14th Dalai LamaIf you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
The wheel of unhappiness ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheSamsara refers to the wheel or circle of unhappiness, a habit of running around in circles, chasing after the same experience again and again, each time expecting a different result. If you’ve ever watched a dog or a cat chasing its own tail, you’ve seen the essence of samsara. And even though it might be funny to watch an animal chase its tail, it’s not so funny when your own mind does the same thing.
Abandon attachment ~ 7th Dalai Lama
7th Dalai LamaWhen comes the time to carry
The load of life through death’s door,
One can take neither relatives, friends,
Servants, nor possessions.
Attached mind is instinctual mind:
Abandon attachment.
Non-thought ~ Pema Chödron
Pema ChödronYou don’t need to struggle to not have thoughts because that’s impossible.
Desire’s tremendous energy ~ Lama Yeshe
Lama YesheIt is precisely because our present life is so inseparably linked with desire that we must make use of desire’s tremendous energy if we wish to transform our life into something transcendental.
Getting into the world ~ Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam TrungpaMeditation is not a matter of withdrawing — you are not drawing in, retreating from the world. In fact you are getting into the world.
The result of learning, contemplation, and meditation ~ Patrul Rinpoche
Patrul RinpocheThe result of learning, contemplation, and meditation should be a steady and real increase in the love and compassion of bodhicitta, together with a steady and real diminution of ego-clinging and negative thinking.
Three limitless seeds of virtue ~ Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro ThayeThe three poisons continually arise in connection with three objects. Compulsive attachment arises for objects that are pleasant or useful; aversion arises for objects that are unpleasant or harmful; and stupidity or indifference for other objects. Recognize these poisons as soon as they arise. Then, for example, when attachment arises, think:
“May every bit of every sentient beings’ attachment be contained in this attachment of mine. May all sentient beings have the seed of virtue of being free of attachment. May this attachment of mine contain all their disturbing emotions and, until they attain buddhahood, may they be free of such disturbing emotions.”
Aversion and other emotions are used in practice by working with them the same way. Thus, the three poisons become three limitless seeds of virtue.
Meditation at any time whatsoever ~ Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Tsoknyi RinpocheWe do not have control over the arising of discursive thoughts. Discursive thoughts do not arise according to a schedule; they can and do arise at any time whatsoever. Exactly in accordance with that, meditation needs to be something which can and does arise at any time whatsoever. In other words, given that the arising of discursive thoughts is unscheduled, to have meditation which is liberating we need a meditation in which the arising of discursive thoughts comes together with the meditation, and the meditation comes together with the arising of discursive thoughts.
The four obstacles of a meditator ~ Tai Situ Rinpoche
Tai Situ RinpocheNow the four obstacles that one has to overcome, the four obstacles of a meditator; […]
The first obstacle is that we don’t recognize our essence because it is so close, so good, and so intimate. It is like our eyes, we cannot see our eyes. In the same way we are not able to see. That is one obstacle.
The second obstacle is that we have so many experiences; we have been born and have died countless times. We have encountered all kinds of extreme situations countless times; we have encountered subtle situations countless times, very sacred and holy situations countless times, unholy and dreadful situations countless times, and each one of those times was a very precious moment to recognize the essence. But we have not recognized it up to today. That is another obstacle; because we have so many experiences we therefore don’t recognize them.
The third obstacle is we don’t have trust and confidence in our essence, we don’t have trust and confidence in our gurus and we don’t have trust and confidence in our lineage. As a result of that we somehow don’t manage to get the best out of it, we don’t get the best fruition out of it.
The fourth obstacle is that it is something that we cannot comprehend. We are supposed to be Buddha, our essence is Buddha but we cannot comprehend that because we see so many undesirable things within ourselves and around us. Therefore, how can I be Buddha? So this kind of habit and obstacle is the fourth obstacle.
