Pema ChödronThe Buddha is the awakened one, and we too are buddhas. We are the awakened one — the one who continually leaps, who continually opens, who continually goes forward. Being a buddha isn’t easy. It’s accompanied by fear, resentment, and doubt. But learning to leap into open space with our fear, resentment, and doubt is how we become fully human beings. There isn’t any separation between samsara and nirvana, between the sadness and pain of the setting sun and the vision and power of the Great Eastern Sun, as the Shambhala teachings put it. One can hold them both in one’s heart, which is actually the purpose of practice.
Genuine compassion ~ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Namkhai Norbu RinpocheUntil pure compassion arises, there is no way to overcome limitations and sectarianism. However, there are many practitioners who reach a point after a while where they consider themselves like deities and treat others as opposing evil spirits, thereby strengthening their limitations and further accentuating attachment and hatred. Though they talk a lot about Mahamudra and Dzogchen, at the level of behavior, they are only becoming more expert and refined in acting according to the “eight worldly concerns”. This is a concrete sign that genuine compassion has not arisen and that, at the most fundamental level, the true and only root of compassion, the presence of awareness, has never arisen.
The chattering voice in our heads ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheThe less we know about the chattering, muttering voice in our heads that tell us what to do, what to believe, what to buy, which people we should love, and so forth, the more power we grant it to boss us around and convince us that whatever it says is true.
Absolute Loving-Kindness ~ Tulku Thondup Rinpoche
Tulku Thondup RinpocheEnlightened mind sees all but without grasping at the “self.” Because we are not grasping at “self,” there is no dividing into duality, no clash and conflict between the rigid surfaces of the mind’s dualistic concepts and its mental objects. When we see all with an open mind, we see all in oneness, unity. We see infinite phenomena simultaneously, as a result of the omniscient quality of the mind’s nature. Since there are no clashes or conflicts, all is in a state of oneness, a state of ultimate peace, joy, and universal love; all is absolute loving-kindness.
Bodhicitta ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheThe attainment of Buddhahood, the path through which it is attained, really begins with the generation of bodhicitta, which is the intention to attain liberation so that one can bring all beings to that same state. Since this is the motivation with which the path is begun, when the result of the path, buddhahood, is attained, it is naturally spontaneous, impartial, and nonconceptual compassion. Therefore, we regard buddhas as having an awareness that is responsive to the needs of beings, so they are open and accessible to our prayers and supplications.
The necessary qualities of the teacher and student ~ Alan Wallace
Alan WallaceIn addition to the two basic qualities a teacher must possess — altruistic intention and a sound knowledge of Dharma — three qualities are necessary on the part of a disciple. The first is perceptivity — attending closely, clarity of attention. The second quality is having an aspiration to put the teachings into practice. You aren’t receiving teachings merely to accumulate knowledge, or because the lama is charismatic, your friends are going, or other reasons. You have come because you really want to practice. Otherwise you are wasting the teacher’s time, which is a grave thing to do. The third quality is to attend to the teachings without prejudice, especially the prejudice of uncritically believing that your own ideas are true, while any assertion that differs from your beliefs is suspect. In other words, it’s imperative to have an open mind, one willing to critically reassess even your own most cherished assumptions. These three qualities, like those necessary in a teacher, are crucial.
Getting even more involved with the world ~ Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche
Traleg Kyabgon RinpocheThat is the key: through understanding emptiness one is able to overcome attachment, clinging, and grasping. The Bodhisattva seeks to overcome attachment, not so as to become detached or indifferent to the world, but in order to get even more involved with the world. There is no longer that duality existing between the Bodhisattva and others — between the self and the world — because the self and the world both have the same nature, which is emptiness. Therefore, Bodhisattvas are able to execute their compassionate activities in a much more beneficial and far-ranging manner.
How does confusion arise ~ 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
3rd Jamgon Kongtrul RinpocheConfusion has no beginning, since as such it does not exist; this is beginningless samsara. The same is true also for the end of confusion. On the one hand, confusion has no end, since it does not exist; on the other hand, one can actually put an end to it in the sense of liberating oneself from the state of confusion. This is called “putting an end to samsara.
Death comes suddenly ~ Shunryu Suzuki
Shunryu SuzukiOne morning at the end of zazen, Suzuki spoke to the students still facing the wall, repeating an old theme with a new twist: “When you hear the wake-up bell, you should jump out of bed right away. You shouldn’t lie there. Otherwise, how can you ever face death, which always comes suddenly? But don’t jump out of bed the way I did this morning. I knocked over my kerosene lamp.”
The path of healing and wholeness ~ Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche
Traleg Kyabgon RinpocheWe need to travel on the path of healing and wholeness. That will take time. We may start out expecting quick relief from samsaric suffering. When that is not forthcoming, we may become disappointed, resentful, or indignant. We may even rail against the Dharma or abuse it. We cannot digest the powerful medicine of the Dharma in one dose, but as we treat ourselves in a stepwise fashion, our capacity to absorb Dharma increases. Then we can take — and ought to take — more and more powerful doses. When we can do that, we soon come to see the Dharma’s true potency and its healing power. It is the most powerful medicine for counteracting dukkha.
