+~
+ External circumstances are not what draw us into suffering. Suffering is
+caused and permitted by an untamed mind. The appearance of self-defeating
+emotions in our minds leads us to faulty actions. The naturally pure mind is
+covered over by these emotions and troubling conceptions. The force of their
+deceit pushes us into faulty actions, which leads inevitably to suffering.
+ We need, with great awareness and care, to extinguish these problematic
+attitudes, the way gathering clouds dissolve back into the sphere of the sky.
+When our self-defeating attitudes, emotions, and conceptions cease, so will
+the harmful actions arising from them.
+ As the great Tibetan yogi Milarepa says, "When arising, arising within space
+itself; when dissolving, dissolving back into space." We need to become
+familiar with the state of our own minds to understand how to dissolve ill-
+founded ideas and impulses back into the deeper sphere of reality. The sky
+was there before the clouds gathered, and it will be after they have gone. It
+is also present when the clouds seem to cover every inch of the sky we can
+see.(p.22)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving
+ Relationships", translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
+~
+ Usually the reason that we can't experience transcendent bliss is because
+our consciousness is actually chained by the illusion called "I." It is
+chained because this concept literally ties our consciousness to the prison of
+duality, the prison of concepts and ideas. What most people experience is
+that their consciousness is chained by that illusion.
+ But now and then there are people who find the so-called spiritual path.
+This is another quite strange and sneaky way that ego can actually keep
+binding our consciousness once again to another form of prison, the prison of
+duality, the prison of concepts and ideas. Transcendent bliss comes from
+breaking every chain.
+ Breaking all chains, losing every concept, every idea, sounds very
+frightening to the ego's mind. But actually when we let go of every concept,
+we land on this infinite ground of eternal bliss, and that bliss is not some
+kind of religious or mystical experience, some altered state of consciousness.
+That bliss is not the result of doing something to our consciousness, rather
+it is the pure state of our consciousness.(p.74)
+ -- Anam Thubten, "The Magic of Awareness", edited by Sharon Roe, published
+ by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ The all-base consciousness* works like a savings bank. Continuously money
+is paid into the bank and continuously it is taken out again. In the same way
+karmic imprints are absorbed by the all-base, are stored there, and can
+therefore be brought forth again.
+ Learning, for example, occurs through the mind consciousness. The mind
+consciousness itself vanishes. Nevertheless, on the next day we have a memory
+of what we learned. At this time of remembrance, the mind consciousness of
+what we learned is no longer actually present, since it has ceased to exist.
+Yet, still we did not forget what we learned previously. What we learned was
+seized by the all-base in the form of karmic imprints, and stored. Due to the
+'all-base of complete ripening' these imprints can be re-awakened, so that the
+mind consciousness perceives them afresh. This is why we learn things. It is
+similar with strong mental afflictions.
+ ...The example of the savings bank is particularly effective, especially in
+the context of karmic actions. Whoever puts money into the bank can get it
+out again later, often including interest!(p.37)
+
+* The all-base consciousness is the general basis for the whole mind, all
+aspects of the mind.
+
+ -- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, "Everyday Consciousness and Primordial
+ Awareness", translated and edited by Susanne Schefczyk, published by
+ Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Q: How can Dzogchen help us in our daily jobs and careers?
+
+ HHDL: In the first place, it is quite difficult to have an experience of
+Dzogchen. But once you do have that experience, it can be extremely
+beneficial in dealing with your day to day life, your job, and your career.
+This is because that kind of experience will give you the ability to prevent
+yourself from being overwhelmed by circumstances, good or bad. You will not
+fall into extreme states of mind: you will not get over-excited or depressed.
+Your attitude toward circumstances and events will be as if you were someone
+observing the mind, without being drawn away by circumstances.
+ For example, when you see a reflection of a form in a mirror, the reflection
+appears within the mirror but it is not projected from within. In the same
+way, when you confront the situations of life, or deal with others, your
+attitude too will be mirror-like.
+ Also, when a reflection appears in the mirror, the mirror does not have to
+go after the object that is reflected: it simply reflects, spontaneously, on
+the surface. The same with you: since there is no attachment or agitation at
+having these 'reflections' in your mind, you will feel tremendous ease and
+relief. You are not preoccupied by what arises in the mind, nor does it cause
+you any distress. You are free from conceptuality or any form of
+objectifying. And so it really does help you, in allowing you to be free from
+being caught up in the play of emotions like hatred, attachment, and the like.
+(p.162)
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great
+ Perfection", translated by Thupten Jinpa and Richard Barron, foreword by
+ Sogyal Rinpoche, edited by Patrick Gaffney, published by Snow Lion Pub.
