inferior, unlovable, and a failure. From a Buddhist viewpoint, such an
independent self does not exist, although a conventional self does.
--Thubten Chodron, "Buddhism for Beginners"
+~
+We all depend on one another. For this reason, whenever we act according to
+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
+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
+conflicts are nothing to feel shocked or offended by. Rather, we can address
+them calmly and with wisdom.
+ -- Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, in "Beyond Anger: How to Hold On to Your
+ Heart and Your Humanity in the Midst of Injustice", Shambhala Publications
+~
+Cyclic existence continues to evolve through the power of the unbroken
+relationship of the twelve links of dependent origination. What are these
+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)
+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
+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
+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
+painful karmic ripening. (8) Craving creates the cohesion necessary for a
+future existence. (9) Grasping totally binds one to such an existence. (10)
+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
+ Madhyantavibhaga with Commentaries"
+~
+Compassion and generosity must be accompanied by detachment. Expecting
+something in return for them is like doing business. If the owner of a
+restaurant is all smiles with his customers, it is not because he loves them
+but because he wants to increase his turnover. When we love and help others,
+it should not be because we find a particular individual likable but because
+we see that all beings, whether we think of them as friends or enemies, want
+to be happy and have the right to happiness.
+ -- The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, in "On the Path to
+ Enlightenment: Heart Advice from the Great Tibetan Masters",
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+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
+obscurations, whether emotional, conceptual, or habitual. But rather than
+attempting to put out the flames with meditation methods, it is important to
+allow the burning to occur during practice. Certainly in the foundational
+stages of the path we must learn not to become engulfed in the flames, to tame
+the wild mind and emotions, and to train ourselves to open further to
+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
+ Tibetan Buddhism", Shambhala Publications
+~
+Life is mainly froth and bubble,
+Two things stand like stone--
+Kindness in another's trouble,
+Courage in your own.
+ -- Adam Lindsay Gordon
projects / feisty_meow.git / blobdiff