We do not reason ourselves into it.
-- W. B. Yeats
~
-"You inside and the wind outside, tangled on the window blind, tell
-me why you treated me so unkind. Down where the sun don't shine I'm lonely
-and I call your name, no place to go ain't that a shame...."
- -- J. Garcia
+You inside and the wind outside, tangled on the window blind, tell me why you
+treated me so unkind. Down where the sun don't shine I'm lonely and I call
+your name, no place to go ain't that a shame....
+ -- Jerry Garcia
~
The point of living, and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough
to believe the best is yet to come.
Testimonial from Col. George Harvey, Mark Twain's publisher:
I think that perhaps the funniest thing about Mark Twain now is not
his writing, but his bed. He lies in bed a good deal; he says he has
-formed the habit. His bed is the largest one I ever say, and on it is
+formed the habit. His bed is the largest one I ever saw, and on it is
the weirdest collection of objects you ever saw, enough to furnish a
Harlem flat--books, writing materials, clothes, any and everything that
could foregather in his vicinity.
~
Our bombs are smarter than the average high school student. At least
they can find Kuwait.
- -- A. Whitney Brown
+ -- A. Whitney Brown
~
My mom said she learned how to swim. Someone took her out in the lake
and threw her off the boat. That's how she learned how to swim. I
~
All human evil comes from a single cause--
man's inability to sit still in a room.
- -- Blaise Pascal (spoken like a true nun)
+ -- Blaise Pascal
~
An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a
cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.
That's assault, not leadership.
-- Dwight D. Eisenhower
~
-When elephants fight, only the grass gets hurt.
- -- Swahili Saying
+When elephants fight, only the grass gets hurt. -- Swahili Saying
~
Men who know the same things are not long the best company for each other.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
recognize a mistake when you make it again.
-- Franklin P. Jones
~
-Nobody roots for Goliath.
- -- Wilt Chamberlain
+Nobody roots for Goliath. -- Wilt Chamberlain
~
(cat haiku)
Gentle pussy, bit
-- John Ruskin
~
She's not a babe. She's a sophisticated real-time computer system.
- -- Spokesman for Anova, a virtual news anchor
+ -- Spokesman for Ananova, a virtual news anchor
~
The man who laughs has not yet been told the terrible news.
-- Berthold Brecht
principally by afflicted emotions and illusions. Attachment, aversion and
ignorance rather than a free spirit, love and wisdom are the guiding forces.
Recognizing this simple truth is the beginning of the spiritual path.
- -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, edited and translated by Glenn H. Mullin, in
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, edited and translated by Glenn H. Mullin, in
"The Path to Enlightenment", published by Snow Lion Publications
~
If persons who have attained calm abiding keep their minds in calm abiding,
ignorance, and to achieve that clarity one must cultivate special insight.
-- Geshe Gedun Lodro, in "Calm Abiding and Special Insight: Achieving
Spiritual Transformation through Meditation", translated and edited
- by Jeffrey Hopkins, co-edited by Anne C. Klein and Leah Zahler,
+ by Jeffrey Hopkins, co-edited by Anne C. Klein and Leah Zahler,
published by Snow Lion Publications
~
If you haven't found something strange during the day,
-- Tsong-kha-pa, in "The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to
Enlightenment: Lam Rim Chen Mo", translated by the Lamrim Chenmo
Translation Committee under editorial guidance of Joshua Cutler and Guy
- Newland, foreword by Robert A.F. Thurman, Snow Lion Publications
+ Newland, foreword by Robert A.F. Thurman, Snow Lion Publications
~
...if we remain clinging to this life even for one day, we are misusing
our time. In this way, we can waste months and years on end. Because we
principal cause.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, from "Consciousness at the Crossroads: Conversations
with the Dalai Lama on Brain Science and Buddhism," edited by Zara
- Houshmand, Robert B. Livingston and B. Alan Wallace, published by
+ Houshmand, Robert B. Livingston and B. Alan Wallace, published by
Snow Lion Publications
~
We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own.
going to sleep and can be induced in the waking state by means of the inner
heat yogas.
