+~
+ Hark! In order to be of maximum benefit to the countless living beings,
+whose number is as vast as the extent of the skies, one must first gain the
+state of peerless, complete, perfect buddhahood. It is with this thought in
+mind that one receives initiation, the root of the Vajrayana path, and then
+engages in the various Tantric yogas.
+ Contemplate this theme, and by means of it generate the sublime bodhi-mind
+as the motivating factor. Also, cultivate the correct attitudes that are to
+be maintained when listening to the Dharma, as is explained in the many sutras
+and tantras, and thus listen correctly.
+ The Buddha, who himself achieved complete enlightenment and who possessed
+profound skill and great compassion, taught the nectarlike Dharma in
+accordance with the mental tendencies, capacities, and karmic predispositions
+of those to be trained.
+ -- Glenn H. Mullin, "From the Heart of Chenrezig: The Dalai Lamas on Tantra"
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+You might say, "Don’t pleasurable experiences give rise to happiness?"
+Although for ordinary people pleasures may appear to be related to happiness
+at the time they are enjoyed, in the end they are their undoing. They are,
+the Sovereign of the Conquerors said, like the fruit of the kimba tree, which
+grows in the western continent of Aparagodaniya: its skin is attractive but it
+is unpleasant inside; or it tastes delicious when one first eats it, but later
+it makes one ill. So, advises Nagarjuna, give up these pleasures, for it is
+the chains--the afflictive emotions--of attachment to pleasure that tightly
+bind the worldly in the prison of samsara.
+ -- Nagarjuna, from "Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend with Commentary by
+ Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ The wish to understand the true nature of mind by relying on technology is
+due to the fault of not having awakened one’s Buddha nature, and because of
+that, the absolute and relative nature of one’s uncompounded mind just as it
+is cannot be recognized even slightly, which is the reason for relying only on
+the compounded gross material substance of technology. While examining the
+qualities of one’s own and others’ practice by bringing together a machine
+and the one who uses the machine, if any special conception arises about its
+being good, bad, high, or low, it will only be a fragmented, deluded
+interdependent conception that momentarily appears, and not nonconceptual
+enlightened body and wisdom, which are inconceivable. It will just be like
+children blowing bubbles in the air and trying to catch these rainbow-colored
+bubbles with their hands. As Santideva says about the dream of a barren
+woman:
+ For example, a barren woman dreams her son is dead. When she awakens, she
+thinks that she has no son. That conception of not having a son comes from
+the conception of having a son. So, both of these conceptions are obstacles
+and also delusion.
+ -- Thinley Norbu, from "The Sole Panacea: A Brief Commentary on the Seven-
+ Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That Cures the Suffering of the Sickness of
+ Karma and Defilement", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+The nature of mind is primordially the identity of the three bodies of
+enlightenment. Its essence is empty, the dharma body. Its nature is lucid,
+the enjoyment body. Freed upon arising, with no clinging, it is the emanation
+body. Manifesting as its expression are the male aspect of relative
+appearance, method, and the female aspect of ultimate emptiness, knowledge.
+The circle of the Magical Web is the unity of these, a wisdom manifestation of
+indivisible appearance and emptiness.
+ -- Kunkyen Tenpe Nyima and Shechen Gyaltsap IV, in "Vajra Wisdom: Deity
+ Practice in Tibetan Buddhism", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Whatever sensory experiences we go through, if we go through them with
+mindfulness and awareness, there is no limit to how far we can go. The limit
+is mindfulness and awareness. Even if we don’t enjoy the experience, that
+itself becomes a trip. The nonenjoyment becomes a cause of suffering.
+That’s why, if we don’t practice mindfulness and awareness, asceticism
+just becomes pain rather than a cause for liberation. That’s why Buddha
+said to forget about asceticism. That’s what Buddha did. He left
+asceticism, became very mindful in every step, and achieved enlightenment.
