Kangyur RinpochePatience is essentially the ability to bear with suffering. It is the fertile soil in which the flowers of Dharma (in other words, the three disciplines) can grow and spread their perfume of good qualities. Encircling these flowers like a protective fence are the three kinds of patience. The first is the patience to bear the sufferings and difficulties that occur while one is striving for the twofold goal: Buddhahood for one’s own sake and the accomplishment of the welfare of others. The second kind of patience is the ability to put up with the injuries that others might inflict, while the third kind is the ability to confront, without fear or apprehension, the doctrine of emptiness and other profound teachings.
The two obscurations ~ Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Tulku Urgyen RinpocheWe continue in samsaric existence as long as we are covered by the emotional obscurations and the cognitive obscurations. These two obscurations are precisely what hinder us from attaining the state of omniscient buddhahood.
Leave mind unfabricated ~ Padampa Sangye
Padampa SangyeDon’t take outer appearances inside! Don’t project inner conceptions outside! Don’t enslave body to mind! Don’t occupy mind with body! Don’t attend to view or meditation! Leave mind unfabricated, just where it is!
Try again and again ~ Kyong Ho
Kyong HoDon’t expect to finish doing something easily. If you happen to acquire something easily the will is made weaker. So an ancient once said, “Try again and again to complete what you are doing.”
The real source of fear is not knowing ~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheWhen you begin to notice the damage that emotions can do, awareness develops. When you have awareness — for example, if you know that you are on the edge of a cliff — you understand the dangers before you. You can still go ahead and do as you were doing; walking on a cliff with awareness is not so frightening anymore, in fact it is thrilling. The real source of fear is not knowing. Awareness doesn’t prevent you from living, it makes living that much fuller.
Two ways to meditate ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheWhen we speak of the “mind,” it is important to know whether we are talking about the ordinary mind, referring to the innumerable chains of thoughts that create and maintain our state of delusion, or, as here, about the nature of mind at the source of all those thoughts—the clear, void state of awareness completely free of delusion. To illustrate this distinction, Lord Buddha taught that there are two ways to meditate — like a dog and like a lion. If you throw a stick at a dog, he will chase after the stick; but if you throw a stick at a lion, the lion will chase after you. You can throw as many sticks as you like at a dog, but at a lion only one. When you are completely barraged with thoughts, chasing after each one in turn with its antidote is an endless task. That is like the dog. It is better, like the lion, to look for the source of those thoughts.
The relinquishing of all views ~ Nagarjuna
NagarjunaThe victorious ones have said that emptiness is the relinquishing of all views. For whomever emptiness is a view, that one will accomplish nothing.
Equanimity vs Indifference ~ Jack Kornfield
Jack KornfieldThe near enemy of equanimity is indifference or callousness. We may appear serene if we say, “I’m not attached. It doesn’t matter what happens anyway, because it’s all transitory.” We feel a certain peaceful relief because we withdraw from experience and from the energies of life. But indifference is based on fear. True equanimity is not a withdrawal; it is a balanced engagement with all aspects of life. It is opening to the whole of life with composure and ease of mind, accepting the beautiful and terrifying nature of all things. Equanimity embraces the loved and the unloved, the agreeable and the disagreeable, the pleasure and pain. It eliminates clinging and aversion.
Although everything is temporary and dreamlike, with equanimity we nevertheless honor the reality of form. As Zen master Dogen says, “Flowers fall with our attachment, and weeds spring up with our aversion.” Knowing that all will change and that the world of conditioned phenomena is insubstantial, with equanimity we are able to be fully present and in harmony with it.
Taming the ego ~ Dharmaraksita
DharmaraksitaSince your ego is your enemy, against whom shall you fight? Since your ego itself is the protector, whom shall you protect? It is the very witness of all you have done and left undone. When you have tamed your ego, you shall be liberated.
A simple moment of awareness ~ Khandro Rinpoche
Khandro RinpocheThe essence of the highest teachings lies within a simple moment of awareness.
Looking at the perceiving mind ~ Thrangu Rinpoche
Thrangu RinpocheWhen there are thoughts, mental images or perceptions, the usual habit is simply to lose control and be caught up in the show. We continually get absorbed in what is going on, instead of taking a good clear look at the perceiving mind.
The way to study ~ Shunryu Suzuki
Shunryu SuzukiWe have to study with our warm heart, not just with our brain.
No one is going to spoon-feed us ~ Thubten Chodron
Thubten ChodronWe receive what we put into the Dharma. Our joyous effort brings good results over time. We are responsible for our spiritual practice, although we certainly depend on spiritual teachers to instruct us and a community of Dharma friends for support. However, no one is going to spoon-feed us. Our teachers and the Three Jewels are there to guide, teach, and inspire us, but we have to do the work of transforming our minds. As we do, we will become wiser, calmer, and more compassionate. Our mental and emotional clarity will increase, as will our sense of well-being.
Stretching a bit further ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Mingyur RinpocheTo encourage curiosity and flexibility, it’s important to discover our limits, and then stretch a bit further.
Look at that which is meaningful ~ Tilopa
TilopaWishing to attain liberation from intolerable suffering, rely upon a wise guru. When the guru’s blessings enter your heart, your mind will be liberated. These things of samsara are meaningless or pointless, the causes of suffering. And since all of these things that have been done or made are pointless, look at that which is meaningful.
Countless blossoms ~ Dogen Zenji
Dogen ZenjiWhen the old plum tree suddenly blooms, the world of blossoming flowers arises. At the moment when the world of blossoming flowers arises, spring arrives. There is a single blossom that opens five petals. At this moment of a single blossom, there are three, four, and five blossoms, hundreds, thousands, myriads, billions of blossoms – countless blossoms.
From within oneself ~ 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai LamaHuman happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.
No trace ~ Sheng Yen
Sheng YenThe enlightened mind is like a bird in flight that leaves no trace of its path. People will say, “A bird just flew by.” In their mind, there is a trace of the bird’s path. This is attachment. For the enlightened practitioner, that moment is already gone—the bird has left no trace of its flight. Like the bird, from moment to moment the enlightened practitioner’s actions do not leave any trace.
Time is life ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat HanhMany people cannot allow themselves the time to sit and do nothing but breathe. They consider it to be uneconomical or a luxury. People say “time is money.” But time is much more than money. Time is life. The simple practice of sitting quietly on a regular basis can be profoundly healing. Stopping and sitting is a good way to focus on mindful breathing and nothing else.
Confusion is the only difference ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse RinpocheEffortlessly, the inconceivable qualities are naturally perfect. The only difference between buddhas and sentient beings is whether these qualities are realized or not. In terms of how things are, there is no difference between buddhas and sentient beings. However, in terms of how things appear, sentient beings are confused and buddhas are not. So confusion is the only difference.