Unless you have made a clear decision to turn your back on samsara, then however many prayers you recite, however much you meditate, however many years you remain in retreat, it will all be in vain. You may have a long life, but it will be without essence. You may accumulate great wealth, but it will be meaningless. The only thing that is really worth doing is to get steadily closer to enlightenment and further away from samsara. Think about it carefully.
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
from the book The Heart of Compassion: The Thirty-seven Verses on the Practice of a Bodhisattva
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Further quotes from the book The Heart of Compassion:
- The three aspects of diligence
- The children of the buddhas
- Opportunity
- The magnifying glass of your faith and devotion
- I like suffering
- The best opportunity to put the teachings into practice
- Meaningless activities without end
- Nothing to be grasped
- No greater obstacle to Dharma practice
- Start observing your mind
- Before it is too late
- Never stop thinking about how to gain liberation
- Sealing your merit with authentic dedication
- No more than an empty echo
- Phenomena adorn emptiness, but never corrupt it
- Giving and taking
- Conduct
- The reason you are wandering in samsara
- Neither discouragement nor pride