-- "Readings on the Six Yogas of Naropa," translated, edited and introduced
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
If you want to tell people the truth,
make them laugh,
as appreciating the tremendous potential that lies within oneself as a human
being. And by reflecting upon these opportunities and potentials, they will
be able to increase their sense of worth and confidence in themselves.
- -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., "The Art of
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., "The Art of
Happiness: A Handbook for Living"
~
An instruction that matches examples and their meanings to show how the
the Vajrayana must be practiced under the supervision of a qualified vajra
acharya.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
Self-discipline brings us into relationship with one of the six
perfections of the bodhisattva, that of enthusiastic perseverance, which
to particular times, people, or situations, and therefore as only contextually
valid.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Dalai Lamas on Tantra", translated, edited and
- introduced by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ introduced by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
Many places have been totally changed through the use of police force and
the power of guns--the Soviet Union, China, Burma, the Philippines, many
destructive. lt is by addressing these obstacles and by constantly examining
your personal character, qualities, and abilities, that you can learn to have
greater self-understanding. This is the way to become more self-aware.
- -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., "The Art of
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., "The Art of
Happiness at Work"
~
Phowa is a practice which should be done repeatedly, all through our lives so
that knows the ultimate mode of being, one is able to destroy the deepest root
of distortion, negative karma and sorrow.
-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", translated and
- edited by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ edited by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
It is important to realize that there is nobody else who can wake us up and
save us from samsara. There is no such thing in Buddhism. That may be
Man embraces in his makeup all the natural orders;
he's a squid, a mollusk, a sucker and a buzzard;
sometimes he's a cerebrate.
- -- Martin H. Fischer
+ -- Martin H. Fischer
~
Men are cruel, but Man is kind.
-- Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, 1916
-- Mark Twain, Following the Equator, 1897
~
We are all parasites; we humans, the greatest.
- -- Martin H. Fischer
+ -- Martin H. Fischer
~
Suppose some mathematical creature from the moon were to reckon up the human
body; he would at once see that the essential thing about it was that it was
~
When freedom from want and freedom from fear are achieved,
man's remains will be in rigor mortis.
- -- Martin H. Fischer
+ -- Martin H. Fischer
~
Man is nature's sole mistake.
-- W.S. Gilbert
~
Nature is trying very hard to make us succeed, but nature does not
depend on us. We are not the only experiment.
- -- R. Buckminister Fuller
+ -- R. Buckminister Fuller
~
Be a good animal, true to your animal instincts.
-- David Herbert Lawrence, White Peacock, 1911
-- Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
~
Evolution is individual--devolution is collective.
- -- Martin H. Fischer
+ -- Martin H. Fischer
~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-
contain'd. I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and
Joseph LaGrange believed that a mathematician has not thoroughly understood
his own work till he has made it so clear that he can go out and explain it
effectively to the first man he meets on the street.
- -- E. T. Bell
+ -- E. T. Bell
~
There is no such thing as an inevitable war. If war comes it will be from
failure of human wisdom.
Censorship cannot eliminate evil, it can only kill freedom. -- unknown
~
Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong.
- -- John G. Riefenbaker
+ -- John G. Riefenbaker
~
People demand freedom of speech to make up for
the freedom of thought which they avoid.
you continue listening to teachings, contemplating, meditating, and
appreciating this precious human rebirth.
-- Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, "Meditation, Transformation, and Dream Yoga",
- translated by Sangye Khandro and B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow
+ translated by Sangye Khandro and B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow
Lion Publications
~
As to what might be the mechanism through which karma plays a causal role
As soon as we can catch it and be aware of what's going on in our mind,
and come back to that silent space inside, the more peaceful we'll be. Our
lives will be more productive in terms of having the Dharma grow in our
-hearts, and we’ll be more focused in whatever daily activities we're doing.
+hearts, and we'll be more focused in whatever daily activities we're doing.
We won't be quite so distracted.
