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 other words, not recognizing natural mind is simply an example of the mind’s unlimited capacity to create whatever it wants. Whenever we feel fear, sadness, jealousy, desire, or any other emotion that contributes to our sense of vulnerability or weakness, we should give ourselves a nice pat on the back. We’ve just experienced the unlimited nature of the mind.
Mingyur Rinpoche
from the book The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness
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Further quotes from the book The Joy of Living:
- What Buddhists mean by happiness
- Just observe it
- Setting the tone for your entire day
- Your mind just as it is
- Importance of the motivation
- Being diligent
- The best part of all
- Recognizing the inherent potential of your mind
- Oh, this is how my mind works
- Trying to do your best
- Neither rejecting nor accepting
- Nothing more than the natural function of the mind
- Thinking of yourself as limited
- The practice of simply observing
- Meditation on compassion
- Essentially good
- An experience of absolute well-being
- The need to look at the mind
- Never disturbed
- Becoming aware