+~
+ The quality of one's rebirth in the next life is determined by the quality
+of one's mental activity in this life. Generally speaking, we have no power
+to choose how we are born; it is dependent on karmic forces. However, the
+period near the time of death is very influential in terms of activating one
+from among the many karmas that a person has already accumulated, and,
+therefore, if one makes particular effort at generating a virtuous attitude at
+that time, there is an opportunity to strengthen and activate a virtuous
+karma. Moreover, when one has developed high realization and has gained
+control over how one will be reborn, it is possible to take what is called
+"reincarnation" rather than mere rebirth.(p.42)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, "The Dalai Lama at Harvard:
+ Lectures on the Buddhist Path to Peace", translated and edited by Jeffrey
+ Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Without an acute awareness of our personal suffering and a deep, heartfelt
+determination to be completely rid of both this suffering and its causes,
+there is no way to begin the spiritual quest authentically. For just as
+Prince Siddhartha's sudden and unexpected visions of old age, sickness and
+death shocked him out of mistaking the world to be a pleasure palace, so too
+must all spiritual seekers confront the unsatisfactory nature of their lives
+so directly that they become thoroughly disenchanted with the ordinary human
+condition.
+ If we do not take a long, hard look at the uncomfortable truths of our
+impermanent existence, we can easily waste the time between now and our
+inevitable death in essentially worthless pursuits, never taking advantage of
+this precious opportunity to do something truly meaningful with our life.
+Like the foolish prisoner who becomes so accustomed to the confines of his
+cell that he turns a blind eye to all chances of escape, we shall be
+condemning ourselves to spiritual stagnation and the endlessly recurring
+miseries of cyclic existence.
+ Yet it is not enough merely to become discontent with our present condition;
+everyone experiences discontent at one time or another but very few do
+anything of real significance about it. In fact, the usual ways of dealing
+with problems and disappointment--blaming them on someone else or drowning
+them in forgetfulness--only bind us tighter to the wheel of suffering. What
+we must do is recognize that the true causes of all our misery lie rooted in
+our own ignorant misconceptions and that these can only be eradicated through
+the development of a clear, penetrating insight into the nature of reality.
+Only through the continued cultivation of such penetrating wisdom will it
+eventually be possible to attain liberation from all states of existence
+conditioned by ignorance and be free of suffering.(p.45)
+ -- "Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice", by Jonathan Landaw
+ and Andy Weber, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ We must distinguish between pride and self-confidence. Self-confidence is
+necessary. It is what enables us, in certain situations, not to lose courage
+and to think with some justification, 'I am capable of succeeding.' Self-
+confidence is quite different from excessive self-assurance based on a false
+appreciation of our capacities or circumstances.
+ If you feel able to accomplish a task that other people cannot manage, then
+you cannot be called proud as long as your assessment is well founded. It is
+as if someone tall came across a group of short people who wanted to get
+something too high for them to reach, and said to them, 'Don't exert
+yourselves, I can do it.' This would simply mean that he was more qualified
+than the others to carry out a particular task, but not that he is superior to
+them or that he wants to crush them.(p.259)
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "365 Dalai Lama: Daily Advice from the
+ Heart", edited by Matthieu Ricard, translated by Christian Bruyat,
+ published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ What is progress? How do we recognize it? The teachings are like a mirror
+before which we should hold our activities of body, speech, and mind. Think
+back to a year ago and compare the stream of activities of your body, speech,
+and mind at that time with their present condition. If we practice well, then
+the traces of some improvement should be reflected in the mirror of Dharma.
+ The problem with having expectations is that we usually do not expect the
+right things. Not knowing what spiritual progress is, we search for signs of
+it in the wrong areas of our being. What can we hope for but frustration? It
+would be far better to examine any practice with full reasoning before
+adopting it, and then to practice it steadily and consistently while observing
+the inner changes one undergoes, rather than expecting this or that fantasy to
+become real.
+ The mind is an evolving organism, not a machine that goes on and off with
+the flip of a switch. The forces that bind and limit the mind, hurling it
+into unsatisfactory states of being, are impermanent and transient agents.
+When we persistently apply the practices to them, they have no option but to
+fade away and disappear.
+ Ignorance and the "I"-grasping syndrome have been with us since
+beginningless time, and the instincts of attachments, aversion, anger,
+jealousy and so forth are very deeply rooted in our mindstreams. Eliminating
+them is not as simple as turning on a light to chase away the darkness of a
+room. When we practice steadily, the forces of darkness are undermined, and
+the spiritual qualities that counteract them and illuminate the mind are
+strengthened and made firm. Therefore, we should strive by means of both
+contemplative and settled meditation to gain stability in the various Lam Rim
+topics.(p.176)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ We are beings of the Desire Realm, and thus our minds are also included
+within Desire Realm minds. If we cultivate great compassion, our own minds
+are the basis for great compassion. By contemplating countless sentient
+beings and meditating to develop great compassion, one eventually achieves
+great compassion. At that point, the mental basis--one's own mind--has become
+of the entity of great compassion. There is no distinguishing the two at that
+time. Meditating on great compassion does not mean taking compassion as an
+object and looking at it; it means taking sentient beings as one's object and
+developing compassion for them such that the mind comes to be of the nature of
+great compassion.
