In Buddhism we say that each person must become his or her own protector. Learning to do this is extremely important. It is the basis for us to be able to extend care and protection to others. This second step is even more important. If our learning to protect ourselves does not contribute to our being able to care for others, we all too easily become stuck in a quagmire of self-obsession. Much of the time, this is what happens: we take our care and cherishing of ourselves too far and arrive at outright self-absorption.

17th Karmapa

from the book Interconnected: Embracing Life in Our Global Society

Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.

Further quotes from the book Interconnected:

• Our intimate dependence on the natural environment
• Extend yourself and connect
• The opportunity to love
• Noticing the collective effects of our individual actions
• The full vividness of direct contact
• Gradual change
• Time to act
• Recollecting kindness
• Outer and inner world
• Interdependent individual
• Knowing more is not a substitute for feeling more
• Freedom
• The best way to love oneself
• Gratitude
• Focusing on our inner interdependence
• A main condition for our selfishness
• His Loneliness
• Concealing our weaknesses
• Inner freedom is key