Those who do not pursue praise and gain, those who do not shun criticism and loss, may be stigmatized as abnormal or even insane. When observed from an ordinary point of view, enlightened beings may seem insane because they don’t negotiate, they cannot be lured or swayed by material gain, they don’t get bored, they don’t look for thrills, they have no face to lose, they do not conform to rules of etiquette, they never employ hypocrisy for personal gain, they never do things to impress people, and they don’t display their talents and powers just for the sake of it. But if it benefits others, these saints will do anything necessary, from having perfect table manners to leading a Fortune 500 company. In 2,500 years of Buddhist history there have probably been countless enlightened beings who were never identified or who were banished for being insane.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
from the book What Makes You Not a Buddhist
Read a random quote or see all quotes by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.
Further quotes from the book What Makes You Not a Buddhist:
- Corrosion begins as soon as creation begins
- What is life?
- Fearlessness
- Like a child at the cinema
- Change is inevitable
- Where will they scatter my ashes
- Being a Buddhist
- Eventually we are disappointed
- Pride and pity
- Our true nature is like a wineglass
- The cup that holds the teachings
- The habit of self
- Happily ever after
- Clinging to our hopes and fears
- Today is the death of yesterday
- Appreciating the whole cycle of impermanence
- Nonviolence
- The real enemy
- Like moths to the flame