Unmistaken view ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheWhen a view is unmistaken, the training in that will be unmistaken as well. And our conduct, our acting upon that view, will be equally unmistaken. When we train in the correct view of Mahamudra, the disturbing emotions and other flaws present within our stream of being will automatically subside. In addition, the good qualities present, the intrinsic qualities of original wakefulness – like loving kindness and compassion – will spontaneously increase. All this is possible only when the training is unmistaken, and unmistaken training is possible only when the view is unmistaken.
Why we need to give up our worldly concerns ~ 17th Karmapa
17th KarmapaWhen we talk about this life’s concerns (summarized by the eight worldly dharmas), we should understand why we need to work on giving them up. The reason is that they represent our attachments, the various ways we cling to all the things of this world. It does not matter whether these things seem to be nice or unpleasant, good or bad, beneficial or harmful. It is just our clinging to them – blindly without understanding or thinking – that disturbs our mind and fills us with apprehension.
Many of us like the Dharma and want to practice it. But often we practice seriously when we are unhappy and have some problems, so actually we are just trying to make ourselves happier. When we have back pain, we apply gels and get a massage, and then we feel a bit better. Our Dharma practice is a little like this. We think that it is something to do when there is a problem, but our main attraction is to this life, to the world and all of its entertainments. We consider our worldly possessions crucial to our lives, the very source of our happiness. Even if we do not think like this consciously, in the background of our mind, our unconscious attitude holds on to all these worldly things as if our happiness truly depended on them.
When we have this attitude, our Dharma practice starts to resemble the treatment of AIDS. I’ve been told that when one has AIDS, the food one eats first feeds the AIDS virus and only afterward, when the virus is satiated, does it go to the parts of our body that are healthy. Something like this happens when we practice Dharma with too much attachment to the eight worldly concerns. Like the AIDS virus, they receive most of our attention, while the Dharma is second in line.
Using whatever occurs as the path ~ Jigme Lingpa
Jigme LingpaIf the meditator is able to use whatever occurs in his life as the path, his body becomes a retreat hut.
The whole point of the dharma ~ Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche
Nyoshul Khen RinpocheWhen the root of duality – dualistic clinging, dualistic perceptions, deluded perceptions – is severed, all the leaves, the branches, and even the tree trunk of samsara and nirvana naturally wither on their own and topple in their own time. Then this great spreading tree of samsara and nirvana, of duality, of worldliness, of conditioned being, does not need to be chopped down: it is already as if dead. We can relax; done is what had to be done, as the Buddha sang.
This is the whole point of the dharma, of spiritual awakening, of buddhahood; this is its ultimate evolution or unfolding. If we aspire to experience such an awakening, there is nothing else to do except recognize the true nature of our primordial awareness, our own essential being, our own birthright, which is within. This is the intrinsic nature of our own heart-mind, also known as bodhicitta or bodhi-mind. It is our own being, our own nature, this renowned buddha-nature. It is not a buddha anywhere else.
The true bow ~ Shunryu Suzuki
Shunryu SuzukiIn your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to each thing the same respect given to a Buddha. Then Buddha bows to Buddha, and you bow to yourself. This is the true bow.
Peace within ~ Ajahn Chah
Ajahn ChahPeace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.
When watching ~ Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha ShakyamuniWhen watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.
No greater virtue ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheIt is said that there is no greater evil than hatred and no greater virtue than patience. While a single moment of anger destroys countless aeons of merits and leads to unmitigated suffering in the hell realms, patience towards those who harm you and the sincere wish to bring them happiness will bring you swiftly onto the path taken by all the Buddhas.
There is no better way to deal with enemies than to feel great love for them, realizing that in former lives they have been your loving parents. There is no better way to nurture your family and look after others than to practice the Dharma and dedicate to all beings the merit you thereby obtain. There is no better or more bountiful harvest than the one you sow in the soil of your faith and endeavor so that it ripens into the richness of merit and wisdom.
Fundamentally not different ~ Kalu Rinpoche
Kalu RinpocheWe must not forget that the mind of all beings and that of the Buddha are not fundamentally different.
Mind’s innate qualities ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheWhen your mind is poised naturally between relaxation and alertness, its innate qualities spontaneously emerge.