Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheWith ignorance comes attachment to all that is pleasant to the ego as well as hatred and repulsion for all that is unpleasant. In that way the three poisons — ignorance, attachment, and hatred — come into being. Under the influence of these three poisons, the mind becomes like a servant running here and there. This is how the suffering of samsara is built up. It all derives from a lack of discernment and a distorted perception of the nature of phenomena.
Just being here again and again and again ~ Pema Chödron
Pema ChödronIt is never too late for any of us to look at our minds. We can always sit down and allow the space for anything to arise. Sometimes we have a shocking experience of ourselves. Sometimes we try to hide. Sometimes we have a surprising experience of ourselves. Often we get carried away. Without judging, without buying into likes and dislikes, we can always encourage ourselves to just be here again and again and again.
The three characteristics of mindfulness ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheMindfulness has three characteristics. First, one has a sharpness and clearness of mind in which the instructions are not forgotten. Second, although the mind is very sharp and focused, there are not many thoughts arising because meditation is nonconceptual, so the mind is naturally focused one-pointedly on an object. Third, because one has trust and faith and has the suppleness or flexibility of having become well trained, meditation becomes pleasant with a sense of comfort and pleasure.
Diversity and unity ~ Shantarakshita
ShantarakshitaWithin emptiness, everything exists in a harmonious state,
Whether it is good, bad, beautiful, or ugly.
Just as all the oceans have the flavor of salt,
The diversity of things participates in the unity of emptiness.
It is only your mind that experiences ~ Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Tulku Urgyen RinpocheThe essential practice is about nothing other than realizing the nature of your mind. It is only your mind that experiences. There is nothing other in this world that can experience. The five outer and inner elements, comprising the world and your body, don’t experience anything. Neither do the five sense organs. Thus, it is this mind that we need to be one hundred percent clear about.
Then ends rebirth ~ Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha ShakyamuniThrough not seeing the Four Noble truths
Long was the weary path from birth to birth.
When these are known, removed is rebirth’s cause,
The root of sorrow plucked; then ends rebirth.
The way to rest the mind ~ Saraha
SarahaThe way to rest the mind
Should be neither too intense nor too relaxed.
Let the mind rest with clarity and without distraction,
Like a lamp on a windless night.
Let the mind wander to various objects with awareness,
Like a bird set free from a ship at sea.
Regard whatever arises in the mind as part of mahamudra,
Like the flames of a forest fire.
Regard all sensory impressions as part of meditation,
Like reflections of the moon on water.
A yogi allows the mind to wander and rest with ease,
Like a skilful elephant herder looks after his elephants.
A yogi should delight in sensory experiences,
Just as fields rely on water and manure.
Spiritual value is limitless ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaMaterial value is limited; spiritual value is limitless. And while daily we hear people talking about these two values, I’m not convinced that people fully understand inner value, even just the ability to rest and relax on a mental level. In modern society, material value is more prized as a path to contentment, but it is limited. The truer path to contentment is found in spiritual value, which is not concerned with material and physical things, and is limitless.
Why can’t the Guru be perfect? ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheWhy are our human gurus so apparently fallible? Why can’t they be perfect like the Buddha? A human guru will often exhibit some of the inherent flaws and imperfections that we also struggle with, but as a result he or she will be a far more effective teacher than a “perfect” guru. Ironically, it’s human fallibility itself that provides the guru with the most effective tools. If a guru manifested as a completely perfect being, you might not be able to communicate with him or her because you are not perfect.
Gurus who go strictly by the book, who present themselves as perfectly well-behaved manifestations, could quickly become predictable. Students will learn how to hide from them and will know exactly what to expect. There would be no surprises. The Vajrayana is the path of the rug being pulled out from under your feet, so you need someone who knows how to do that. There has to be interaction for rug pulling to take place, so the guru must reside on some human level, which naturally includes flaws.
Acting against self-serving impulses ~ 17th Karmapa
17th KarmapaMany of us are moved when we see how animals behave and how they care for one another. Videos of interspecies interactions have some of the most views on the Internet. I myself enjoy watching them as well. Perhaps these videos reflect our own yearning to be able to connect across our differences. Millions of people might share a video of a dolphin and a whale playing together or a cat mothering an abandoned chick. There is something in this that fascinates us. When we watch such videos, we marvel at animals’ abilities to act against what we assume is their self-serving or self-protective impulses. We can let ourselves be inspired by their natural display of the same inner qualities we would like to cultivate.
