In all kinds of situations, we can find out what is true simply by studying ourselves in every nook and cranny, in every black hole and bright spot, whether it’s murky, creepy, grisly, splendid, spooky, frightening, joyful, inspiring, peaceful, or wrathful. We can just look at the whole thing. There’s a lot of encouragement to do this, and meditation gives us the method. When I first encountered Buddhism, I was extremely relieved that there were not only teachings, but also a technique I could use to explore and test these teachings. I was told from day one that I had to find out for myself what was true.
Pema Chödron
from the book When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
Read a random quote or see all quotes by Pema Chödron.
Further quotes from the book When Things Fall Apart:
- The Possibility of Egolessness
- Don’t Set Out to Save the World
- Drive all blames into oneself
- The perfect teacher
- What is in front of us right in the moment
- Flooding the world with your kindness
- No fresh air
- Abandoning hope
- Becoming unstuck
- Moving closer to the truth
- Just being here again and again and again
- The courage to look at ourselves honestly and gently
- Opening our hearts and minds beyond limit
- Being with us
- Cultivating Peace
- It’s just like that
- The path of true awakening
- Undoing of old ways of seeing
- Awakening is essential