The path of true awakening ~ Pema Chödron

To stay with that shakiness — to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge — that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic — this is the spiritual path.

Pema Chödron

Hey! ~ Tilopa

Hey! This is self-knowing primordial wisdom. It is beyond articulation and it is not an experienced object of the mind. It is nothing that can be demonstrated by me, Tilopa. Know it by letting your own self-awareness indicate itself.

Tilopa

A few clear principles ~ Tai Situ Rinpoche

Buddhism can appear so complicated and vast that it seems even a lifetime of study would not be sufficient to get to the bottom of it. That is how it is, from one perspective – at least until the ultimate goal of enlightenment is reached. On the other hand, Buddhism can be very simple, dissolving mysteries and complications easily with commonsense truths. Buddhism, in fact, encompasses both these extremes, although the foundation of Buddhist philosophy and practice rests on a few clear principles.

Tai Situ Rinpoche

Just practice good ~ Dogen Zenji

Just practice good, do good for others, without thinking of making yourself known so that you may gain reward. Really bring benefit to others, gaining nothing for yourself. This is the primary requisite for breaking free of attachments to the Self.

Dogen Zenji

Only earth, water, wind and fire ~ Ajahn Chah

All bodies are composed of the four elements of earth, water, wind and fire. When they come together and form a body we say it’s a male, a female, giving it names, and so on, so that we can identify each other more easily. But actually there isn’t anyone there – only earth, water, wind and fire. Don’t get excited over it or infatuated by it. If you really look into it, you will not find anyone there.

Ajahn Chah

Pure and impure perception ~ Trulshik Rinpoche

If your mind is pure, everyone is a buddha.
If your mind is impure, everyone is ordinary.

Trulshik Rinpoche

Enjoying the Chaos ~ Chögyam Trungpa

Working with conflict is precisely the idea of walking on the spiritual path. The path is a wild, winding mountain road with all kinds of curves; there are wild animals, attacks by bandits, all kinds of situations cropping up. As far as the occupation of our mind is concerned, the chaos of the path is the fun.

Chögyam Trungpa

Looking deeply into my anger ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

I am determined not to speak when anger manifests in me.
I will practice mindful breathing and walking to recognize and look deeply into my anger.
I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and the other person.
I will speak and listen in such a way as to help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations.

Thich Nhat Hanh

The absolute ~ Mingyur Rinpoche

The absolute can only be comprehended through experience.

Mingyur Rinpoche

The supreme method ~ Khunu Rinpoche

If one investigates to find the supreme method
for accomplishing the aims of oneself and others,
it comes down to bodhicitta alone.
Being certain of this, develop it with joy.

Khunu Rinpoche

Emptiness and dependent origination ~ 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

Mind is by its very nature empty, yet appearances arise from it without obstruction. Out of the unobstructed emptiness of mind the whole range of appearances can manifest without limit. On a relative level, phenomena manifest through dependent origination; this is inseparable from the emptiness of mind, which is the ultimate level. Freedom from extremes is realizing that emptiness and dependent origination are one and do not contradict each other. Confusion lies neither in the appearance of things, nor in the fact that they are manifested by mind, but in one’s own misunderstanding of the emptiness and luminosity of mind.

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

Avoiding destructive friends ~ Gyelse Tokme Zangpo

The practice of all the bodhisattvas is to avoid destructive friends,
In whose company the three poisons of the mind grow stronger,
And we engage less and less in study, reflection and meditation,
So that love and compassion fade away until they are no more.

Gyelse Tokme Zangpo

You cannot live without dying ~ Krishnamurti

You cannot live without dying. You cannot live if you do not die psychologically every minute. This is not an intellectual paradox. To live completely, wholly, every day as if it were a new loveliness, there must be dying to everything of yesterday, otherwise you live mechanically, and a mechanical mind can never know what love is or what freedom is.

Krishnamurti

Generosity ~ 14th Dalai Lama

Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.

14th Dalai Lama

Rejoice in Others’ Happiness ~ Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

To rejoice in others’ happiness without any preferences of our own shows that we understand that the longing for happiness is the same for all beings. We can rejoice in their temporal happiness, which has come from their accumulation of merit. When we recognize the quality of happiness in others—when we see someone genuinely smile or laugh or see a glimmer of brightness in their eyes — we can rejoice. When they obtain something they want or need, whatever it may be, we have an opportunity to practice rejoicing. Beings long for all kinds of things, some of which we might not want ourselves—but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is that, if only for a single moment, it has brought them some happiness.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Bringing about a true change in your attitudes ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

To bring about a true change in your attitudes is hard at first. But if you understand the meaning behind this mind training, and keep on trying to apply it, you will find that it helps you in every difficult situation, just as a well-designed vehicle can travel any distance quickly with ease.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Calmness in Activity ~ Shunryu Suzuki

It is easy to have calmness in inactivity, it is hard to have calmness in activity, but calmness in activity is true calmness.

Shunryu Suzuki

Generating wholesome attitudes ~ 17th Karmapa

To secure our own happiness and causes of happiness, we must first act to create wholesome causes of happiness. We must create virtue. We must engage in good conduct. We must generate wholesome attitudes. These are important.

17th Karmapa

Beyond good and evil ~ Milarepa

Comprehending beyond good and evil
opens the way to perfect skill.
Experiencing the dissolution of duality,
you embrace the highest view.

Milarepa