Things exist because they are empty ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Lama Zopa RinpocheThings do exist, but they exist because they are empty. That is why the I exists; why phenomena exist; why birth, aging, and death exist; why suffering and the cessation of suffering exist. All these exist in mere name. For ordinary people like us, however, everything that is false in life appears true. Whether something exists or is a fantasy, we believe it to be 100 percent true. On the other hand, ultimate reality, which does exist, appears to us as nonexistent.
Look into the mirror of your mind ~ Tilopa
TilopaNaropa, you should strive
For Samsara and Nirvana’s unity.
Look into the mirror of your mind, which is delight eternal,
The mysterious home of the Dakini.
Advice on selecting a guru ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheIt’s recommended that beginners do a thorough background check of the guru in question — listening to the stories that follow a particular guru around, reading books and other literature, evaluating his or her social media. Also, don’t limit your search to just one guru; leave the mind open to other options, apparent or unseen.
Just because a guru is adored by hundreds of disciples does not prove his or her authenticity. As history has shown, hundreds, if not millions, of people are very capable of creating a phenomenon of group denial. You could settle with the first person who sparks your interest, but it’s wise to seek out different types of teachers from different age groups, with different styles, from different lineages, before making a commitment. They may open your mind.
Perhaps you have a preconception that you don’t like a certain type of guru, but you might be surprised to find that that is the very type that benefits you most.
Mind’s reflections ~ Saraha
SarahaThe mind is the sole creator of everything that exists.
The samsaric and nirvanic conditions
Are reflected in the mind
Your own experience of compassion ~ Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Lama Zopa RinpocheWhen I introduce the concept of the buddhas and bodhisattvas working for sentient beings to Westerners, I normally recommend that they first use their own experience of compassion as an example, as this makes it easy to understand. When we feel compassion for someone, we want to help, not harm her. In other words, we try to benefit that person by doing whatever we can for her with our body, speech and mind. Even though we don’t feel compassion for every sentient being, we do whatever we can to help those for whom we do feel compassion. If we did feel compassion for all sentient beings, we would try to help all of them according to our capacity. That is logical.
Depending Arising ~ Buddha Shakyamuni
Buddha ShakyamuniBubbles and foam
Arise from turbulent waters,
Arising in dependence on causes and circumstances,
But with no agent to bring them about.In just the same way,
Names and forms arise from actions.
They stem only from causes,
But have no agent to bring them about.
Examine all aspects of an event ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaFrom the Buddhist viewpoint, every event has many aspects and naturally one event can be viewed from many, many different angles. It is very rare or almost impossible that an event can be negative from all points of view. Therefore, it is useful when something happens to try to look at it from different angles and then you can see the positive or beneficial aspects. Moreover, if something happens, it is very useful immediately to make a comparison with some other event or with the events of other people or other nations. This is also very helpful in sustaining your peace of mind.
The guru is the nature of our mind ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheThe guru is the nature of our mind. Once we have realized the nature of our mind, it is no longer necessary to search for the guru outside. If the view of the mind is maintained beyond meditation and postmeditation, the guru is present beyond meeting and parting.
Again and again ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheWe shouldn’t feel that Dharma occurs only when we sit down and meditate. Dharma should be present with us all the time. Dharma should be practiced in everything we do, at all times and in all our actions. Of course, at the moment we can’t act like Milarepa or the Buddha, but at least we can try to be responsible for our own mind. We must try our best not to let the negative mental states develop. We must try to feel more compassion and to develop more bodhichitta. Although we can’t do this immediately, at least we can do whatever we can by doing it everyday, again and again.
Observing our conditioning first ~ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Namkhai Norbu RinpocheMany spiritual paths have as their basis the principle of compassion, of benefiting others. In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, for example, compassion is one of the fundamental points of the practice, together with the knowledge of the true nature of phenomena, or voidness. Sometimes, however, compassion can become something constructed and provisional, because we don’t understand the real principle of it. A genuine, not artificial, compassion, can only arise after we have discovered our own condition. Observing our own limits, our conditioning, our conflicts and so on, we can become truly conscious of the suffering of others, and then our own experience becomes a basis or model for being able to better understand and help those around us.