+ -- Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, from "Penetrating Wisdom: The Aspiration of
+ Samantabhadra", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+When we turn away from samsara, we stop blaming external situations for the
+state of our mind, and we begin to use the Buddha’s teachings in order to
+take responsibility for our own well-being. We reorient the mind away from
+causes and conditions that create suffering. This does not mean that we turn
+away from the suffering that humans create, such as warfare, poverty,
+prejudice, slaughter, or environmental destruction. We do not turn away or
+become passive, impartial spectators. However, we need to assess our
+strategies for engagement. Many well-meaning people assume that inflaming
+passions, especially anger, is a justifiable, necessary, even beneficial
+response to injustice. They often assume that anger is an automatic and
+inherent response to injustice, in the same way that exasperation is an
+inherent response to waiting at the airport. But it is not. Anger does not
+allow us to see clearly, so the good intentions of people engaged in trying to
+help others can actually be hindered by their own negativity. Anger does not
+allow us to act with true compassion, because the mind of anger keeps us
+trapped inside ourselves. Turning away from samsara means figuring out how to
+function with an open, clear mind, not a mind shut down and incapacitated by
+destructive emotions.
+ -- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, "Turning Confusion into Clarity: A Guide to the
+ Foundation Practices of Tibetan Buddhism", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+The key to understanding the Mahayana and Vajrayana views lies in
+Nagarjuna’s reasonings. This is because the reason the aggregates and
+suffering can be described as being pure by nature is that they are empty by
+nature--they are unborn. They never actually come into existence. Something
+that never really comes into existence cannot possibly be impure, for what is
+there to be impure in the first place? It is like getting covered with filth
+in a dream--no matter how dirty you might seem to be, since not a single
+particle of the filth is real, in fact there is no impurity at all. Since
+there is no impurity, there cannot actually be any purity either, just as when
+you take a bath in the dream after having gotten so filthy, your cleanliness
+after the bath is just as lacking in reality as the dirtiness that preceded
+it. Therefore, the true nature of the dream transcends both purity and
+impurity, and this is given the name “original purity.” We have to
+understand that what original purity refers to is the freedom from all
+fabrications, the emptiness in which we can gain certainty by using
+Nagarjuna’s reasonings.
+ -- Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, from "The Sun of Wisdom: Teachings on the Noble
+ Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Beginning and end depend on nothing but imagination.
+Through windlike formation,
+Karma and afflictions are created.
+Through these, the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas--
+All dualistically appearing phenomena--are displayed.
+
+The one who adopts and rejects these is mistakenness.
+Through rejecting [mind’s] own appearances, where should they cease?
+Through adopting [mind’s] own appearances, what should come about?
+Is clinging to duality not delusive?
+
+Understanding this is indeed said to be the remedy,
+But the thought of nonduality is not real [either],
+For the lack of thought [just] turns into a thought.
+You thought about emptiness, dissecting form and so on into parts,
+Are you not mistaken yourself?
+Nevertheless, this was taught in order to stop the clinging to reality.
+
+All is neither real nor delusive--
+Held to be like [a reflection of] the moon in water by the learned.
+Just this ordinary mind
+Is called “dharmadhatu” and “Heart of the victors.”
+It is neither to be improved by the noble ones
+Nor made worse by sentient beings.
+ -- from "Luminous Heart: The Third Karmapa on Consciousness, Wisdom, and
+ Buddha Nature", translated by Karl Brunnhölzl, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+ It is possible to mistake attachment for loving-kindness and compassion.
+Love and compassion are distinguished from attachment in that they apply
+equally to your friends and your enemies. Genuine love and compassion make no
+distinction based on your relationship to the object of compassion. They are
+the wish that all sentient beings without exception have happiness and the
+causes of happiness, and the wish that all sentient beings without exception
+be free of suffering and the causes of suffering. The keynote of those two
+attitudes is that there is no hope involved of any kind of return or any sort
+of personal satisfaction as a result of the happiness of others.
