Volume Two: The Bodhisattva Path of Wisdom and Compassion"
~
The essence of all the songs can be epitomized by the four dharmas of
-Gampopa. These are: (1) one’s mind becomes dharmic; (2) that dharma
+Gampopa. These are: (1) one's mind becomes dharmic; (2) that dharma
practice becomes path; (3) in following that path, confusion is removed; (4)
having removed confusion, everything dawns as wisdom.
The first dharma is the ground, where our mind becomes dharmic so that we
does not exist as it appears to exist—by being mindful that its existence
and identity are not established through its own power—we automatically
reconfirm and become even stronger in our conviction in its bare mode of
-existence. In other words, as the text [the First Panchen Lama’s A Root
+existence. In other words, as the text [the First Panchen Lama's A Root
Text for the Precious Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra] says, "[You
experience] their bare mode of existence dawning in an exposed, resplendent
manner."
The dakini principle must not be oversimplified, as it carries many levels of
meaning. On an outer level, accomplished female practitioners were called
dakinis.... But ultimately, though she appears in female form, a dakini
-defies gender definitions. “To really meet the dakini, you have to go
-beyond duality,” Khandro Rinpoche teaches, referring to an essential
+defies gender definitions. "To really meet the dakini, you have to go
+beyond duality," Khandro Rinpoche teaches, referring to an essential
understanding in Vajrayana that the absolute reality cannot be grasped
-intellectually. The Tibetan word for dakini, khandro, means “sky-goer” or
-“space-dancer,” which indicates that these ethereal awakened ones have
+intellectually. The Tibetan word for dakini, khandro, means "sky-goer" or
+"space-dancer," which indicates that these ethereal awakened ones have
left the confinements of solid earth and have the vastness of open space to
play in.
-- Michaela Haas, from "Dakini Power: Twelve Extraordinary Women Shaping the
Transmission of Tibetan Buddhism in the West"
~
Drawing from Longchenpa, Jamgon Kongtrul explains the method of awakening in
-the Dzog-chen system, calling it the “Liberation as Ever-Perfect,” as the
+the Dzog-chen system, calling it the "Liberation as Ever-Perfect," as the
primordial buddha Samantabhadra... Liberation as Ever-Perfect does not refer
to the liberation of a buddha that has occurred in the past, such as that of
Buddha Sakyamuni, but to the way in which countless beings are liberated right
-- from the Translator's Introduction, "The Treasury of Knowledge: Book One,
Myriad Worlds", by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye
~
- If we realize, “I am a human being. A human being can do anything,”
+ If we realize, "I am a human being. A human being can do anything,"
this determination, courage, and self-confidence are important sources of
victory and success. Without will power and determination, even something
that you might have achieved easily cannot be achieved. If you have will
Failing to fulfill the welfare of others is not the sacred dharma.
Failing to lead others to liberation is not the sangha.
- -- from The Epic of Gesar of Ling, "Gesar’s Birth and Childhood"
+ -- from The Epic of Gesar of Ling, "Gesar's Birth and Childhood"
~
When we meditate I encourage all of us to have the attitude that we are
-meditating to dissolve the self. That’s why we meditate. Hold this
+meditating to dissolve the self. That's why we meditate. Hold this
perspective in your awareness and let your dualistic mind dissolve for at
least a half hour, or at least for ten minutes every day. When you allow
yourself to witness that unexpected glimpse of the truth, where the self is
-dissolved, it’s like drinking nectar. It’s inexpressible. We often use
+dissolved, it's like drinking nectar. It's inexpressible. We often use
the word bliss to describe that state. Bliss is a good word, but it can be
misunderstood. The bliss that I am speaking about has nothing to do with
-ordinary bliss. It’s not like the bliss of having great food or other
+ordinary bliss. It's not like the bliss of having great food or other
sensual pleasure. This is nonconceptual bliss that is not based on emotions
but is based on awareness. We often say that realizing the true nature of who
we are is like drinking the nectar of ultimate bliss. The more we drink, the
consequences that might otherwise come about. Because if one responds to such
situations with anger and hatred, not only does it not protect one from the
injury that has already been done, but on top of that one creates an
-additional cause for one’s own suffering in the future. However, if one
+additional cause for one's own suffering in the future. However, if one
responds without anger and hatred and develops patience and tolerance, then
although one many face temporary discomfort or injury, that temporary
suffering will protect one from potentially dangerous consequences in the
with small problems or hardships, one will be able to forgo experiences of
much greater suffering in the future.
