Buddha ShakyamuniTherefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by loving-kindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves.
Our message ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat HanhOur own life has to be our message.
Distinguishing between beneficial and harmful states of mind ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaWithin the body there are billions of different particles. Similarly, there are many different thoughts and a variety of states of mind. It is wise to take a close look into the world of your mind and to make the distinction between beneficial and harmful states of mind. Once you can recognize the value of good states of mind, you can increase or foster them.
Mindful awareness and mental afflictions ~ Garchen Rinpoche
Garchen RinpocheMilarepa has taught that, in actuality, mindful awareness and mental afflictions – one’s own awareness and mental afflictions – are not separate, because mental afflictions and concepts are in the nature of emptiness. If one realizes this through meditation, then one realizes that actually wisdom and mental afflictions are non-distinct.
We talk about the five types of primordial awareness, such as the individually discriminating awareness and so forth, but they all have one essential meaning, which is mindful awareness. This mindful awareness is similar to fire, and the five mental afflictions are like fuel for the fire, the wood. When wood is burned up by the fire, then the wood itself becomes fire, and the fire gets ever stronger. Therefore the mental afflictions are not separate from one’s primordial awareness. They are primordial awareness; this is the view of mahamudra.
Living fully ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheIf one knows that everything is impermanent, one does not grasp, and if one does not grasp, one will not think in terms of having or lacking, and therefore one lives fully.
Practitioners and adverse circumstances ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheIt is not when things go well that you can judge a true practitioner. When adverse circumstances arise, you can clearly see shortcomings in their practice.
There is no wisdom higher than present mind itself ~ Ponlop Rinpoche
Ponlop RinpocheThe mistaken ideas about the essence arise from fixated attachment that solidifies the present mind as being negative. You believe that noble and positive wisdom will be attained only if present mind is relinquished. This is a mistaken idea in the Mahamudra tradition, because there is no wisdom higher than present mind itself.
All-encompassing nature of mind ~ Dudjom Lingpa
Dudjom LingpaConsider the fact that no matter how many planets and stars are reflected in a lake, these reflections are encompassed within the water itself; that no matter how many universes there are, they are encompassed within a single space; and that no matter how vast and how numerous the sensory appearances of samsara and nirvana may be, they are encompassed within the single nature of mind.
A magical place ~ Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam TrungpaIf we open our eyes, our minds and our hearts, we will find that this world is a magical place.
The pure motivation of bodhicitta ~ Lama Tsongkhapa
Lama TsongkhapaIf renunciation is not embraced
By the pure motivation of bodhicitta,
It will not become a cause for the perfect bliss of unsurpassed awakening,
So the wise should generate supreme bodhicitta.Beings are swept along by the powerful current of the four rivers,
Tightly bound by the chains of their karma, so difficult to undo,
Ensnared within the iron trap of their self-grasping,
And enshrouded in the thick darkness of ignorance.Again and yet again, they are reborn in limitless saṃsāra,
And constantly tormented by the three forms of suffering.
This is the current condition of all your mothers from previous lives—
Contemplate their plight and generate supreme bodhichitta.
Diamond slivers ~ Nagarjuna
NagarjunaNeither from itself nor from another,
Nor from both,
Nor without a cause,
Does anything whatever, anywhere arise.
Abandoning laziness for which life has no time ~ Padmasambhava
PadmasambhavaKyema! Now when the bardo of this life is dawning upon me,
I will abandon laziness for which life has no time,
Enter, undistracted, the path of study, reflection and meditation,
Making perceptions and mind the path, and realize the three kayas;
Now that for once I have attained a human body,
This is not the time to remain in the ways of distraction.
The Greatest Satisfaction ~ 17th Karmapa
17th KarmapaReal satisfaction does not come from having an easy life and plenty of money. These days I have a fairly comfortable life, even peace of mind, but that alone does not give me the greatest satisfaction. Real satisfaction comes when I can do something that really helps someone else without any hope of getting something in return, such as fame or a good reputation. The chance to give people something that truly benefits them does bring the greatest satisfaction.
The purpose of entire practice of dharma ~ Tai Situ Rinpoche
Tai Situ RinpocheThe purpose of entire practice of dharma is to attain buddhahood. There is no other purpose.
And the purpose of attaining buddhahood is to assist all sentient being to attain buddhahood. There is no other purpose.
The purpose of all sentient being to attain Buddhahood is because it is their destination.
It is their destination because it is their potential. It is their essence. And until that potential and essence is fully matured, they will not stop suffering.
Mere appearance ~ Khenpo Tsultrim Rinpoche
Khenpo Tsultrim RinpocheIn a dream there’s nothing substantial but there is the mere appearance of something substantial. Thus, its true nature transcends both existence and nonexistence. Its true nature is not something we can describe with these kinds of terms, because it is beyond any type of thing we might be able to think up about it. And so, just like a flower that appears in a dream, all phenomena that appear, wherever they appear, are the same. They all appear in terms of being a mere appearance. There is nothing substantial to them, and their true nature transcends both existence and nonexistence and any other idea. All phenomena that appear to us in this life are exactly the same.
Just observe it ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheWhatever passes through your mind, don’t focus on it and don’t try to suppress it. Just observe it as it comes and goes.
It’s just like that ~ Pema Chödron
Pema ChödronThings falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.
No trace ~ Shunryu Suzuki
Shunryu SuzukiWhen you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.
Root cause of our suffering ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaSuffering originates from various causes and conditions. But the root cause of our pain and suffering lies in our own ignorant and undisciplined state of mind. The happiness we seek can be attained only through the purification of our minds.
Love without chains ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat HanhYou must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.