion. This final quadrant represents complete enlightenment, where the practitioner not only liberates themselves but also guides others towards awakening.

**Summary**  

The progression from **Avoiding Evil** to **Performing Good**, then to **Purifying the Mind**, and finally to **Returning to the Teachings of the Buddhas**, reflects the path of continuous inward and upward growth. Each phase requires its own wisdom and effort, leading the practitioner to ultimate union with the universal truth and the enlightened state of the Buddhas.