An example Shantideva uses here is that if a convicted prisoner can save his
-life by sacrificing his arm as a punishment, wouldn’t that person feel
+life by sacrificing his arm as a punishment, wouldn't that person feel
grateful for that opportunity? By accepting the pain and suffering of having
his arm cut off, that person will be saving himself from death, which is a
greater suffering. Shantideva adds that there is another advantage: not only
During these trances many gurus of past ages, as well as mandala deities,
buddhas, and bodhisattvas, would appear directly to him and give him secret
transmissions, initiations, and teachings. As the Thirteenth Dalai Lama says
-of the Great Fifth later in this chapter, he “was continually absorbed in
-the wisdom dance that experiences all appearances as pure vision.”
+of the Great Fifth later in this chapter, he "was continually absorbed in
+the wisdom dance that experiences all appearances as pure vision."
-- Glenn H. Mullin, from "From the Heart of Chenrezig: The Dalai Lamas on
Tantra"
~
-Wishing others to be happy doesn’t mean we give them everything they want,
+Wishing others to be happy doesn't mean we give them everything they want,
because sometimes what they want can be harmful. Wishing them to be happy
-entails wanting them to be free from pain and loneliness. Wouldn’t it be
+entails wanting them to be free from pain and loneliness. Wouldn't it be
wonderful if they were free from these and all other miseries? In order to
love others, we have to be able to overcome our anger and hatred toward them.
-We have to be able to forgive them for the wrongs they’ve done. To do that,
-we have to get “me” out of the way and see that when people create harm,
+We have to be able to forgive them for the wrongs they've done. To do that,
+we have to get "me" out of the way and see that when people create harm,
it is a reflection of their own pain, confusion, and misery. We just happened
to walk across their path. We may even have done something to antagonize
them, either deliberately or accidentally, but the reason that they got so
upset is because of what is going on inside of them. We might also look at
how we made ourselves into a target or accidentally became a target onto which
-they projected their confusion. Maybe we weren’t very considerate of them.
-Maybe we have certain bad habits of which we’re not aware and to which
-they’re reacting.
+they projected their confusion. Maybe we weren't very considerate of them.
+Maybe we have certain bad habits of which we're not aware and to which
+they're reacting.
-- Thubten Chodron, "How to Free Your Mind: The Practice of Tara the
Liberator"
~
We humans are actually not that far from enlightenment. Our five senses are
like the Emanation Body of a Buddha; our dream body, which is similar to the
-after-death form, is like a Buddha’s Beatific Form; and the basis of both of
+after-death form, is like a Buddha's Beatific Form; and the basis of both of
these is the subtle mind of clear light which shares the nature of a
-Buddha’s Wisdom Body. All we have to do is learn to transform these
+Buddha's Wisdom Body. All we have to do is learn to transform these
ordinary elements into their pure natures. Then buddhahood naturally comes
into our hands.
-- H.H. the Dalai Lama, from "The Path to Enlightenment"
the Masters", by Migmar Tseten
~
To take refuge in the Buddha means to take refuge in the dharmas that
-constitute a buddha (a nonlearner). These consist of a buddha’s knowledge
+constitute a buddha (a nonlearner). These consist of a buddha's knowledge
of the termination and nonarising [of the obscurations]. Together with the
associated factors [of this knowledge], they consist of the five
uncontaminated skandhas.
constitute the sangha, which consists of [all] learners and nonlearners except
for buddhas. It is by virtue of having attained their respective [dharmas]
that the eight persons* are not separated from the path by [anyone], including
-gods. Therefore, they are called “sangha.” In other words, [the sangha]
+gods. Therefore, they are called "sangha." In other words, [the sangha]
is represented by the five uncontaminated skandhas in the mind streams of said
eight persons.
To take refuge in the dharma means [to take refuge] in the analytical
cessation that is nirvana, that is, the two nirvanas [with and without
remainder] of the noble ones.
-*The eight persons are also known as “the four pairs of persons”--stream-
+*The eight persons are also known as "the four pairs of persons"--stream-
enterers, once-returners, nonreturners, and arhats, each divided into
approachers to, and abiders in, these states.
the correct techniques and methods, applied with diligence, meditation can
become a swift path to clearing confusion and unhelpful habits. Without them,
we may wander in fogginess or agitation, never having engaged in true
-meditation even after years of “sitting.”