-- Thubten Chodron, author of numerous books, including Buddhism for
Beginners; Taming the Mind; Open Heart, Clear Mind; and Working
wander endlessly in the wheel of birth, life, death, and rebirth where the
presence of misery can always be felt.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
Observing the Mind Itself
complete purity, are inseparable, free from mental constructs, and perfectly
pervasive. One must in this way understand them to be the mandala of vajra
body, speech, and mind.
- -- Heidi I. Koppl, "Establishing Appearances as Divine: Rongzom
+ -- Heidi I. Koppl, "Establishing Appearances as Divine: Rongzom
Chozang on Reasoning, Madhyamaka, and Purity", published by
Snow Lion Publications
~
lived. We can endure them because we have a great end in mind: to benefit all
sentient beings. Remaining good-natured and enthusiastic shows that our
efforts are succeeding. Being cheerful is the sign of a good practitioner.
- -- Ringu Tulku, "Mind Training", edited by B.M. Shaughnessy, published
+ -- Ringu Tulku, "Mind Training", edited by B.M. Shaughnessy, published
by Snow Lion Publications
~
Once we take ourselves and the quality of our life seriously, and
Greeks needed the help of the "therapeutes" [helpers] to make sense of the
memories they brought back from the oracle cave.
Speaking of the descent myth in terms of her experiences in controlled
-therapeutic regressions, Jungian analyst M.L. Von Franz describes the descent
+therapeutic regressions, Jungian analyst M.L. Von Franz describes the descent
process in relation to the story of "The Handless Maiden":
In the Middle Ages there were many hermits, and in Switzerland there
were the so-called Wood Brothers and Sisters. People who did not want
could speak with the boss, with the management, and try to change these
things. One needs to actively resist exploitation. And in some cases, one
may simply need to quit and to look for other work.
- -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Dr. Howard C. Cutler, M.D.,
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Dr. Howard C. Cutler, M.D.,
"The Art of Happiness at Work"
~
The purpose of Buddha's coming to the world was for the sake of sentient
The instruction to see the guru as a Buddha is not unreasonable, for in many
ways the spiritual master is Buddha himself.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Liion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Liion Publications
~
...when you start practicing, you should not expect too much. We live in
a time of computers and automation, so you may feel that inner development is
and it bears the essence of emptiness and compassion.
-- Karma Chagme, "A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the
Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga", commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche, trans.
- by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
We must learn to trust ourselves when we practice the doctrines of the Buddha.
In time, we come to trust the infallibility of karmic cause and effect and of
~
It is our earth, not yours or mine or his. We are meant to live on it,
helping each other, not destroying each other.
- -- J. Krishnamurti
+ -- J. Krishnamurti
~
When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one
finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and
are liable to be deceived, just as in the case of being involved with a person
whose basic personality we do not know.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Transcendent Wisdom", translated, edited and
- annotated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ annotated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
One has to be cautious when one is very successful since at that time there
is danger of becoming prideful and becoming involved in the non-religious, and
human situation and cultivate a spiritual practice under the guidance of a
master.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
There was once a Spartan boy,
who, one night, stole a fox.
body. When does that occur? Why does that occur?
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Consciousness at the Crossroads: Conversations with
the Dalai Lama on Brain Science and Buddhism", edited by Zara Houshmand,
- Robert B. Livingston, and B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion
+ Robert B. Livingston, and B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion
Taking the reins is the key to happiness
~
The state of mind of a Buddhist practitioner should be stable, and should
properly. Mind follows the wind. To focus the mind properly, the winds must
also be functioning properly. (p.39)
-- Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, "The Practice of Mahamudra", translated
- by Robert Clark, ed. by Ani K. Trinlay Chodron, published by Snow Lion
+ by Robert Clark, ed. by Ani K. Trinlay Chodron, published by Snow Lion
~
The real source of my suffering is self-centeredness: my car, my possession,
my well-being. Without the self-centeredness, the suffering would not arise.
think that teachings to disciples of pure action do not necessarily have to be
given during the historical Buddha's lifetime. (pg.44)
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Transcendent Wisdom", translated, edited and
- annotated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ annotated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
30.
Since the five perfections without wisdom
...one of the things you can learn from history is that men have learned
to live with machinery at least as well as, and probably a good deal better
than, they have learned to live with one another.