+ The texts frequently speak of different mental bases: the basis for calm
+abiding, the basis for meditative absorption, the basis for achieving a path.
+The way of understanding all of these is the same. You may wonder whether,
+when one cultivates a certain path, the mind becomes of the entity of that
+path. It is important to understand this question because that is, in fact,
+what occurs when one cultivates calm abiding. The mental basis becomes of the
+nature of calm abiding.
+ -- Geshe Gedun Lodro, "Calm Abiding and Special Insight: Achieving Spiritual
+ Transformation Through Meditation", translated and edited by Jeffrey
+ Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Nature's law dictates that, in order to survive, bees must work together.
+As a result, they instinctively possess a sense of social responsibility.
+They have no constitution, no law, no police, no religion or moral training,
+but because of their nature, they labor faithfully together. Occasionally,
+they may fight, but in general, based on cooperation, the whole colony
+survives.
+ We human beings have a constitution, laws and a police force. We have
+religion, remarkable intelligence and a heart with a great capacity for love.
+We have many extraordinary qualities, but in actual practice, I think we are
+lagging behind those small insects. In some respects I feel we are poorer
+than the bees.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Pocket Dalai Lama", compiled and edited by
+ Mary Craig
+~
+ Nagarjuna offers us encouragement in terms of someone of modest potential
+accomplishing the practice, in verse 116:
+
+ And even those who realized the truth
+ Did not fall from the heavens, nor emerge
+ Like crops of corn from earth's dark depths, but once
+ Were ruled by kleshas and were ordinary men.
+
+ Not one of all the sublime beings who have appeared--individuals who had
+direct realization of the Dharma of the four truths--was already a sublime
+being right from the beginning: they did not fall from the sky, nor did they
+emerge from the darkness of the earth like a crop. In the past they were
+subject to afflictive emotions ['kleshas']--they were ordinary people
+dominated by the afflictive emotions. They are therefore worth following as
+an example for accomplishing the path.(p.150)
+ -- Nagarjuna, "Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend: with Commentary by Kangyur
+ Rinpoche", with commentary by Longchen Yeshe Dorje, Kyabje Kangyur
+ Rinpoche, translated by The Padmakara Translation Group, published by
+ Snow Lion Publications
+~
+Our sense of self
+
+ As long as we cling to some notion of objective existence--the idea that
+something actually exists in a concrete, identifiable way--emotions such as
+desire and aversion will follow. When we see something we like--a beautiful
+watch, for example--we perceive it as having some real quality of existence
+among its parts. We see the watch not as a collection of parts, but as an
+existing entity with a specific quality of watch-ness to it. And if it's a
+fine mechanical timepiece, our perception is enhanced by qualities that are
+seen to exist definitely as part of the nature of the watch. It is as a
+result of this misperception of the watch that our desire to possess it
+arises.
+ In a similar manner, our aversion to someone we dislike arises as a result
+of attributing inherent negative qualities to the person. When we relate this
+process to how we experience our own sense of existence--how the thought "I"
+or "I am" arises--we notice that it invariably does so in relation to some
+aspect of our physical or mental aggregates.
+ Our notion of ourselves is based upon a sense of our physical and emotional
+selves. What's more, we feel that these physical and mental aspects of
+ourselves exist inherently. My body is not something of which I doubt the
+specificity. There is a body-ness as well as a me-ness about it that very
+evidently exists. It seems to be a natural basis for my identifying my body
+as "me." Our emotions such as fear are similarly experienced as having a valid
+existence and as being natural bases for our identifying ourselves as "me."
+Both our loves and our hates serve to deepen the self sense. Even the mere
+feeling "I'm cold" contributes to our sense of being a solid and legitimate
+"I."(p.61)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "A Profound Mind: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday
+ Life", edited by Nicholas Vreeland, afterword by Richard Gere
+~
+ In the Mahayana, there exist the vows of the Bodhisattva... but in Dzogchen,
+there exist no such rules or vows.
+ When the Indian Buddhist master Atisa came to Tibet in the eleventh century,
+he met the famous Tibetan translator Rinchen Zangpo. Atisa asked him how he
+practiced the Tantras which he had translated, and he replied that he
+practiced them meticulously one after the other. But Atisa told him that this
+was not the correct way. He pointed out to the translator that all of the
+Tantras could be condensed and integrated into a single Upadesa and one need
+only practise that in order to maintain all of the transmissions which he had
+received.
