Quote Archives: Chatral Rinpoche

By then it’s too late! ~ Chatral Rinpoche

If you don’t reflect on death and impermanence, there’ll be no way to practise Dharma purely, practice will remain an aspiration, one that is constantly postponed, and you may feel regret the day that death comes, but by then it’s too late! Chatral Rinpoche

No real happiness ~ Chatral Rinpoche

There’s no real happiness among any of the six classes of beings. If we consider the sufferings of the three lower realms, When you feel upset just by hearing about them, How will you possibly cope when you experience them directly? Even the happiness and pleasures of the three upper realms, Are just like fine […]

There is nothing more to it than that ~ Chatral Rinpoche

You might spend your whole life in pursuit of only food and clothing, with great effort and without regard for suffering or harmful deeds, but when you die you can’t take even a single thing with you. Consider this well. The clothing and alms needed to keep you alive are all you need. You might […]

We abide nowhere ~ Chatral Rinpoche

We abide nowhere, we possess nothing. Chatral Rinpoche

Not enjoying meat or alcohol ~ Chatral Rinpoche

It is written in many Theravadayana and Mahayana texts that one should not eat meat. There is also a Vajrayana text that says the same thing, that one should not enjoy meat or alcohol. Because of this I am following the instructions of Shakyamuni Buddha. Being a religious person, I don’t take meat or alcohol […]

Relying on the instructions of your own qualified teacher ~ Chatral Rinpoche

It’s far better to eliminate your doubts and misconceptions, By relying on the instructions of your own qualified teacher, Than to receive many different teachings and never take them any further. Chatral Rinpoche

Our responsibility ~ Chatral Rinpoche

During this degenerate age in the outer world, there are many natural disasters due to the upsetting of the four elements. Also, demonic forces come with their many weapons to incite the fighting of wars. All of those forces have caused the world to come to ruin and led all to tremble—so terrified that their […]

Gaining the riches of a Dharma practitioner ~ Chatral Rinpoche

Limit yourself to just a few activities and undertake them all with diligence. Not allowing your mind to become fidgety and restless, Make yourself comfortable on the seat in your retreat cabin, This is the surest way to gain the riches of a Dharma practitioner. You might remain sealed in strict retreat for months or […]

Your own true enemies ~ Chatral Rinpoche

No matter where you stay – be it a busy place or a solitary retreat – the only thing that you need to conquer are mind’s five poisons and your own true enemies, the eight worldly concerns, nothing else. Chatral Rinpoche

A disciplined mind ~ Chatral Rinpoche

Whichever method is best suited to your own capacity. There’s no better sign of accomplishment than a disciplined mind, This is true victory for the real warrior who carries no weapons. Chatral Rinpoche

Failing to let go of ordinary concerns ~ Chatral Rinpoche

You might remain in a solitary place, physically isolated from the world, Yet fail to let go of ordinary concerns, and, with attachment and aversion, Seek to bring defeat upon your enemies while furthering the interests of your friends, And involve yourself in all kinds of projects and financial dealings — But there could hardly […]

Act accordingly ~ Chatral Rinpoche

There’s no real happiness among any of the six classes, But if we consider the sufferings of the three lower realms, Then, when you feel upset just by hearing about them, How will you possibly cope when you experience them directly? Even the happiness and pleasures of the three upper realms Are just like fine […]

All you need ~ Chatral Rinpoche

The clothing and alms needed to keep you alive are all you need. You might dine on the finest meal of delicious meat and alcohol, But it all turns into something impure the very next morning, And there is nothing more to it all than that. So be content with life-sustaining provisions and simple clothes, […]

But when you die ~ Chatral Rinpoche

You might spend your whole life pursuing only food and clothes, With great effort and without regard for suffering or harmful deeds, But when you die you can’t take even a single thing — consider this well. Chatral Rinpoche

The best form of austerity ~ Chatral Rinpoche

To bear mistreatment from our enemies is the best form of austerity, But those who hate criticism and are attached to compliments, Who take great pains to discover all the faults of others, While failing to keep proper guard over their own mindstream, And who are always irritable and short-tempered, Are certain to bring breakages […]

Use it well ~ Chatral Rinpoche

Conceiving of your body as a servant or a thing to ferry you about, Don’t allow it to rest in idleness for even just a single moment; Use it well, spurring on your entire body, speech and mind to virtue. Chatral Rinpoche

Taking advantage of our human existence ~ Chatral Rinpoche

The chances of finding a human existence are one in a hundred. Now that you have found one, if you fail to practise the sublime Dharma, How could you possibly expect to find such an opportunity again? This is why it’s crucial that you take advantage of your situation. Chatral Rinpoche

The path of nonviolence ~ Chatral Rinpoche

To obtain real peace and happiness in this world one has simply to follow the path of ahimsa – nonviolence – which naturally is common to all the religions of the world. If we do not like to experience any pain or suffering of any kind, how can we expect any other creature – whether […]

Three kinds of dharma practitioners ~ Chatral Rinpoche

There are three kinds of dharma practitioners: firstly, there are those who look like practitioners outwardly, but inwardly they are not real practitioners; secondly, there are those who talk very high, but have no realization at all; thirdly there are those who do not look like practitioners outwardly, but who are in fact genuine practitioners […]