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From Shingon Refractions – Professor Mark Unno

QUESTION  Faith is easy to awaken when gazing upon the images of buddhas, for the various details and auspicious marks have been carved into them. But in the case of grains of sand that have no such form, it is difficult to awaken faith even though one might hear of the profound efficacy of the sand. If faith is not fully realized, then the efficacy also fails to be realized fully.

A N S W E R: There is no one who [does not] have faith in the images of buddhas. Why do they not have faith [in the sand]? Both [images and sand] come from the sutras. Why is one taken and the other discarded?  Images of buddhas are painted and carved in wood. The knowledge of the senses is based on the discrimination of mind-consciousness. Foolish beings are called "those of ears and eyes.''  Their minds only discriminate the realm of the senses. The knowledge of the sages is that of the principle of the dharma.  If sentient beings strive and awaken the mind, then they will believe and come to know. Thus the connections formed through the senses are not in vain. lThey] will ultimately lead to the unexcelled fruit of buddhahood.