It is always beneficial to be near a spiritual teacher. These masters are like gardens or medicinal plants, sanctuaries of wisdom. In the presence of a realized master, you will rapidly attain enlightenment. In the presence of an erudite scholar, you will acquire great knowledge. In the presence of a great meditator, spiritual experience will dawn in your mind. In the presence of a bodhisattva, your compassion will expand, just as an ordinary log placed next to a log of sandalwood becomes saturated, little by little, with its fragrance.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

from the book The Hundred Verses of Advice: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on What Matters Most

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Further quotes from the book The Hundred Verses of Advice:

• Contemplating the defects of samsara
• Dwell in the simplicity of the present moment
• Love and compassion for all
• Nothing to be gained or lost
• How illness can teach us compassion
• Devotion is the fare on our journey toward enlightenment
• Use riches in a constructive way
• You won’t live forever
• Put on the armor of diligence
• The mind is free of any true reality
• The most profound spiritual practice
• The Dharma is the best way of using your life
• There is never any time to spare
• Practice with joy and enthusiasm
• Start that very day
• Overcoming obstacles
• Without settling anywhere
• Precious human life
• Dreamlike obsessions
• The right moment is now