- -- E. E. Morison, from “Computers and the World of the Future”
+ -- E. E. Morison, from "Computers and the World of the Future"
~
Everything is perfect in the universe--even your desire to improve it.
-- Dr. Wayne Dyer
Additionally, we must clearly understand the causes and conditions that give
rise to happiness as well, and actively practice them. This is the essence of
the four noble truths.
- -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's
Heart of Wisdom Teachings", translated & edited by Geshe Thupten Jinpa
~
In Dzogchen, while thoughts are active, rigpa permeates them all, so that
love and compassion. (p.52)
-- Geshe Sonam Rinchen, "The Bodhisattva Vow", translated and edited by
Ruth Sonam, published by Snow Lion Publications
-##If you are totally concerned and preoccupied with the affairs of this
+~
+ If you are totally concerned and preoccupied with the affairs of this
lifetime, there is a great danger of causing your own downfall. If by such
concern you were able to achieve the desired happiness, that is okay, but this
is not the case.
-~
We all let ourselves be caught in this web of preoccupation with the
activities and confusion of this lifetime. Having too much worldly
involvement ends in confusion. We spend our whole lives thinking that this
motivator of the action and the actions cease, the results of those actions
will cease. That is how the third noble truth--true cessation--comes to be.
(p.103)
- -- H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, "The Dalai Lama at
+ -- 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
~
Dharma. This is the collection of teachings to be practiced and the
realizations to be attained. (p.97)
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
Suppose there is this religious group building thousands of childcare
facilities and hospices.... Although these religious workers are doing a lot
door, and then touching our foreheads. This is not merely a cultural
tradition, but is acknowledging something very profound.(p.73)
-- Khenpo Karthar, "Dharma Paths" 2nd Edition, translated by Ngödup Burkhar
- and Chöjor Radha, edited by Laura M. Roth, published by Snow Lion
+ and Chöjor Radha, edited by Laura M. Roth, published by Snow Lion
Publications
~
According to the lower schools of Buddhist thought, when a being, like
agitation and without anxiety. Then, with the mind at ease, carry on to the
end.(p.20)
--Gen Lamrimpa, "How to Practice Shamatha Meditation: The Cultivation of
- Meditative Quiescence", translated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow
+ Meditative Quiescence", translated by B. Alan Wallace, published by Snow
Lion Publications
~
The Need for Reasoning
Enlightened One is effectively able to benefit beings in deep, lasting, and
ultimate ways, we must quickly attain enlightenment. This is the wishing
bodhimind, the inner basis of Mahayana practice.(p.136)
- -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
Recalling our interconnectedness, we begin to recognize our total
interdependence and that whatever we enjoy in our life comes through others--
appreciates spiritual rather than mundane goals one has become an active
practitioner of initial perspective.(p.117)
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated
- by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
+ by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications
~
When doing lamrim meditations, it is important to know clearly the state of
mind you want to reach as a conclusion to the meditation. Lamrim texts
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
+ 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
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.
+~
+The role of other sentient beings
+
+ In relation to the attainment of liberation from cylic existence, which is
+known also as "definite goodness," the role of other sentient beings is
+indispensable. In the Buddhist understanding, the key spiritual practices
+that lead to the attainment of liberation are the Three Higher
+Trainings—higher training in morality, in meditation, and in wisdom. The
+last two are based upon the foundation of the first, namely the training in
+morality. As I said before, the presence of other sentience beings is
+indispensable for this training. This is how we come to the powerful
+realisation that the role of other sentient beings is essential in all areas
+of our mundane and spiritual activities.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ To avoid being hurt by thorns and brambles, we might consider covering all
+the mountains with leather. That would be impossible, but putting on shoes
+would serve the same purpose. Similarly, if we tried to subdue all our outer
+enemies, we would never succeed. Once one was eliminated, another would rise
+against us. While doing this, our anger would continue to breed new foes.
+The only way to overcome our enemies is to turn inward and kill the real one,
+which is our own hatred.
+ -- Ringu Tulku, from "Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha",
+ edited and translated by Rosemarie Fuchs.
