Although many saints temporarily isolated themselves to practice Dharma, they did not do so to be ultimately isolated. Outwardly they isolated themselves with the intention for increasing the vast pure inner elements of their wish fulfilling Wisdom Mind which has endless qualities that are never isolated. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
When pride arises, do not be controlled by it; return to the recognition of the fundamental awareness. Pride can be very gross, as one can see in arrogant people, or it can take a subtle form that is felt inwardly but does not have a strong outward manifestation. It is important to recognize pride at […]
The essence of liberation is the attainment of the nature of mind itself, which from the beginning has never wandered in samsara and is liberated in profound great space, like a garuda spreading its wings inside the egg. When it has perfected the three skills of the body, the eggshell falls on the ground at […]
If we are attracted to objects which affect us, we must remember that it is not external reality which affects us, but only our previous habit of the reality of those objects reflecting back to us. As long as we have dualistic mind, we always think objects affect each other, but these effects are only […]
Rigzin Jigme Lingpa said, “If you really aren’t weary of samsara, monasteries and centers become just like a big house. If you really want to have pure practice, then you’d better not go from a small house to a big house.” Whenever there are monasteries or centers, there are also Lamas, directors, and systems. If […]
Whatever teachings one takes, it is very important to meditate on them. This will enable one to develop great qualities in Dharma. Without meditation, no matter how much teaching one hears, no matter how much teaching one writes down, no matter how much teaching one records on tape, one will never be able to develop […]
At the time of the meditation of tranquil stillness and true seeing, although this meditation is not the basic nature of clarity and emptiness just as it is, it is the arising of an aspect of experience that is similar, like the way the form of the sky appears in water. This is called an […]
Leave the mind in the natural condition, just as it is. Then being a monk and wearing monk’s robes is good, being a Buddhist yogi and wearing white robes is also good, and not wearing any robes at all, the mind is still pure in the natural condition. The most important thing in Dharma is […]
The point is that Dharma is intended to benefit the mind, so whatever one does in Dharma is likewise intended to benefit the mind. If a particular practice is beneficial to the mind, then it is positive. Therefore, if practices such as doing prostrations and setting up an altar and making offerings and repeating the […]
If we believe in the continuity of mind, then love inconspicuously connects us to the ones we love with continuous positive energy, so that even tangible separations between people who love each other do not reduce the intangible power of love. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
My grandfather of mindfulness must watch constantly after this spoiled child of deluded mind to save him from disaster. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
The Buddha is omniscient: his mind is like the sky. He does not show anything: what appears is a reflection. If sentient beings have direction, it is reflected. If sentient beings have a time, it is reflected. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
In the crystal mirror theater of awareness mind the supreme artist performs his magical displays, but rare is the clear insight audience capable of viewing this wisdom. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Fish play in the water. Birds play in the sky. Ordinary beings play on the earth. Sublime beings play in display. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
If we really want to be sublime meditators, we should not set a time period for our meditation, as it is the modern meditator’s style. We should not count the hours or minutes because limited time makes limited meditation. Our ordering, limited gross and subtle elements’ mind cannot release itself into the sublime, limitless, secret […]
We may pretend to be Buddhists, but if we do not have a wisdom point of view and the compassion that the Buddha Shakyamuni revealed again and again, then whatever Dharma acts we perform are just Dharma drama for the nihilist audience to senselessly gossip about during intermission. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
I would like to be a disciple without being one, without hope of learning. I would like to find through my good karma, auspicious dreams, searching, or through friends, an intelligent and expert, powerful wisdom teacher to show me the truly correct path until the final result. It does not matter if he teaches in […]
We may say we can only believe in what can be experienced or proven, but actually we believe selectively in what can be experienced or proven as long as it is compatible with our other conceptions. We accept and use intangible abstractions of intangible times, places, and circumstances to support what we think is tangibly […]
If we believe that mind is continuous, our love for others becomes continuous. If we recognize this continuity, we do not trust temporary, tangible circumstances or take them too seriously. Since it is tiring to switch between changing uncertainties, which are inherently impermanent and unimportant, we become less easily influenced by any circumstance. This creates […]
If your intention is not clear, if you aren’t really weary of samsara, then going on retreat is just another game. Even if you stayed for your whole life, you would just be wasting time and you would not learn anything. Many animals spend their lives in caves or in the ground like groundhogs, just […]
