~
Any happiness there is in the world ultimately turns to pain. Why? Consider
the two sides of a coin: just because what we desire is to be seen on the
-front does not mean that dislike won’t soon appear on the back. Likewise,
+front does not mean that dislike won't soon appear on the back. Likewise,
hope and fear are a single coin, one entity with two faces--on the other side
of a moment in which we hope for more happiness will be our fear of more
suffering. Until attachment is eliminated, we can be certain of having both
and sitting, we are known as the yogins and yoginis who stand guard over the
shifting dharmakaya display. This is the supreme method of sustaining the
essence of meditation. According to Dzogchen teaching, this is unadulterated
-by any kind of focus; it is called “the great meditation that is
-nonmeditation.”
+by any kind of focus; it is called "the great meditation that is
+nonmeditation."
--Tulku Pema Rigtsal, "The Great Secret of Mind: Special Instructions on the
Nonduality of Dzogchen", translated by Keith Dowman.
~
Who is more shameless in this world,
- Than one who abandons to samsara’s ocean of suffering
+ Than one who abandons to samsara's ocean of suffering
All the mothers who have tenderly cared for him since beginningless time
And instead strives toward the peace of a solitary nirvana?
--Shechen Gyaltsap Pema Namgyal
Why not extend our respect and appreciation for our mother to everyone else?
If we take a broader perspective, we can consider that, within the countless
existences we have lived, every being has been our mother at one time or
-another. Don’t they also deserve our kindness now? We can extend the same
+another. Don't they also deserve our kindness now? We can extend the same
debt of gratitude that we owe our present mother to all sentient beings. By
doing so, we naturally begin to develop a deep concern for the happiness of
others, and this feeling makes sense to us.
for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
--Shechen Rabjam, "The Great Medicine That Conquers Clinging to the Notion
of Reality: Steps in Meditation on the Enlightened Mind"
-
+~
+ Direct perfect enlightenment [with regard to] all aspects,
+ and abandonment of the stains along with their imprints
+ [are called] buddha and nirvana respectively.
+ In truth, these are not two different things.
+ —Arya Maitreya
+
+All aspects of the knowable—all absolute and relative phenomena—are
+directly known. Through this knowledge one is immediately and perfectly
+enlightened. This is the aspect of realization. All the adventitious
+defilements—the two veils along with their remaining imprints—are
+abandoned without any exception. This is the aspect of abandonment. These
+two qualities have been led to ultimate perfection. They are therefore named
+"perfect buddha" ["perfectly awakened and expanded"] from the
+viewpoint of the former aspect, and "nirvana" ["gone beyond any torment
+and pain"] from the viewpoint of the latter aspect. These two aspects are
+contained in one and the same meaning, the meaning of the tathagatagarbha,
+whereas a difference only lies in the convention of the different terms. In
+the sense of the absolute field of experience of the noble ones' primordial
+wisdom the qualities of realization and abandonment are therefore completely
+inseparable and do not exist as two different things.
+ -- Arya Maitreya, "Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with
+ Commentary", with commentary by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodro Thaye
+~
+ "Vehicle" (yana) has two meanings: the means by which one progresses and
+the destination to which one is progressing. Mahayana in the sense of the
+vehicle by which one progresses means to be motivated by the mind of
+enlightenment—wishing to attain highest enlightenment for the sake of all
+sentient beings, one's objects of intent—and means to engage in the six
+perfections.
+ Seeing reason and need, Buddha set forth many systems and vehicles, but
+these did not arise due to his being intimate with some and alien to others.
+The trainees who were listening to his teaching had various dispositions,
+interests, and abilities, and thus he taught methods that were suitable for
+each of them. For those who temporarily did not have the courage to strive
+for Buddhahood or who did not at all have the capacity of obtaining Buddhahood
+at that time, Buddha did not say, "You can attain Buddhahood." Rather, he
+set forth a path appropriate to the trainees' abilities. Buddha spoke in
+terms of their situation, and everything that he spoke was a means of
+eventually attaining highest enlightenment even though he did not always say
+that these were means for attaining Buddhahood.
+ Since the purpose of a Buddha's coming is others' realization of the
+wisdom of Buddhahood, the methods for actualizing this wisdom are one vehicle,
+not two. A Buddha does not lead beings by a vehicle that does not proceed to
+Buddhahood; he establishes beings in his own level. A variety of vehicles are
+set forth in accordance with temporary needs.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama
+~
+You do not have to seek out loneliness--it is always there. Egolessness is a
+concept, a philosophy, but loneliness is a reality that you experience. A
+feeling of loneliness is part of the journey. As for me, I feel that way
+constantly, and I think it’s a very healthy feeling, a very real feeling.
+When you sense that you are not you anymore and that nothing can replace that
+state, you begin to make discoveries. You discover devotion, and you discover
+a quality of richness and artistic expression that is very special. Being
+you, but not being you, is very resourceful. You become a complete mountain
+man: you know how to make fire and cook food. But it doesn’t mean anything.
+You are still nobody. That is the inspiration.
+ -- Chögyam Trungpa, "The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume
+ One: The Individual Path of Liberation"
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