The Buddha realized that different beings had various capacities, so out of his great compassion and skillful means, he gave teachings that were right for different individuals. Although the essence of the teachings is to simply let be in recognition of ones own nature, the Buddha taught a lot of complex instructions to satisfy people on all different levels. Another reason why there are the nine vehicles is because people couldnt leave well enough alone. It seems to be human nature to love complications, to want to build up a lot of stuff. Later on, of course, they must allow it to fall into pieces again.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

from the book As It Is, Vol. 1

translated by Erik Pema Kunsang


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Further quotes from the book As It Is, Vol. 1:

• It is only your mind which experiences
• Motivation to achieve enlightenment
• It is only your mind that experiences
• Already like that from the beginning
• Space and awareness
• No matter what you do
• Within space
• What actually takes place
• Self-existing wakefulness
• Empty cognizance
• The single sphere of dharmakaya