+meditation even after years of "sitting."
At Namdroling Monastery we practiced both resting and analytical meditation.
The renowned teacher Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche believed that both types of
meditation were important, but he thought it was best to begin with analytical
-- Khenpo Gawang, "Your Mind Is Your Teacher: Self-Awakening through
Contemplative Meditation", Shambhala Publications
~
- Never think, “Even though I have confidence in the Three Jewels, it is not
-really certain that this work will be accomplished.” Instead, one should
+ Never think, "Even though I have confidence in the Three Jewels, it is not
+really certain that this work will be accomplished." Instead, one should
know that the Enlightened One is surely able to protect those who surrender
and act in accord with his words, because the Enlightened One is endowed with
the transcendental wisdom which knows all the paths of practice that are in
turning them from wrong ways, and because he has accomplished the two
accumulations of merit and transcendental wisdom and has accomplished the
resolve to help beings. So even though one has not yet attained liberation
-from worldly existence, it is one’s fault for not having trusted and not
+from worldly existence, it is one's fault for not having trusted and not
having acted in accord with the words of the Three Jewels, not because the
Three Jewels have no compassion.
In brief, those who do not entrust themselves to the Precious Jewels, who
someone they know and trust who has already been to Machu Picchu to go with
them and show them the way. Similarly, those wishing to follow the Buddhist
path to enlightenment should rely on what are called in the teachings the
-“four authentics”: the authentic words of the Buddha (his teachings); the
+"four authentics": the authentic words of the Buddha (his teachings); the
authentic clarification of the teachings that can be found in the shastras
(commentaries) written by great masters of the past; the further clarification
that is the result of authentic personal experience; and for this experience
self-interest, sooner or later our selfish aims are bound to clash with the
aims of the people we rely upon to accomplish our own goals. When that
happens, conflicts will inevitably arise. As we learn to be more balanced in
-valuing others’ concerns with our own, we will naturally find ourselves
+valuing others' concerns with our own, we will naturally find ourselves
involved in fewer and fewer conflicts. In the meantime, it is helpful to
acknowledge that conflicts are the logical outcome of this combination of
self-interest and interdependence. Once we recognize this, we can see that
twelve? They are (1) ignorance, which afflicts wandering beings by keeping
them from seeing true reality. In obscuring the perception of true reality,
ignorance also functions as the source for the subsequent links, such as
-karmic formation, by grasping as if there were an “I” and “mine.” (2)
+karmic formation, by grasping as if there were an "I" and "mine." (2)
Formation afflicts wandering beings by implanting the seeds of subsequent
existence in the consciousness. In this way, when the root text states:
-“Wandering beings are afflicted due to…,” it should be understood to
+"Wandering beings are afflicted due to…," it should be understood to
apply to all the remaining links as well, from consciousness on. Accordingly,
(3) consciousness becomes infused with habitual tendencies and leads sentient
beings to the place of their birth. (4) Name and form take hold of the body
-of one’s coming existence. (5) The six sense sources bring the state of
+of one's coming existence. (5) The six sense sources bring the state of
name and form to completion. (6) Contact determines the experience of an
object based on the coming together of three factors: object, faculty, and
cognition. (7) Sensation experiences the various types of enjoyable and
Becoming brings about the actual acquisition of this birth. (11) Birth serves
as the support for the suffering of old age and so on. (12) Aging and death
is the essence of suffering.
- -- Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham, "Middle Beyond Extremes: Maitreya’s
+ -- Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham, "Middle Beyond Extremes: Maitreya's
Madhyantavibhaga with Commentaries"
~
Compassion and generosity must be accompanied by detachment. Expecting
Enlightenment: Heart Advice from the Great Tibetan Masters",
Shambhala Publications
~
-Examining the understanding of heat in Vajrayana gives insight into tantra’s
+Examining the understanding of heat in Vajrayana gives insight into tantra's
somewhat different embrace of classical Buddhist imagery. From this
perspective, the experience of mental burning is indeed the central suffering
of our lives. It is the experiential dimension of the intensity of our
experience. Finally, however, through Vajrayana practice under the guidance
of a guru, the burning we experience becomes a great teacher and a great
blessing.