+~
+ One should not view one's dharma practice as being something decorative,
+regarding statues and images as material possessions or as furnishings for
+one's house, or thinking that because there is an empty space on a wall one
+might as well put up a thangka for decoration. That kind of attitude should
+not be cultivated. When you arrange the statues or thangkas, you should do so
+out of a deep respect from the mind, moved by your faith and conviction. If
+you can arrange these physical representations—statues and so forth—out of
+deep respect and faith, that's all right. On the other hand, the attitude
+that they are merely material possessions is dangerous and destructive. I
+think that some people who have a cupboard or the like in which they keep all
+their precious possessions may arrange an altar on it just for the sake of
+decoration. This is very wrong.
+ Having such motivations is not the proper way to become a Buddhist; the
+proper way to become a Buddhist is to bring about some positive change within
+the mind. Any practice that can give you more courage when you are undergoing
+a very difficult time and that can provide you with some kind of solace and
+calmness of mind is a true practice of the dharma.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+The environment where you are doing the meditation should be properly cleaned.
+While cleaning, you should cultivate the motivation that since you are engaged
+in the task of accumulating great stores of merit by inviting the hosts of
+buddhas and bodhisattvas to this environment, it is important to have a clean
+place. You should see that all external dirt and dust around you is basically
+a manifestation of the faults and stains within your own mind. You should see
+that the most important aim is to purge these stains and faults from within
+your mind. Therefore, as you cleanse the environment, think that you are also
+purifying your mind. Develop the very strong thought that by cleaning this
+place you are inviting the hosts of buddhas and bodhisattvas who are the most
+supreme merit field, and that you will subsequently engage in a path that will
+enable you to purge your mind of the stains and delusions.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ From the point of view of one who seeks enlightenment, it is far better to
+be a human being than to be born even in the heavens of the gods, where there
+is nectar to live on and all wishes are granted by the wish-fulfilling tree;
+where there is neither fatigue nor difficulty, neither sickness nor old age.
+It is as humans, possessed of the eight freedoms and the ten endowments, and
+not as gods, that every one of the thousand Buddhas of this age has attained,
+or will attain, enlightenment. This human existence, moreover, is not to be
+achieved by force or mere chance; it is the result of positive actions. And
+because it is rare for beings to accomplish positive actions, a precious human
+existence is indeed difficult to obtain.
+ Nevertheless, we have now managed to be born into such a state; we have
+encountered the Buddadharma, have entered the path and are now receiving
+teachings. But if we are unable to practise them, simply listening to the
+teachings will not in itself liberate us from samsara, and will be of no help
+to us when we are confronted by the hardships of birth, disease, old age and
+death. If we do not follow the doctor's prescription when we are sick, then
+even if the doctor sits constantly by our side, the pain will not go away.
+ -- Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, from "Enlightened Courage: An Explanation of the
+ Seven-Point Mind Training", translated by Padmakara Translation Group.
+~
+The realization of the nature of the mind is not something we can find by
+searching for it from afar. It is present within the essence of the mind
+itself. If we do not alter or change that in any way, that is enough. It is
+not as if we were lacking something before, so we need to make something new
+through our meditation. It is not as if we are bad and have to go through all
+sorts of efforts to make ourselves good. Goodness is something we all have.
+It has always been with us, but we have just not looked for it or seen it yet,
+so we have become confused. Therefore all we need to do is to just rest
+within it without changing it. We see where it stays and rest there, so we
+are like a kusulu. This means that we rest free and easy with nothing to do,
+very simply. We do not need to think that we are making something good or
+that we need to meditate properly. It is enough just to know what we already
+have.
+ -- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, from "Vivid Awareness", in "The Best Buddhist
+ Writing 2012", edited by Melvin McLeod and the editors of the Shambhala
+ Sun, pages 196–197.