+ The same is true with Dzogchen. If we really understand this single
+teaching here which comes directly from Guru Padmasambhava, we can attain
+liberation. But we must grasp this vital core of the teaching. No matter
+what we are doing, which ever among the four modes of behavior--walking,
+sitting, lying down, or eating, we must always hold to awareness, never
+forgetting, never losing this awareness. This is the real meaning of Rigdzin,
+one who is totally aware. In Dzogchen, there is only one rule--always be
+aware in whatever we do, never be distracted!(p.68)
+ -- "Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness", translation and
+ commentary by John Myrdhin Reynolds, foreword by Namkhai Norbu,
+ published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Our mind needs to stretch to encompass emptiness. Our minds are so stuck in
+the idea, "Things exist the way they appear to me. What I see is reality. It
+is 100 percent true. There's nothing to doubt. Things exist exactly as they
+appear to my senses, exactly as they appear to my mental consciousness." We
+hardly ever doubt that. Not only do we have the appearance of inherent
+existence to our sense consciousnesses and mental consciousness, but also our
+mental consciousness grasps on to that appearance and says, "Yes! Everything
+really exists in this findable, independent way. Everything is real as it
+appears to me."
+ When we believe there's a real "me," then we have to protect that self and
+bring it happiness. Thus, we are attached to things that are pleasurable and
+become angry at anything unpleasant. Pride, jealousy, laziness, and the whole
+gamut of negative emotions follow. Motivated by these, we act physically,
+verbally, and mentally. These actions, or karma, leave seeds on our
+mindstream, and when these ripen, they influence what we experience. We again
+relate to these experiences ignorantly, so more emotions arise, motivating us
+to create more karma. As a result, cyclic existence with all its difficulties
+continues on and on, created by our mind, dependent on the ignorance that
+misconceives the nature of ourselves and all other phenomena.
+ ...However, when we investigate more deeply and look beyond appearances, we
+realize that it's impossible for things to exist in the way they appear.
+Seeing this gives us a kind of spaciousness and freedom because, if samsara
+were inherently existent and everything really did exist the way it appears to
+us, then transformation and change could not occur...and the best we could
+ever have is what we have right now. Thinking about the emptiness of inherent
+existence shows us the possibility for change. Beauty can come forth because
+nothing is inherently concrete, fixed, or findable.(p.105)
+ -- Thubten Chodron, "Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of
+ Chenrezig", foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama, published by Snow Lion Pub.
+~
+Three Meditations
+
+ If one does not sow the seed
+ Of appreciation for a perfect guru,
+ The tree of spiritual power is not born.
+ With undivided mind entrust yourself.
+
+ Human life is rare and precious,
+ Yet if not inspired by thoughts of death,
+ One wastes it on materialism:
+ Be ready to die at any moment.
+
+ All living beings have been our mothers,
+ Three circles of suffering always binding them.
+ Ignoble it would be not to repay them,
+ Not to strive to attain enlightenment. (p.100)
+
+ The colophon [inscription] for this poem reads, "Written at the request of
+Ritropa Samdrub, an Amdo monk from Dechen Monastery, who begged for a short
+teaching...." The Seventh Dalai Lama advises him to establish three central
+pillars in his spiritual practice: (1) a disciplined spiritual connection with
+his teacher; (2) awareness of the preciousness of life, and the uncertainty of
+the time of death; and (3) the mind of love and compassion for all living
+beings, coupled with the aspiration to enlightenment as the best means of
+fulfilling that love and compassion.
+ -- The Seventh Dalai Lama, "Meditations to Transform the Mind", translated,
+ edited, and introduced by Glenn Mullin, published by Snow Lion Pub.
+~
+ Courageous Bodhisattvas risk their lives to help others, and so, when we are
+in relatively better, more comfortable situations, we must certainly practice
+giving. Even if they are threatened, the courageous ones will not engage in
+improper actions. Instead, after examining the situation carefully, when they
+find that certain actions are correct and justified, on the basis of reason,
+they engage in them even at the risk of their lives. That is the way of the
+decent, civilized and courageous ones, who do not follow misleading paths.(p.20)
+ -- H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, "Generous Wisdom: Commentaries by H.H. the
+ Dalai Lama XIV on the Jatakamala, Garland of Birth Stories", translated
+ by Tenzin Dorjee, edited by Dexter Roberts
+~
+ One day, when a very learned scholar or geshe and I were discussing the fact
+that the self is an elusive phenomenon, that it is unfindable in either body
+or mind, he remarked: 'If the self did not exist at all, in a sense that would
+make things very simple. There would be no experience of suffering and pain,
+because there would be no subject to undergo such experiences. However, that
+is not the case. Regardless of whether we can actually find it or not, there
+is an individual being who undergoes the experience of pain and pleasure, who
+is the subject of experiences, who perceives things and so on. Based on our
+own experience we do know that there is something--whatever we may call it--
+that makes it possible for us to undergo these experiences. We have something
+called discernment or the ability to perceive things.'
