Now we are afflicted by “me-my-mine-itis,” a condition caused by ignorance. Our self-centeredness and self-important thinking have become very strong habits. In order to change them, we need to refocus. Instead of concerning ourselves with “I” all the time, we must redirect our attention to “you” or “them” or “others.” Reducing self-importance lessens the attachment that stems from it. When we focus outside ourselves, ultimately we realize the equality of ourselves and all other beings. Everybody wants happiness; nobody wants to suffer. Our attachment to our own happiness expands to an attachment to the happiness of all.
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
from the book
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Further quotes from the book Gates to Buddhist Practice :
- Understanding how delusion arises
- No overnight change
- Acceptance of what we have
- Stopping the extreme swings of the emotional pendulum
- Changing the way the mind experiences reality