Liberation as Ever-Perfect ~ Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

Liberation as Ever-Perfect does not refer to the liberation of a buddha that has occurred in the past, such as that of Buddha Sakyamuni, but to the way in which countless beings are liberated right now and will continue to be liberated in the future simply by realizing their primordial purity. The basis, the path, and the ultimate result in this system are all of a singular, undifferentiated nature: total, pure awareness. Thus, the primordial freedom that one seeks to attain by practicing the spiritual path is something that one already possesses. Intrinsic freedom is itself the path that leads to the actualization of the goal.

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

Sangha ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

We say, “I take refuge in sangha,” but sangha is made of individual practitioners. So you have to take care of yourself. Otherwise you don’t have much to contribute to the community because you do not have enough calm, peace, solidity, and freedom in your heart. That is why in order to build a community, you have to build yourself at the same time. The community is in you and you are in the community. You interpenetrate each other. That is why I emphasize sangha-building. That doesn’t mean that you neglect your own practice. It is by taking good care of your breath, of your body, of your feelings, that you can build a good community.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Chaos in the world ~ Chögyam Trungpa

A great deal of chaos in the world occurs because people don’t appreciate themselves. Having never developed sympathy or gentleness towards themselves, they cannot experience harmony or peace with themselves, and therefore, what they project towards others is also inharmonious and confused.

Chögyam Trungpa

The ultimate source of happiness ~ 14th Dalai Lama

The ultimate source of happiness is our mental attitude.

14th Dalai Lama

Gloriousness and wretchedness ~ Pema Chödron

Gloriousness and wretchedness need each other. One inspires us, the other softens us.

Pema Chödron

Simply let go ~ Ajahn Chah

Once you understand non-self, then the burden of life is gone. You’ll be at peace with the world. When we see beyond self, we no longer cling to happiness and we can truly be happy. Learn to let go without struggle, simply let go, to be just as you are – no holding on, no attachment, free.

Ajahn Chah

You know better than that ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

At night, it is good to examine what you have thought and done during the day, and to confess your faults and unconsidered actions and repair them. Tell yourself that, having encountered a teacher and received his instructions, you know better than to behave in that way. As for your positive actions, dedicate the merit to all beings and vow to improve on them the following day.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

A saint of darkness ~ Mother Teresa

If I ever become a saint, I will surely be one of “darkness.” I will continually be absent from heaven to lit the light of those in darkness on earth.

Mother Teresa

A container for our spiritual cultivation ~ Tenzin Palmo

These basic rules of conduct: not killing, not stealing, being very careful and responsible in our sexual conduct, having ethical speech and not destroying our minds through drugs and alcohol – these are eternal rules of conduct… it’s like a cup: if we want to pour in the elixir of the dharma, we have to have something to support it, we have to have something to contain it…so, it doesn’t just run everywhere and get wasted. It holds it, it contains it. So, likewise, for our spiritual cultivation we need a container. And this is our basic ethical conduct, that we live in this world in a way, that any being, who comes in our presence, knows, they have nothing to fear from us, because we are not going to hurt them, we are not going to steal from them, we are not going to misuse them, we are not going to cheat them… they are safe with us and we are also safe with ourselves, because we know, we are not going to do these things, because we have promised ourselves and the Buddhas not to do that.

Tenzin Palmo

Our Actual Enemy ~ 17th Karmapa

Our anger is our actual enemy. It is an obstacle that cuts us off from the cause of higher states of rebirth and the definitive excellence that is liberation. If we do not tame it, then outer enemies will simply multiply. They will increase to the same extent that we try to overpower them. And they could present a danger to our lives and to our ability to keep any of the three sets of vows (individual liberation, bodhisattva, and tantric) we may have taken.
Since we are the ones who make one another into enemies, they can proliferate without limit. By creating such projections, we are engaging in actions that are detrimental. Why is this so? Because there is not one living being who has not been our mother or father, and therefore they should all be the objects if our compassion. On the other hand, there is not one living being who has not been our enemy. In this way, all living beings are equally our friends and enemies, so being attached to some and feeling hatred for others makes no sense. Through a mind that sees this equality, we should tame the enemy of our own anger with an army of great compassion. This is the practice of a true bodhisattva.

17th Karmapa

The alternation of thoughts ~ Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje

The alternation of thoughts
Of happiness and suffering, desire and aversion,
Is nothing more than the play
Of luminous emptiness and mind.
Without altering whatever arises,
Look at its nature,
And you will perceive it as great bliss.

Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje

The real message of love ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Through my love for you, I want to express my love for the whole cosmos, the whole of humanity, and all beings.
By living with you, I want to learn to love everyone and all species. If I succeed in loving you, I will be able to love everyone and all species on Earth… This is the real message of love.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness and compassion ~ Mingyur Rinpoche

Mindfulness and compassion actually develop at the same pace. The more mindful you become, the easier you’ll find it to be compassionate. And the more you open your heart to others, the more mindfull you become in all your activities.

Mingyur Rinpoche

Unconditioned joy ~ Khunu Rinpoche

With bodhicitta one enjoys happiness.
With bodhicitta one enjoys even sorrow.
With bodhicitta one enjoys what is there.
With bodhicitta one enjoys even what is not there.

Khunu Rinpoche

The raw material of our existence ~ Pema Chödron

The world we find ourselves in, the person we think we are – these are our working bases. This charnal ground called life is the manifestation of wisdom. This wisdom is the basis of freedom and also the basis of confusion. In every moment of time, we make a choice. Which way do we go? How do we relate to the raw material of our existence?

Pema Chödron

First mature your own mind ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

If you really wish to benefit others, the first step is to attain realization yourself. You must first mature your own mind, otherwise you will be incapable of helping others. Giving other people water is impossible unless you have a jug with water in it. If it is empty, you might make the gesture of pouring , but no water will come out.