When you begin to recognize perceptions as nothing more than fleeting, circumstantial events, they don’t weigh as heavily on you, and the whole dualistic structure of “self” and “other” begins to soften. Mingyur Rinpoche
Samsara refers to the wheel or circle of unhappiness, a habit of running around in circles, chasing after the same experience again and again, each time expecting a different result. If you’ve ever watched a dog or a cat chasing its own tail, you’ve seen the essence of samsara. And even though it might be […]
When your mind is poised naturally between relaxation and alertness, its innate qualities spontaneously emerge. Mingyur Rinpoche
Our real nature is infinite in scope. Mingyur Rinpoche
Meditation is really a process of nonjudgmental awareness. Mingyur Rinpoche
Samsara and nirvana are simply different points of view based on the choices we make. Mingyur Rinpoche
Each flash of bliss, clarity, or non-conceptuality is a spontaneous experience of the mind as it is at that particular moment. Mingyur Rinpoche
For most of us, our natural mind or buddha-nature is obscured by the limited self-image created by habitual neuronal patterns – which, in themselves, are simply a reflection of the unlimited capacity of the mind to create any condition it chooses. Natural mind is capable of producing anything, even ignorance of its own nature. In […]
The very first sign of waking up is the insight that we are not doomed to retrace our steps forever. Mingyur Rinpoche
Mindfulness and compassion actually develop at the same pace. The more mindful you become, the easier you’ll find it to be compassionate. And the more you open your heart to others, the more mindfull you become in all your activities. Mingyur Rinpoche
The mind itself and the thoughts, emotions, and sensations that arise, abide, and disappear in the mind are equal expressions of emptiness—that is, the open-ended possibility for anything to occur. If the mind is not a “thing” but an event, then all the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that occur in what we think of as […]
Nirvana is a fundamentally objective state of mind: an acceptance of experience without judgments, which opens us to the potential for seeing solutions that may not be directly connected to our survival as individuals, but rather to the survival of all sentient beings. Mingyur Rinpoche
As long as we don’t recognize our real nature, we suffer. When we recognize our nature, we become free from suffering. Whether you recognize it or not, though, its qualities remain unchanged. But when you begin to recognize it in yourself, you change, and the quality of your life changes as well. Things you never […]
The teachings and practices laid out by the Buddha twenty-five hundred years ago do not in any way involve conquering problems or getting rid of the sense of loneliness, discomfort, or fear that haunts our daily lives. On the contrary, the Buddha taught that we can find our freedom only through embracing the conditions that […]
Most people don’t have a very clear idea of what happiness is, and consequently find themselves creating conditions that lead them back to the dissastifaction they so desperately seek to eliminate. That being the case, it would be a good idea to look at happiness, unhappiness, and their underlying causes a bit more closely. Mingyur […]
Theoretical understanding alone is simply not enough to overcome the psychological and biological habits that create so much headache and pain in daily life. For real transformation to occur, theory has to be applied through practice. Mingyur Rinpoche
Nonconceptuality is an experience of the total openness of your mind. Your awareness is direct and unclouded by conceptual distinction such as “I” or “other,” subjects and objects, or any other form of limitation. It’s an experience of pure consciousness as infinite as space, without beginning, middle, or end. It’s like becoming awake within a […]
Absolute bodhicitta is the direct insight into the nature of mind. Within absolute bodhicitta, or the absolutely awakened mind, there is no distinction between subject and object, self and other; all sentient beings are spontaneously recognized as perfect manifestation of buddha nature. Mingyur Rinpoche
Learning to appreciate the clarity of the mind is a gradual process, just like developing an awareness of emptiness. First you get the main point, slowly grow more familiar with it, and then just continue training in recognition. Mingyur Rinpoche
One of the most fundamental teachings of the Buddha is the Four Noble Truths. In fact the Four Noble Truths constitute the main theme within which all the Buddhist teachings can be understood to fit. Mingyur Rinpoche