+ In fact, when we examine the experience of suffering, although some
+sufferings are at the sensory or bodily level, such as physical pain, even the
+very experience of pain is intimately connected with consciousness or mind and
+therefore is part of our mental world. This is what distinguishes sentient
+beings from other biological organisms, such as plants, trees and so on.
+Sentient beings have a subjective dimension, which we may choose to call
+experience, consciousness or the mental world.
+ ....One thing we can understand, both through scientific analysis and also
+from our own personal experience or perception, is that whatever experiences
+we have now are consequences of preceding conditions. Nothing comes into
+being without a cause. Just as everything in the material world must have a
+cause or condition that gives rise to it, so must all experiences in the
+mental world also have causes and conditions.(p.74)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Lighting the Way", translated by Geshe Thupten
+ Jinpa, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Meditation, when learned skillfully, can enable a return to awareness of the
+body, our sensations, and feelings. When we are not given specific guidance
+to ground our meditation within the body, however, meditation can easily
+perpetuate a disembodied spiritual practice. This is accentuated if our view
+of spirituality sees the body as some kind of problem to be transcended.
+Unfortunately, this view can prevail even within the Buddhist world, despite
+being counter to the essential principle of mindfulness and presence. When,
+however, we cultivate the capacity to remain present in our felt experience
+within the body, our relationship to ourselves changes. We can begin to feel
+more grounded in our life and more stable in our identity.
+ Engaging in a disembodied spirituality is no solution to our life demands.
+It may be a way of experiencing states of mind that can be very seductive,
+even addictive. Seldom does it address the roots of our emotional problems.
+Transformation comes when we are willing and able to restore or develop a
+sound relationship to our body in a healthy way. With many Buddhist
+practices, such as Tantra, this is essential, for the body contains the
+vitality that is the heart of our innate creative potential.
+ Embodiment therefore implies a full engagement in life with all of its
+trials and tribulations, rather than avoidance through disembodied spiritual
+flight. The value of meditation is that it can enable this engagement because
+it cultivates the capacity to be present and remain open, not grasping at or
+rejecting what arises. When meditation emphasizes presence rather than
+transcendence, this openness is a natural outcome.(p.143)
+ -- Rob Preece, "The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation
+ in Buddhist Life", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Those training in great love should forsake self-centeredness and engage in
+the Buddha's practice, the root of which is compassion. You may be thinking,
+Love is indeed very profound, but I do not have the skill to practice it; I
+will focus my efforts on practices aimed at getting myself out of cyclic
+existence instead. On one hand, this is true, because you should choose a
+path of development appropriate to your ability. On the other hand, there is
+great advantage in attempting the highest degree of love you can.
+ Even if you cannot actually implement the practices of love and compassion,
+merely hearing about them establishes powerful predispositions for future
+success. This can be amplified by planting prayer-wishes aspiring to
+altruism. Do not be discouraged; it is difficult to absorb such a profound
+perspective. Be courageous and think of your future potential. It is
+particularly important to do the best you can.(p.82)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving
+ Relationships", translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
+~
+ What is very important for us to recognise is our own falsity. This is not
+a judgement that sometimes we are authentic and sometimes we are false. It
+means that everything about us in our ordinary sense of self is false because
+it is grounded on a misapprehension of the nature of reality.... It is like
+somebody in University who is having their final examinations. They go into
+the wrong examination room and not reading the questions very clearly they
+write very long answers on their own subject that is unfortunately not the one
+they are being examined on. It does not matter how good the answer is they
+will fail, for they are not addressing the question.
+ The basic question is always: "Who are you?", "Who am I?" but we do not
+understand it and so we answer with a ceaseless narrative of self definition.
+This covers over the freshness of the question, the possibility of looking and
+seeing, and so all our answers are stale, the reworking of self-protective
+versions constructed out of unexamined elements. We have many, many, many
+answers and all of them are false. That's why it is very important when you
+do meditations, to put your full energy one-pointedly into the practice, to
+try to repair the initial basic fault that has torn subject and object apart.
+ It is very important to stop being ashamed of being false. For we have to
+see how falsity arises, how obscuration develops. We want to look directly at
+our falsity and learn its tricks so that we will not be caught by them. This
+helps to open the space in which we can recognise our own nature.