Like a treasure hidden from sight ~ Gyaltsab Rinpoche
Gyaltsab RinpocheThe Buddha had the insight to recognize that in essence all beings have the same potential to become equally realized, and to become fully awakened Buddhas. The Buddha saw that the potential of sentient beings is like a treasure hidden from sight. Unfortunately, we continually fail to recognize this potential, or Buddhanature as it is called, buried within each of us. Because of our habitual patterns and bewilderment, we find ourselves constantly involved with and entertained by the superficial appearances of pleasure and happiness. For instance, we usually think of increased popularity and fame or the accumulation of material wealth as sources of happiness. The Buddha pointed out that these aspects of the relative phenomenal world are perpetually subject to change, deceptiveness, and impermanence. As a result, while it is possible to be temporarily entertained or distracted, we constantly meet with obstacles and limitations in our pursuit of transitory pleasures. This is due to our failure to direct our efforts toward the unraveling of our own confusion and bewilderment.
When we ignore our interdependence ~ 17th Karmapa
17th KarmapaViewing ourselves through the lens of interdependence brings certain qualities and values into focus. For example, when we hold to a sense of ourselves as utterly independent, we can come to believe and behave as if we were entirely self-made, as if our own individuality called together all the conditions needed to bring us into being. This can lead to false pride and overbearing arrogance, as if we independently created our own individuality and owe nothing to anyone. When we ignore our interdependence, we are disregarding the importance of others to our well-being. We devalue their contributions to who we are. This kind of pride is a symptom of narrow view. It is a harmful delusion that can seriously impair our ability to relate in healthy way to others.
The importance of mind ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheOur mind is very important and all our experiences of happiness and unhappiness arise in the mind. So if we can train our minds then happiness will arise naturally. This happiness is real lasting peace which you will have in the external environment as well as in your inner mind.
A longing to help ~ Pema Chödron
Pema ChödronBodhi means “awake” and citta means “heart-mind.” Bodhicitta is a longing, a yearning, that comes to fortunate people to wake up, and specifically to wake up so they can be of help to other people and to the earth. It’s very common that people want to be free of suffering and go about it in ways that just increase their suffering. But it’s less common for people to want to be free of suffering because they really have a longing to help.
Concern for others versus interest in ourselves ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheIf we consider the buddhas, their main concern is others, not themselves; they always act to help other beings, and we can see all the qualities this brings. The opposite would be people like us, ordinary beings in the world, who are only interested in ourselves; we are very egocentric and only concerned with ourselves. Look at the mess this has put us in.
Fruit is born of every act ~ Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha ShakyamuniWhen the time arrives — even if
A hundred eons pass —
Fruit is born of every act
That sentient beings amass.
At your feet I bow ~ Patrul Rinpoche
Patrul RinpocheUnderstanding that samsaric activities are empty of meaning,
With great compassion, you strive only for the benefit of others.
Without attachment to samsara or nirvana, you act according to the Great Vehicle.
Peerless Teacher, at your feet I bow.
Merely set up by conceptuality ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaSometime during the early sixties when I was reflecting on a passage by Tsongkhapa [founder of the Gelugpa school to which the Dalai Lama belongs] about unfindability and the fact that phenomena are dependent on conceptuality, it was as if lightning coursed within my chest. Here is the passage:
A coiled rope’s speckled color and coiling are similar to those of a snake, and when the rope is perceived in a dim area, the thought arises, “This is a snake.” As for the rope, at that time when it is seen to be a snake, the collection and parts of the rope are not even in the slightest way a snake. Therefore, that snake is merely set up by conceptuality.
In the same way, when the thought “I” arises in dependence upon mind and body, nothing within mind and body—neither the collection which is a continuum of earlier and later moments, nor the collection of the parts at one time, nor the separate parts, nor the continuum of any of the separate parts—is in even the slightest way the “I.” Also there is not even the slightest something that is a different entity from mind and body that is apprehendable as the “I.” Consequently, the “I” is merely set up by conceptuality in dependence upon mind and body; it is not established by way of its own entity.
The impact lasted for a while, and for the next few weeks whenever I saw people, they seemed like a magician’s illusions in that they appeared to inherently exist but I knew that they actually did not. That experience, which was like lightning in my heart, was most likely at a level below completely valid and incontrovertible realization. This is when my understanding of the cessation of the afflictive emotions as a true possibility became real.
Behind fear there is a soft spot ~ Pema Chödron
Pema ChödronThere is a teaching that says that behind all hardening and tightening and rigidity of the heart, there’s always fear. But if you touch fear, behind fear there is a soft spot. And if you touch that soft spot, you find the vast blue sky. You find that which is ineffable, ungraspable, and unbiased, that which can support and awaken us at any time.
Noble Heart ~ Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam TrungpaThe bodhisattva just acts according to the true, present moment, through which he develops a kind of warmth. And there is a great warmth in this awareness and also great creativity. His actions are not limited by anything and all sorts of creative impulses just arise in him and are somehow exactly right for that particular moment. Things just happen and he simply sails through them, so there is a continual, tremendous creativity in him. That is the real act of Karuna – a Sanskrit word which means ‘Noble Heart’ , or ‘Compassionate Heart’.