+~
+We all have to recognize the tremendous opportunity that we have. As humans
+we have this rare intelligence, but there is a real danger that we will waste
+it. Death is certain, but when we will die is totally unpredictable. We
+could lose our precious human existence at any moment. With such reflections,
+we must motivate ourselves to do something meaningful right now. The best way
+to make your human existence meaningful is to really engage in the practice of
+Dharma. During formal sitting meditation and in between sessions, in
+different ways, be mindful and introspectively vigilant. Keep constant watch
+on your mind.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ In order to carry out a practice--such as constantly watching the mind--you
+should form a determination, make a pledge, right when you wake up: "Now, for
+the rest of this day, I will put into practice what I believe just as much as
+I can." It is very important that, at the start of the day, we should set out
+to shape what will happen later. Then, at the end of every day, check what
+happened. Review the day. And if you carried through for that whole day your
+morning's determination, then rejoice. Reinforce further your motivation to
+continue in the same line. However, when you do your reviewing, you may
+discover that you did things during the day that are contrary to your
+religious values and beliefs. You should then acknowledge this and cultivate
+a deep sense of remorse. Strengthen your resolve not to indulge in these
+actions in the future.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ There are two different ways in which we can understand the term "ordinary
+mind." One way is to not take control over anything and end up following our
+afflictions. When a thought of anger arises, we follow it; when greed arises,
+we lose control of ourselves to it. Similarly, we lose control of ourselves
+to our pride and jealousy. Although we might think of this as our ordinary
+state of mind, it is not what we mean here. Here it does not mean losing
+control of ourselves to negative emotions. Instead, it means that we do not
+need to do anything at all to the essence of the mind itself.
+ We do not need to alter this essence in any way. We do not have to worry
+about what we are thinking, what is pleasant, or what is painful. We can
+leave this mind as it is. If we try to alter the mind in any way, thoughts
+will arise. But if we do not do anything to it and let it rest easily, then
+it is unaltered. The Kagyu masters of the past called this the ordinary mind,
+or the natural state. They called it this out of their experience. This
+ordinary mind itself is the dharma expanse and the essence of the buddhas; it
+is our buddha-nature.
+ -- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, from "Vivid Awareness" in "The Best Buddhist
+ Writing 2012", edited by Melvin McLeod and the editors of the Shambhala
+ Sun, page 200.
+~
+ If your engagement with others is tainted by strong attachment, craving,
+aversion, anger, and so forth, then that form of grasping is undesirable. But
+on the other hand, when you are interacting with other living beings and
+become aware of their needs or suffering or pain, then you need to fully
+engage with that and be compassionate. So there can be positive attachment in
+this sense of active engagement.
+ Buddhist masters have long used the term attachment to describe the quality
+of compassion for others. For example, a verse from Haribhadra's Clear
+Meaning Commentary refers to compassion that is attached to other living
+beings. And as we have seen, Nagarjuna teaches that attachment for other
+living beings will arise spontaneously in the person who realizes emptiness.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+Kongtrul Rinpoche suggested we pray to the guru, buddhas, and bodhisattvas and
+ask them to grant their blessings, "So I may give birth to the heart of
+sadness." But what is a "heart of sadness"? Imagine one night you have
+a dream. Although it is a good dream, deep down you know that eventually you
+will have to wake up and it will be over. In life, too, sooner or later,
+whatever the state of our relationships, or our health, our jobs and every
+aspect of our lives, everything, absolutely everything, will change. And the
+little bell ringing in the back of your head to remind you of this
+inevitability is what is called the "heart of sadness." Life, you realise,
+is a race against time, and you should never put off dharma practice until
+next year, next month, or tomorrow, because the future may never happen.
+ -- Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, from "Not for Happiness: A Guide to the So-
+ Called Preliminary Practices"
+~
+ What we want to eliminate is grasping that is grounded upon falsification of
+the object, distortions that arise as afflictions grasp at the apparent
+substantial existence of an object. Some texts say that mental states such as
+compassion and faith are, by their very nature, virtuous and thus cannot at
+the same time be afflicted mental states. Yet there are other texts that
+refer to "afflicted compassion" or "afflicted faith." For those of us
+who have not realized emptiness, when we generate strong devotion toward the
+Buddha perhaps there is within that faith, within that devotion, an element of
+grasping at the Buddha as substantially real. This makes it an instance of
+so-called "afflicted devotion."