+ "When you understand the falsity of your confusion remain unartificially,
+effortlessly in the natural mode (dharmakaya)."(p.90)
+ -- "Being Right Here: A Dzogchen Treasure Text of Nuden Dorje entitled 'The
+ Mirror of Clear Meaning' with commentary by James Low", published by Snow
+ Lion Publications
+~
+groundhog daze:
+ this is an event that can be caused by strong intoxication of various sorts.
+the sufferer passes out while seated at a table, such that he or she then has
+their head thud down onto the table. after a brief rest, the unlucky person
+wakes up again, and starts to rise off the table. when the head rises to a
+certain point, where blood pressure starts to increase, the effect of the
+intoxication takes over again, and they pass out once more. bam. hence, the
+head repeatedly banging into the table: a groundhog daze.
+ i have seen this happen. it's not fun to watch. well, maybe a little.
+ --fred t. hamster
+~
+ We are the source of healing and happiness. Our generosity and concern
+pacify every negative situation. As we send out kindness, we grow accustomed
+to being strong and kind. In this way, our positive feelings are constantly
+renewed and can never be exhausted.
+ Perhaps you know the story about the man who arrived in heaven and when
+asked by God where he wanted to go replied that he wanted to see both heaven
+and hell. First, he went to hell. There was a large table with all the
+inhabitants of hell sitting around it. The center of the table was full of
+delicious food. Each person had two very long chopsticks. They could reach
+the food but they could not get it into their mouths because their chopsticks
+were too long. They were miserable. No one was eating and everyone went
+hungry. Next he was taken to visit heaven. All the inhabitants of heaven
+were also sitting around a big table full of delicious food but they were
+happy. They too had very long chopsticks but they were eating and enjoying
+themselves. They used the chopsticks to feed each other across the table.
+The people in heaven had discovered that it was in their interest to
+collaborate unselfishly.(p.69)
+ -- Ringu Tulku, "Mind Training", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ When you are in a fluctuating state of mind, like when you are angry or have
+lost your temper, then it is good to bring back calmness by concentrating on
+breathing. Just count the breaths, completely forgetting about anger.
+Concentrate on breathing and count in/out "one, two, three," up to twenty.
+ At that moment when your mind concentrates fully on breathing, the breath
+coming and going, the passions subside. Afterwards it is easier to think
+clearly.
+ Since all activities, including meditation, depend very much on the force of
+intention or motivation, it is important that, before you begin to meditate,
+you cultivate a correct motivation... The correct motivation is the
+altruistic attitude.(p.69)
+ -- Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Cultivating a Daily
+ Meditation", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ The crazy elephant of the mind behaving wildly
+ Is tied to the pillar of an object of observation
+ With the rope of mindfulness.
+ By degrees it is brought under control with the hook of wisdom.
+ --Bhavaviveka
+
+ "Wisdom" here is introspection. Hence, the example of taming an elephant
+indicates the achievement of a serviceable mind by way of the two--mindfulness
+and introspection. The subtle vajra that is the base on which the mind is
+being set is like a stable pillar to which an elephant is tied. The
+unserviceable mind is like an untamed elephant. Causing the mind not to be
+distracted from its object of observation through relying on mindfulness is
+like using a rope to tie an elephant. Setting the mind free from fault--when
+it does not hold the object of observation as originally set--through
+immediately recognizing such by means of introspection is like a herder's
+hitting an elephant with a hook and correcting it when it strays from the tie-
+up.
+
+ Hence, there are two important factors with regard to holding the mind:
+ + From the beginning, stay on the object of observation without being
+ distracted to anything other than it.
+ + Then if distracted, immediately recognize such, and again focus the mind
+ as before. (p.94)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, Dzong-ka-ba and Jeffrey Hopkins, "Yoga Tantra: Paths
+ to Magical Feats", translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, published by
+ Snow Lion Publications
+~
+Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor
+technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or
+defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this
+you will awaken from your dreams.
+ -- Hagakure, Yamamoto Tsunetomo
+~
+LEEEEEEEROYYYY JENNNNNKINZZZ!!!
+ -- To be yelled before irrationally throwing away all plans and jumping into
+ the worst possible situation.
+~
+what is an inference?
+ someone says, "my hand stinks because my butt stinks."
+an inference you could draw:
+ that hand has probably been too close to that butt.
+~
+What Do We Mean by Bodhisattva?
+
+ Bodhi means enlightenment, the state devoid of all defects and endowed with
+all good qualities. Sattva refers to someone who has courage and confidence
+and who strives to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. Those who
+have this spontaneous, sincere wish to attain enlightenment for the ultimate
+benefit of all beings are called bodhisattvas. Through wisdom, they direct
+their minds to enlightenment, and through their compassion, they have concern
+for beings. This wish for perfect enlightenment for the sake of others is
+what we call bodhichitta, and it is the starting point on the path.