- -- Judith Simmer-Brown, "Dakini’s Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in
+ -- Judith Simmer-Brown, "Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in
Tibetan Buddhism", Shambhala Publications
~
Life is mainly froth and bubble,
Courage in your own.
-- Adam Lindsay Gordon
~
-With regard to one’s behavior, one must relinquish all the limitations
-implied in subject-object duality (gzung ’dzin gyi la dor ba). One should
+With regard to one's behavior, one must relinquish all the limitations
+implied in subject-object duality (gzung 'dzin gyi la dor ba). One should
abandon all ordinary ways of assessing outer and inner phenomena, and the
-engagement or withdrawal of the mind with regard to “good” and “bad.”
+engagement or withdrawal of the mind with regard to "good" and "bad."
One must not, through mindless clinging to sense objects, stray into the five
ordinary mental poisons. For when approached with skillful means, all are but
the display of the great and perfect equality.
-- Jigme Lingpa, from "Treasury of Precious Qualities: Book Two: Vajrayana
and the Great Perfection", by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ Recollection is the path of meditating on
+ The nature that was seen with awareness.
+ Constituted by the aspects of enlightenment,
+ This serves to eliminate the stains.
+
+ Recollection involves repeatedly recalling and realizing, in the context of
+the path of cultivation, what was realized when the intrinsic nature was
+directly seen with individual self-awareness at the prior stage. In this way,
+the term recollection refers to all that constitutes the factors of
+enlightenment. The path of cultivation is [referred to as such] because it
+involves eradicating those stains that are eliminated through cultivation.
+ -- from "Distinguishing Phenomena from Their Intrinsic Nature: Maitreya's
+ Dharmadharmatavibhanga with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham",
+ Shambhala Publications.
+~
+ The Capable One spoke of the following attributes as the seven noble riches,
+for they are the causes of untainted happiness and are not in any way
+ordinary. Faith—that is, the three kinds of faith in the Three Jewels and
+confidence in the law of actions and their effects. Discipline, the avoidance
+of harmful actions. Learning that comes from listening to the holy Dharma
+that leads to liberation, with the intention of gaining complete knowledge.
+Being generous—with a desire to make offerings and to help beings, to give
+away all one's possessions without expecting anything in return or any
+karmic reward. A sense of shame with respect to oneself that prevents one
+from indulging in negative actions, and that is unstained by such things as
+jealousy or seeking veneration. A sense of decency with regard to others that
+stops one from engaging in unvirtuous practices. And wisdom, that is,
+knowledge of the particular and general characteristics of phenomena.
+ You should realize that other common things that the world calls
+riches—gold, for instance—are of no value in obtaining untainted
+qualities; they are worthless, hollow, and without essence.
+ -- from "Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend With Commentary by Kyabje Kangyur
+ Rinpoche", Shambhala Publications
+~
+All apparent phenomena are nothing but delusion, and there is, moreover, no
+freedom from delusion to be achieved by dispelling delusion. Delusion is, by
+its own essence, completely pure and, hence, enlightened. All phenomena are,
+in this way, primordially, fully, and completely enlightened. Phenomena
+appearing as various attributes are, therefore, indeed the mandala of vajra
+body, speech, and mind. They are like the Buddhas of the three times, never
+transcending the essence of complete purity. Sentient beings and Buddhas are
+not differentiated in terms of their essence. Just like distinct causes and
+results appearing in a dream, they are nothing but perceptions of individual
+minds brought forth by the power of imputation.
+ -- Heidi I. Köppl, "Establishing Appearances as Divine: Rongzom Chökyi
+ Zangpo on Reasoning, Madhyamaka, and Purity", Shambhala and Snow Lion
+ Publications
+~
+ "Emptiness" is a rough translation of the Sanskrit term shunyata and the
+Tibetan term tongpa-nyi. The basic meaning of the Sanskrit word shunya is
+"zero," while the Tibetan word tongpa means "empty"—not in the sense
+of a vacuum or a void, but rather in the sense that the basis of experience is
+beyond our ability to perceive with our senses and or to capture in a nice,
+tidy concept. Maybe a better understanding of the deep sense of the word may
+be "inconceivable" or "unnameable."