+ Still, it is important to distinguish grasping rooted in falsification and
+distortion from the attachment, focus, or holding that we associate with
+compassion. In our immediate experience, these two forms of grasping may seem
+the same, but in terms of the overall mental environment they are quite
+different. Compassion is fact-based, while distorted grasping is not.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ By and large, human beings tend to prefer to fit in to society by following
+accepted rules of etiquette and being gentle, polite, and respectful. The
+irony is that this is also how most people imagine a spiritual person should
+behave. When a so-called dharma practitioner is seen to behave badly, we
+shake our heads over her audacity at presenting herself as a follower of the
+Buddha. Yet such judgments are better avoided, because to "fit in" is not
+what a genuine dharma practitioner strives for.
+ Think of Tilopa, for example. He looked so outlandish that if he turned up
+on your doorstep today, odds are you would refuse to let him in. And you
+would have a point. He would most likely be almost completely naked; if you
+were lucky, he might be sporting some kind of G-string; his hair would never
+have been introduced to shampoo; and protruding from his mouth would quiver
+the tail of a live fish. What would your moral judgment be of such a being?
+"Him! A Buddhist?" This is how our theistic, moralistic, and judgmental
+minds work. Of course, there is nothing wrong with morality, but the point of
+spiritual practice, according to the vajrayana teachings, is to go beyond all
+our concepts, including those of morality.
+ -- Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, from "Not for Happiness: A Guide to the So-
+ Called Preliminary Practices".
+~
+Because it is a reality that we are by nature social animals, bound to depend
+on each other, we need to cultivate affection and concern for other people if
+we really desire peace and happiness. Look at wild animals and birds. Even
+they travel together, flock together, and help each other. Bees do not have a
+particular legal system, they do not follow any spiritual practice, but for
+their livelihood and survival they depend on each other--that is their
+natural way of existence. Even though we intelligent human beings must also
+depend on each other, we sometimes misuse our intelligence and try to exploit
+each other. That goes against human nature. For those of us who profess to
+believe in a particular religious practice, it is extremely important that we
+try to help each other and cultivate a feeling of affection for each other.
+That is the source of happiness in our life.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+The fundamental teaching of the Buddha is that we should view others as being
+more important than we are. Of course, you cannot completely ignore yourself.
+But neither can you neglect the welfare of other people and other sentient
+beings, particularly when there is a clash of interest between your own
+welfare and the welfare of other people. At such a time you should consider
+other people's welfare as more important than your own personal well-being.
+Compare yourself to the rest of sentient beings. All other sentient beings
+are countless, while you are just one person. Your suffering and happiness
+may be very important, but it is just the suffering and happiness of one
+individual, whereas the happiness and suffering of all other sentient beings
+is immeasurable and countless. So, it is the way of the wise to sacrifice one
+for the benefit of the majority and it is the way of the foolish to sacrifice
+the majority on behalf of just one single individual. Even from the point of
+view of your personal well-being, you must cultivate a compassionate
+mind—that is that source of happiness in your life.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+ Attachment and love are similar in that both of them draw us to the other
+person. But in fact, these two emotions are quite different. When we're
+attached we're drawn to someone because he or she meets our needs. In
+addition, there are lots of strings attached to our affection that we may or
+may not realize are there. For example, I 'love' you because you make me feel
+good. I 'love' you as long as you do things that I approve of. I 'love' you
+because you're mine. You're my spouse or my child or my parent or my friend.
+With attachment, we go up and down like a yo-yo, depending on how the other
+person treats us. We obsess, "What do they think of me? Do they love me?
+Have I offended them? How can I become what they want me to be so that they
+love me even more?" It's not very peaceful, is it? We're definitely stirred
+up.
+ On the other hand, the love we're generating on the Dharma path is
+unconditional. We simply want other to have happiness and the causes of
+happiness without any strings attached, without any expectations of what these
+people will do for us or how good they'll make us feel.
+ -- Thubten Chodron, "Don't Believe Everything You Think: Living with Wisdom
+ and Compassion"
projects / feisty_meow.git / blobdiff