+~
+The Notion of Self
+
+ When we talk about the notion of self in Buddhism, it is important to bear
+in mind that there are different degrees or types. There are some types of
+sense of self which are not only to be cultivated but also to be reinforced
+and enhanced. For instance, in order to have a strong determination to seek
+buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, one needs a very strong
+sense of confidence, which is based upon a sense of commitment and courage.
+This requires a strong sense of self. Unless one has that identity or sense
+of self, one will not be able to develop the confidence and courage to
+strongly seek this aim.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+Genuine peace of mind is rooted in affection and compassion. There is a very
+high level of sensitivity and feeling involved. So long as we lack inner
+discipline, an inner calmness of mind, then no matter what external facilities
+or conditions we may have, they will never give us the feeling of joy and
+happiness that we seek. On the other hand, if we possess this inner
+quality—that is, calmness of mind, a degree of stability within—then even
+if we lack various external facilities that are normally considered necessary
+for a happy and joyful life, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful
+life.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+COMPLICATED SIMPLICITY
+
+ Emptiness is the simplest and most unelaborated thing we could imagine, but
+then there is this whole literature about all these very discursive details
+with all their subpoints. There are five paths and ten bhumis, and each path
+is divided into a number of stages, with certain numbers of obscurations
+having to be relinquished on each one of those subpaths. Most people just
+think, "Who wants or needs to know all that? Don’t we have too many
+thoughts already? I thought this was about letting go of all reference
+points."
+ Of course nobody really wants to know all those details and in a sense we
+all know them already, because they are the details of the many reference
+points that we already have in our mind. The fact that these sutras and their
+commentaries talk about our obscurations is precisely the point why they seem
+so endless and complicated—because our minds are complicated. Emptiness is
+extremely simple, but our convoluted minds that do not get this simplicity are
+very complicated. It is not that the Buddha and the other speakers in the
+sutras and the commentaries really like to, but they need to address each one
+of those knots in our minds, which are like knots in space.
+~
+If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have
+to be a horrible warning.
+ -- Catherine Aird
+~
+THE MIND OF CLEAR LIGHT
+
+ Is spiritual practice really worthwhile? Is it really possible to eliminate
+from within ourselves the forces that give rise to suffering? As is said,
+“The ultimate nature of mind is clear light.” Consciousness has many
+levels, and although the coarser levels are affected by the defiling forces,
+the most subtle level remains free of gross negativities. In the Vajrayana
+this subtle level of consciousness is called the mind of clear light.
+ The delusions and emotional afflictions as well as the dualistic mind of
+right and wrong, love and hatred, etc., are associated only with the coarse
+levels of consciousness. At the moment, we are totally absorbed in the
+interplay of these coarse states, so we must begin our practice by working
+within them. This means consciously encouraging love over hate, patience in
+place of anger, emotional freedom rather than attachment, kindness over
+violence, and so forth. Doing this brings immediate peace and calm to the
+mind, thus making higher meditation possible.
+ Then, because grasping at a self and at phenomena as being truly existent is
+the cause of all the vast range of distorted states of mind, one cultivates
+the wisdom that eliminates this ego-grasping. To overcome ego-grasping is to
+overcome the entire host of mental distortions.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+It is the general Buddhist procedure that one’s own pleasure and pain are
+acheived by oneself and not from the outside, and that, therefore, sentient
+beings themselves must understand and implement practices to bring about their
+own happiness. Thus, the most efficacious way to help others is through
+teaching what should be adopted in practice and what should be discarded from
+among current behavior. There is no way to do this unless you come to know
+all of the topics involved in what should be adopted in practice and what
+should be discarded—you must become omniscient. As mentioned earlier, there
+is no way to accomplish this except by removing the obstructions to
+omniscience, and one who has overcome, utterly and forever, the obstructions
+to omniscience is a Buddha.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ In meditation, imagine that in front of you are three persons—an enemy, a
+friend, and a neutral person. At that time, in our minds we have (1) a sense
+of closeness for one of them, thinking, “This is my friend”; (2) a sense
+of dislike even when imagining the enemy; and (3) a sense of ignoring the
+neutral person. Now, we have to think about the reasons why we generate these
+feelings—the reasons being that temporarily one of them helped us whereas
+the other temporarily harmed us, and the third did neither. However, when we
+think in terms of the long course of beginningless rebirth, none of us could
+decide that someone who has helped or harmed us in this life has been doing so
+for all lifetimes.
+ When you contemplate this way, eventually you arrive at a point where a
+strong generation of desire or hatred appears to you to be just senseless.