+ So when Buddhists talk about emptiness as the basis of our being, we don't
+mean that who or what we are is nothing, a zero, a point of view that can give
+way to a kind of cynicism. The actual teachings on emptiness imply an
+infinitely open space that allows for anything to appear, change, disappear,
+and reappear. The basic meaning of emptiness, in other words, is openness, or
+potential. At the basic level of our being, we are "empty" of definable
+characteristics.
+ -- Tsoknyi Rinpoche, from "The Best Buddhist Writing 2013", published by
+ Shambhala Publications and Snow Lion Publications.
+~
+ The Lama is the ecstatic, wild, and gentle figure who short-circuits your
+systems of self-referencing. The Lama is the only person in your life who
+cannot be manipulated. The Lama is the invasion of unpredictability you allow
+into your life, to enable you to cut through the convolutions of interminable
+psychological and emotional processes. The Lama is the terrifyingly
+compassionate gamester who reshuffles the deck of your carefully arranged
+rationale. To enter into vajra commitment is to leap from the perfect
+precipice. To find yourself in the radiant space of this choiceless choice is
+the very heart of Tantra. To leap open-eyed into the shining emptiness of the
+Lama's wisdom display and to experience the ecstatic impact of each dynamic
+gesture of the Lama's method display is the essential luminosity and power
+of the path.
+ -- Ngak'chang Rinpoche, quoted in "Dangerous Friend: The Teacher-Student
+ Relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism", Shambhala Publications
+~
+ When clouds cover the sky, we cannot see the pure nature of space.
+Likewise, when conceptual thoughts occupy the mind, we cannot see the pure
+nature of the mind. To see whether this is true, we can meditate so that the
+mind becomes relaxed and peaceful, and then there is room to develop
+compassion, love, and bodhicitta. But when our mind is occupied by conceptual
+thoughts and negative thoughts, there is no space to develop good qualities.
+Our mind becomes full of suffering and we cannot disentangle ourselves from
+confusion.
+ When our mind emphasizes positive, calming, and relaxing thoughts, it leaves
+no space for negative thoughts to arise. Then we can maintain a peaceful,
+harmonious mind regardless of external conditions. This becomes a matter of
+how much we habituate ourselves to the Dharma teachings.
+ -- from "Opening the Treasure of the Profound: Teachings on the Songs of
+ Jigten Sumgön and Milarepa", by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche,
+ Shambhala Publications and Snow Lion Publications.
+~
+What is true patience and how can we develop it? Patience is imperturbability
+in the face of harm and hardship. Responding to these difficulties with anger
+is extremely destructive because it creates unpleasant consequences and
+destroys positive energy. There is no austere practice to equal the practice
+of patience, which calms the turbulence of the disturbing emotions. It is
+cultivated in meditation and implemented in everyday life. There are three
+main kinds of patience: the patience of taking no account of those who inflict
+harm, the patience of willingly accepting adversity and the patience of
+gaining certainty with regard to the teachings. Their opposites are
+animosity, discouragement and reluctance to engage with the teachings.
+ -- from "The Six Perfections: An Oral Teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen",
+ Shambhala Publications and Snow Lion Publications.
+~
+Bodhichitta can be understood as a quality of intention, sometimes called a
+“great will.” This great will does not come from the ego; it is
+paradoxically an intention that arises through the surrender of the ego. As
+the ego lets go of its assumption that it has a real understanding of what is
+needed in the path of awakening, it surrenders to a deeper quality of will and
+wisdom. The shift from the ego’s center of will to the intention of our
+buddha nature to awaken us for the welfare of others aligns us with a source
+of will far beyond our limited sense of self. I have often described this
+will as a river of intention, which once stepped into becomes an undercurrent
+in all we do in our life.
+ -- Rob Preece, "Preparing for Tantra: Creating the Psychological Ground for
+ Practice", published by Shambhala and Snow Lion Publications.
+~
+ In fact, one of the things that I hope all of us have learned these past few
+weeks is that it turns out smart, effective government is important. It
+matters. I think the American people during this shutdown had a chance to get
+some idea of all the things, large and small, that government does that make a
+difference in people's lives.