+ In the case of attachment to someone, you wish that person well but it is
+based on an identification with him or her as “my friend, my son, my
+daughter.” This identification and this feeling of ownership or
+territoriality is related to wanting some kind of return. You enjoy the
+happiness of that person because you have identified with him or her, and
+therefore in essence it is just wishing for your own benefit. Such attachment
+can very easily turn to aversion, anger, and hatred. That is the difference
+between compassion and attachment.
+ -- Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, from "The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious
+ Garland of the Supreme Path", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Sometimes it seems as if the mind is outside someplace. We see all these
+things outside. We see mountains or we hear echoes off of cliffs. We have
+all these different thoughts of different places, and the mind seems to go to
+those places when we think about them. But it only seems that way; the mind
+is not really outside of us either. It dwells neither in external objects nor
+someplace in the body--we cannot find any place in the body where it is. You
+might then think that since it is not in the body and it is not outside the
+body, it must be in the empty space in between. But if you look, you cannot
+find it. We need to look and become certain that the mind has no dwelling
+place--we must be certain that there is no real place that we can we can
+point to and say, “Aha! That’s where it is!”
+ -- Khenchen Thrangu, "Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo
+ Gangshar", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Not only are our adverse experiences beneficial for our own path, but they are
+the best way for us to connect with others. Suffering is a universal
+experience. This is why the Buddha chose suffering as the first topic of his
+teachings. So when we connect with our own suffering, we can also recall that
+many beings all over the world are having similar experiences. This helps us
+develop understanding, love, and compassion for others.
+ -- Rose Taylor Goldfield, in "Training the Wisdom Body: Buddhist Yogic
+ Exercise", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ Once we recognize that other sentient beings—people, animals, and even
+insects—are just like us, that their basic motivation is to experience peace
+and to avoid suffering, then when someone acts in some way or says something
+that is against our wishes, we’re able to have some basis for understanding:
+“Oh, well, this person (or whatever) is coming from this position because,
+just like me, they want to be happy and they want to avoid suffering.
+That’s their basic purpose. They’re not out to get me; they’re only
+doing what they think they need to do.”
+ Compassion is the spontaneous wisdom of the heart. It’s always with us.
+It always has been and always will be. When it arises in us, we’ve simply
+learned to see how strong and safe we really are.
+ -- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche from "All the Rage: Buddhist Wisdom on Anger and
+ Acceptance", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Who knows the true nature of things? The actual knower—the empty, cognizant
+aspect of mind—is the primordial Buddha, Samantabhadra, the personification
+of one’s own rigpa. Rigpa, the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, is very,
+very important. It is the clear light, luminous buddha-nature, that which
+knows. Innate awareness-wisdom, rigpa, is functioning through us even now, if
+we only knew it.
+ -- Nyoshul Khenpo and Lama Surya Das, "Natural Great Perfection: Dzogchen
+ Teachings and Vajra Songs", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+I recognize that this wish to create a better society, end all the suffering
+of all beings everywhere, and protect the entire planet may not seem
+particularly feasible. But whether or not we accomplish such goals in our
+lifetime, it is nevertheless deeply meaningful to cultivate such a vast sense
+of responsibility, and the wholehearted wish to be able to benefit others.
+This outlook is so wholesome and noble that it is worth developing, regardless
+of the probability of actually accomplishing such a vast vision.
+ -- H.H. the Seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, "The Heart Is Noble:
+ Changing the World from the Inside Out", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
+ -- Oscar Wilde
+~
+We might feel terrible, utterly hopeless, but if we look at ourselves fully
+and thoroughly, we will find fundamental goodness. There is something that
+makes us look up at the blue sky or the clouds or the sun, something that
+allows us to polish our shoes and press our clothes. When we wake up in the
+morning, there is something that allows us to brush our teeth, comb our hair,
+or use a bar of soap. Such actions may seem rather ordinary, but they come
+from a very powerful instinct. That sense of workability comes from ultimate
+bodhichitta.
+ -- Chögyam Trungpa, "The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma. Volume
+ Two: The Bodhisattva Path of Wisdom and Compassion", published by
+ Shambhala Publications