+Gradually, such a bias weakens, and you decide that one-sided classification
+of persons as friends and enemies has been a mistake.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ Generally speaking, even if money brings us happiness, it tends to be the
+kind that money can buy: material things and sensory experiences. And these,
+we discover, become a source of suffering themselves. As far as actual
+possessions are concerned, we must admit that they often cause us more, not
+less, difficulty in life. The car breaks down, we lose our money, our most
+precious belongings are stolen, our house is damaged by fire. Or we worry
+about these things happening.
+ The problem is not materialism as such. Rather it is the underlying
+assumption that full satisfaction can arise from gratifying the senses alone.
+Unlike animals whose quest for happiness is restricted to survival and to the
+immediate gratification of sensory desires, we human beings have the capacity
+to experience happiness at a deeper level, which, when achieved, can overwhelm
+unhappy experiences.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of
+others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like
+it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives in which we do not benefit
+from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most
+of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others. Nor
+is it so remarkable that our greatest joy should come when we are motivated by
+concern for others. But that is not all. We find that not only do altruistic
+actions bring about happiness, but they also lessen our experience of
+suffering. Here I am not suggesting that the individual whose actions are
+motivated by the wish to bring others happiness necessarily meets with less
+misfortune than the one who does not. Sickness, old age, mishaps of one sort
+or another are the same for us all. But the sufferings which undermine our
+internal peace—anxiety, doubt, disappointment—these are definitely less.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+If we view the world’s religions from the widest possible viewpoint and
+examine their ultimate goal, we find that all of the major world religions,
+whether Christianity or Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, are dedicated to the
+achievement of permanent human happiness. They are all directed toward that
+goal. All religions emphasize the fact that the true follower must be honest
+and gentle, in other words, that a truly religious person must always strive
+to be a better human being. To this end, the different world religions teach
+different doctrines which will help transform the person. In this regard, all
+religions are the same, there is no conflict. This is something we must
+emphasize. We must consider the question of religious diversity from this
+viewpoint. And when we do, we find no conflict.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+Emptiness vs. Non-Existence
+
+The doctrines of emptiness and selflessness do not imply the non-existence of
+things. Things do exist. When we say that all phenomena are void of self-
+existence, it does not mean that we are advocating non-existence, that we are
+repudiating that things exist. Then what is it we are negating? We are
+negating, or denying, that anything exists from its own side without depending
+on other things. Hence, it is because things depend for their existence upon
+other causes and conditions that they are said to lack independent self-
+existence.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+If we view the world’s religions from the widest possible viewpoint and
+examine their ultimate goal, we find that all of the major world religions,
+whether Christianity or Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, are dedicated to the
+achievement of permanent human happiness. They are all directed toward that
+goal. All religions emphasize the fact that the true follower must be honest
+and gentle, in other words, that a truly religious person must always strive
+to be a better human being. To this end, the different world religions teach
+different doctrines which will help transform the person. In this regard, all
+religions are the same, there is no conflict. This is something we must
+emphasize. We must consider the question of religious diversity from this
+viewpoint. And when we do, we find no conflict.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ The process of overcoming our defilements goes in conjunction with gaining
+higher levels of realisation. In fact, when we speak of gaining higher levels
+of realisation in Buddhism we are speaking primarily of the processes through
+which our wisdom and insight deepen. It is actually the wisdom aspect that
+enables the practitioner to move from one level to the next on the path.
+ The attainment of the levels of the path is explained in condensed form in
+the Heart Sutra, where we find the mantra tadyatha om gate gate paragate
+parasamgate bodhi svaha. Tadyatha means It is thus; gate gate means go, go;
+paragate means go beyond and transcend; parasamgate means go utterly beyond,
+go thoroughly beyond; and bodhi svaha means firmly rooted in enlightenment.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ENDURING SUCCESS
+ It is often seen that human beings can endure problems quite well, but
+cannot endure success. When we are successful and have everything we desire,
+it can easily go to our heads. There is a great danger of losing our common
+sense and becoming careless and arrogant. As it is said, "Nothing corrupts a
+person more than power." Very powerful people sometimes become so proud that
+they no longer care about their actions or about the effect they have on
+others. Losing any sense of right and wrong, they create severe problems for
+themselves and everyone else.
+ Even if we have all the success we could dream of—fame, wealth, and so
+on—we must understand that these things have no real substance. Attachment
+does not come from having things, but from the way our mind reacts to them.
+It is fine to participate in good circumstances, provided we can see that they
+have no real essence. They may come and they may go. When seeing this, we
+will not become so attached. Even if we lose our wealth we will not be badly
+affected, and while it is there we will enjoy it without being senseless and
+arrogant.
+ -- Ringu Tulku, from "Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha",
+ edited and translated by Rosemarie Fuchs, page 92.