+ We hear all the time about how government is the problem. Well, it turns
+out we rely on it in a whole lot of ways. Not only does it keep us strong
+through our military and our law enforcement, it plays a vital role in caring
+for our seniors and our veterans, educating our kids, making sure our workers
+are trained for the jobs that are being created, arming our businesses with
+the best science and technology so they can compete with companies from other
+countries. It plays a key role in keeping our food and our toys and our
+workplaces safe. It helps folks rebuild after a storm. It conserves our
+natural resources. It finances startups. It helps to sell our products
+overseas. It provides security to our diplomats abroad.
+ So let's work together to make government work better, instead of treating
+it like an enemy or purposely making it work worse. That’s not what the
+founders of this nation envisioned when they gave us the gift of self-
+government. You don’t like a particular policy or a particular president,
+then argue for your position. Go out there and win an election. Push to
+change it. But don’t break it. Don’t break what our predecessors spent
+over two centuries building. That's not being faithful to what this country
+is about.
+ -- Barack Obama, after the US government shutdown of 2013 had ended.
+~
+When the teachings say we need to reduce our fascination with the things of
+this life, it does not mean that we should abandon them completely. It means
+avoiding the natural tendency to go from elation to depression in reaction to
+life’s ups and downs, jumping for joy when you have some success, or wanting
+to jump out the window if you do not get what you want. Being less concerned
+about the affairs of this life means assuming its ups and downs with a broad
+and stable mind.
+ -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in "On the Path to Enlightenment: Heart
+ Advice from the Great Tibetan Masters", from Shambhala Publications and
+ Snow Lion Publications.
+~
+Critical Thinking as Defined by the National Council for Excellence in
+Critical Thinking, 1987
+
+ Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and
+skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or
+evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation,
+experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and
+action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values
+that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision,
+consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and
+fairness.
+ It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought
+implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue;
+assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions;
+implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and
+frame of reference. Critical thinking — in being responsive to variable
+subject matter, issues, and purposes — is incorporated in a family of
+interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical
+thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking,
+moral thinking, and philosophical thinking.
+ Critical thinking can be seen as having two components: 1) a set of
+information and belief generating and processing skills, and 2) the habit,
+based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behavior. It
+is thus to be contrasted with: 1) the mere acquisition and retention of
+information alone, because it involves a particular way in which information
+is sought and treated; 2) the mere possession of a set of skills, because it
+involves the continual use of them; and 3) the mere use of those skills ("as
+an exercise") without acceptance of their results.
+ Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When
+grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful
+manipulation of ideas in service of one’s own, or one's groups’, vested
+interest. As such it is typically intellectually flawed, however
+pragmatically successful it might be. When grounded in fairmindedness and
+intellectual integrity, it is typically of a higher order intellectually,
+though subject to the charge of "idealism" by those habituated to its selfish
+use.
+ Critical thinking of any kind is never universal in any individual; everyone
+is subject to episodes of undisciplined or irrational thought. Its quality is
+therefore typically a matter of degree and dependent on, among other things,
+the quality and depth of experience in a given domain of thinking or with
+respect to a particular class of questions. No one is a critical thinker
+through-and-through, but only to such-and-such a degree, with such-and-such
+insights and blind spots, subject to such-and-such tendencies towards self-
+delusion. For this reason, the development of critical thinking skills and
+dispositions is a life-long endeavor.
+ -- from a statement by Michael Scriven & Richard Paul, presented at the 8th
+ Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education
+ Reform, Summer 1987.
+~
+Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to
+reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think
+critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically.
+They are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when
+left unchecked. They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric and
+sociocentric tendencies. They use the intellectual tools that critical
+thinking offers--concepts and principles that enable them to analyze,
+assess, and improve thinking. They work diligently to develop the
+intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility,
+intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and
+confidence in reason. They realize that no matter how skilled they are as
+thinkers, they can always improve their reasoning abilities and they will at
+times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices,
+biases, distortions, uncritically accepted social rules and taboos, self-
+interest, and vested interest. They strive to improve the world in whatever
+ways they can and contribute to a more rational, civilized society. At the
+same time, they recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so. They
+avoid thinking simplistically about complicated issues and strive to
+appropriately consider the rights and needs of relevant others. They
+recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit themselves to
+life-long practice toward self-improvement. They embody the Socratic
+principle: The unexamined life is not worth living, because they realize that
+many unexamined lives together result in an uncritical, unjust, dangerous
+world.
+ -- Linda Elder, September, 2007
+
projects / feisty_meow.git / blobdiff