The downside of the perfection of discipline is called “the demon of austerity” — taking on discipline as a hardship and making it into a struggle. Done right, discipline is taken on joyfully and with a clear understanding of why engaging in it is good…
Whatever we give up or whatever we do, we should first feel a connection to the practice and then be very clear why we are doing this and not something else. When we act this way, our discipline becomes very inspiring.
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17th Karmapa
from the book Traveling the Path of Compassion: A Commentary on The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva
Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.
Further quotes from the book Traveling the Path of Compassion:
- The true test of meditation
- Why the Dharma is so important
- Teaching what is really useful
- Seeing what Dharma practice actually is
- Finding real solitude
- Why we need to give up our worldly concerns
- The Greatest Satisfaction
- Giving and Receiving
- Taking advantage of opportunities
- Our Actual Enemy
- Joyful discipline
- Taming Our Mind
- Avoiding criticism
- Putting ourselves in someone else’s place
- Seeing clearly what is genuine and what is false
- Remembering the Lama