Such is the bodhisattvas’ expertise ~ Buddha Shakyamuni

Bodhisattvas comprehend exactly which teachings lead to the attainments of a stream enterer, a once-returner, a non-returner, and a worthy one who has exhausted defilement. They know which teachings sever the ties of existence, dissolve the processes of continued existence, and truly deliver the transcendence of suffering. Likewise, they know exactly which teachings lead to the attainment of a single rhinoceros-like solitary buddha. All this bodhisattvas comprehend by the power of genuine insight. Yet they do not actualize any of those attainments. Why? Because they think as follows:
‘The realms of sentient beings are my responsibility. I have roared like a lion, promising to liberate all beings who are confined to the wilds of cyclic existence. It would not be right of me to escape from that wilderness alone.’ Such is the bodhisattvas’ expertise with respect to the vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas.

Buddha Shakyamuni

The depth of mind free of reference ~ 17th Karmapa

Like the illusory face of this appearing world,
The movement of mind is not touched by artifice.
It is not altered by action, freedom or realization.
To remain in the depth of mind free of reference
is known as mahamudra.

17th Karmapa

Anywhere, anytime ~ Mingyur Rinpoche

Because awareness is as present in our lives as the air we breathe, we can access it anywhere, anytime.

Mingyur Rinpoche

Whenever a new situation arises ~ 14th Dalai Lama

Since compassion and a good heart are developed through constant and conscious effort, it is important for us first to identify the favorable conditions that give rise to our own qualities of kindness and a good heart, as well as the adverse circumstances that obstruct our cultivation of these positive states of mind. It is therefore important for us to lead a life of constant mindfulness and mental alertness. Our mastery of these faculties should be such that whenever a new situation arises, we are able to immediately recognize whether the circumstances are favorable or adverse to the development of compassion and a good heart. By pursuing the practice of compassion in such a manner, we will gradually be able to alleviate the effects of the obstructive forces and enhance the conditions that favor the development of compassion and a good heart.

14th Dalai Lama

May I carry the weight of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings ~ Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen

May I be reborn again and again,
And in all my lives
May I carry the weight of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings.
And if I cannot bear that weight,
At the very least,
May I be born with the burden of thinking that the Buddhadharma may wane.

Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen

The best part of all ~ Mingyur Rinpoche

But, the best part of all is that no matter how long you meditate, or what technique you use, every technique of Buddhist meditation, ultimately, generates compassion, whether we’re aware of it or not. Whenever you look at your mind, you can’t help but recognize your similarity to those around you. When you see your own desire to be happy, you can’t avoid seeing the same desire in others, and when you look clearly at your own fear, anger, or aversion, you can’t help but see that everyone around you feels the same fear, anger, and aversion. When you look at your own mind, all the imaginary differences between yourself and others automatically dissolve, and the ancient prayer of the Four Immeasurables becomes as natural and persistent as your own heartbeat.

Mingyur Rinpoche

Freedom from the exhausting postures of pretense and denial ~ Sharon Salzberg

It’s often said that the Buddha simply taught about “suffering and the end of suffering.” Suffering in his teaching does not necessarily mean grave physical pain, but rather the mental suffering we undergo when our tendency to hold onto pleasure encounters the fleeting nature of life, and our experiences become unsatisfying and ungovernable. Knowing this truth gives our lives wholeness and peace, as it frees us from the exhausting postures of pretense and denial.

Sharon Salzberg

Dualistic vision ~ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche

When Buddha Sakyamuni died, his eighteen disciples quarreled over doctrinal issues and founded eighteen separate schools. Why did they do that? Because each of them heard and understood something different, sometimes contradictory to what the others had understood. [We are in] a dualistic vision in which everything seems solid to us, therefore, if I’m right (and of course I have it), then you can not have it. People have different political beliefs, follow different spiritual paths and run every day with but the spiritual path should help us to get rid of this kind of problem, otherwise we let ourselves be closed in another system of restrictions. Therefore, we should use our mind to recognize our limitations and understand that the problem is not that we we are right, and others do not have it, only that we follow a dualistic vision.

Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche

The body does not truly exist ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

You can pile up grass to the height of a mountain, but if you take each blade of grass one by one, you will end up with nothing, with no such thing as a “mountain” entity. In the same way, with many stones we can make a solid wall. But if we then remove the stones one by one, not even the name “wall” will be left. Sometimes bubbles appear on the surface of a body of water. From the outside they look like spheres, with a certain solid form that lasts. But when they burst, nothing is left. Similarly, we have taken for granted that the body is existent when in reality there is no such thing. Unavoidably we come to the conclusion that the body does not truly exist.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Impermanence is everywhere ~ Patrul Rinpoche

Impermanence is everywhere, yet I still think things will last.
I have reached the gates of old age, yet I still pretend I am young.
Bless me and misguided beings like me,
That we may truly understand impermanence.

Patrul Rinpoche

Phenomena adorn emptiness ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

The presence of space makes it possible for the whole universe to be set out within it, and yet this does not alter or condition space in any way. Although rainbows appear in the sky, they do not make any difference to the sky; it is simply that the sky makes the appearance of rainbows possible. Phenomena adorn emptiness, but never corrupt it.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Nothing to fear ~ Yeshe Tsogyal

I see nothing to fear in inner space.

Yeshe Tsogyal

Cutting free ~ Kyong Ho

Be equal to every hindrance. Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment without hindrance. Seekers after truth are schooled in adversity. When they are confronted by a hindrance, they can’t be over-come. Then, cutting free, their treasure is great.

Kyong Ho

There is continuity ~ Khunu Rinpoche

After death, our mind doesn’t come to a complete stop – like water drying up or a flame going out. There is continuity. Just as wherever the body goes, the shadow comes along with it – similarly, wherever our mind goes, our karma comes along too. You must have an unshakably firm belief in this.

Khunu Rinpoche

Generation Stage Practice ~ Thrangu Rinpoche

The main practice in vajrayana consists of the generation stage, the cultivation of the practice of regarding oneself as the deity. From an ordinary point of view, we might regard this as useless. We would think, “Well, I am not a deity. What use is there in pretending to be a deity?” But in fact, the root of samsara is the habit of impure perception. By regarding oneself as a deity one gradually purifies, weakens, and removes that habit and replaces it with the positive habit of pure perception. It is for this reason that the meditation upon oneself as a deity is considered so important.

Thrangu Rinpoche

A great holiday for the mind ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche

As ordinary people, we often complain about others abusing us, disrespecting us, and harming us. But if we practice exchanging self for others — the letting go of self-cherishing thought and cherishing others instead — these troubles simply stop. As we do this practice we will find we no longer receive harm from others and instead experience much peace, happiness, and success. Practice becomes easier and liberation and enlightenment become that much closer. Every moment of every day becomes one of contentment and happiness. Cherishing others is like a great holiday for the mind, a wonderful vacation from the oppressive self-cherishing thought.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Hardships can entail valuable aspects ~ 14th Dalai Lama

Personally, I have lost my country and, worse still, in my country there has been a lot of destruction, suffering and unhappiness. I have spent not only the majority of my life but also the best part of my life outside Tibet. If you think of this from that angle alone, there is hardly anything that is positive. But from another angle, you can see that because of these unfortunate things I have had another type of freedom, such as the opportunity of meeting different people from different traditions and also of meeting scientists from different fields. From those experiences my life has been enriched and I have learned many valuable things. So my tragic experiences have also had some valuable aspects.