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
+~
+ 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
+describe the purpose of each meditation, and we want to make sure that our
+mind arrives at that conclusion and not at an incorrect or irrelevant
+conclusion. For example, when meditating on the disadvantages of the self-
+centered thought, our mind may twist that meditation and conclude, "I'm a
+horrible person because I'm so selfish." This is the wrong conclusion to reach
+from that meditation. The Buddha didn't teach the disadvantages of self-
+centeredness so that we would deride ourselves.
+ If you meditate on a lam rim topic and arrive at an incorrect conclusion,
+the meditation hasn't been done correctly. In the above case, thinking, "I'm
+a bad person because I'm so selfish," indicates that we have misunderstood the
+purpose of the meditation and probably have fallen into an old pattern of
+putting ourselves down. Stop and ask yourself,
+ "What conclusion does the Buddha want me to reach from this meditation? He
+wants me to ascertain that the self-centered mind is the actual 'enemy' that
+destroys my happiness. Self-centeredness is not an intrinsic part of me; it
+is not who I am. It's an incorrect, but deeply entrenched, thought that
+creates problems for me. I can free myself from it. Since I want to be
+happy, I will realize this selfish attitude for what it is and will stop
+following it! Instead, I will cultivate love and compassion for all beings."
+ This is the conclusion you want to reach.(p.58)
+ -- Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, "Guided Meditations on the Stages of the
+ Path", foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, published by Snow Lion
+~
+ Greed is a form of desire. However, it is an exaggerated form of desire,
+based on overexpectation. The true antidote of greed is contentment.
+ For a practicing Buddhist, for a Dharma practitioner, many practices can act
+as a kind of counterforce to greed: the realization of the value of seeking
+liberation or freedom from suffering, recognizing the underlying
+unsatisfactory nature of one's existence, and so on. These views also help an
+individual to counteract greed. But in terms of an immediate response to
+greed, one way is to reflect upon the excesses of greed, what it does to one
+as an individual, where it leads. Greed leads one to a feeling of
+frustration, disappointment, a lot of confusion, and a lot of problems.
+ When it comes to dealing with greed, one thing which is quite characteristic
+is that although it arises from the desire to obtain something, it is not
+satisfied by obtaining it. Therefore, it becomes limitless or boundless, and
+that leads to trouble. The interesting thing about greed is that although the
+underlying motive is to seek satisfaction, as I pointed out, even after
+obtaining the object of one's desire, one is still not satisfied. On the
+other hand, if one has a strong sense of contentment, it doesn't matter
+whether one obtains the object or not; either way, one is still content.(p.32)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a
+ Buddhist Perspective", translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa, published by
+ Snow Lion Publications
+~
+We will hereby start scouring the net for people who say git is hard to
+understand and use, and just kill them. They clearly are just polluting
+the gene pool.
+ -- Linus Torvalds
+~
+i got nothin'.
+~
+ What is the Bodhisattva's Way of life? It is the way of life that follows
+naturally from having cultivated the awakening mind of bodhicitta.
+Omniscience is achieved only through the process of purifying the disturbing
+emotions within your mind. It cannot be achieved merely through wishes and
+prayers. We have to train in eliminating all the specific disturbing emotions
+within your mind. We have to train in eliminating all the specific disturbing
+emotions by relying on specific antidotes.
+ All the activities of a Bodhisattva can be included in two major categories:
+the practice of skillful means and the practice of wisdom. If the practices
+of giving, ethics, and so forth are to be perfected, they should be supported
+and influenced by the practice of wisdom. Without the practice of wisdom, the
+first five of the six perfections cannot actually become practices of
+perfection. In order to cultivate such wisdom, you must first cultivate the
+genuine unmistaken philosophical view that is known as the view of the Middle
+Way, or Madhyamika.
+ ...even when you have understood the wisdom realizing emptiness, that alone
+will not become a powerful antidote to ignorance if it is not supported by
+other practices such as giving, ethics, patience, and so forth. Mere
+understanding of selflessness is not sufficient to defeat the disturbing
+emotions.(p.76)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Stages of Meditation", root text by Kamalashila,
+ translated by Geshe Lobsang Jordhen, Losang Choephel Ganchenpa, and
+ Jeremy Russell, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ The many tantras of both the Ancient and New traditions unanimously agree
+that these, and others, are the consequences of violating the pledges.
+
+ Means of Restoration
+ The proclaimers' vows, like a clay pot, once broken cannot be repaired;
+ The awakening mind commitments, like gold or silver, can be restored;
+ The tantric pledges, like a dented vessel, are restored by the
+ practitioner's strength.
+ --Jamgon Kongtrul
+
+ When is it possible to restore a vow that has been transgressed? All the
+tantras and transmissions state that if a monk has incurred a defeat with
+concealment, the transgressed vow, like a broken clay pot, cannot be repaired.
+An awakening mind commitment that has been transgressed is like a cracked gold
+or silver vase which can still be soldered by a blacksmith. A violated vow or
+pledge in this Secret Mantra system is likened to a dented golden vessel,
+which can be straightened out by the practitioner's own strength.
+ Pledges are restored through action, precious substances, earnest desire,
+contemplation, and reality.
+ The Great Cleansing can purify all transgressions.(p.296)
+ -- Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, "Treasury of Knowledge--Book Five: Buddhist
+ Ethics", trans. by the Kalu Rinpoche Translation Group, under the
+ direction of Ven. Bokar Rinpoche, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ How to Become a Receptacle Suitable for Cultivating the Paths.
You are
+made into a vessel suitable for cultivating the path through entering a
+mandala such as that of the Vajra Element, receiving initiation, and receiving
+the pledges and vows.
+ Concerning this, there are two types: those who merely enter a mandala and
+those who enter and receive initiation, of which there are two types. The
+former are those who cannot hold the vows of the five lineages but who hold
+the Bodhisattva vows; only the initiation of a student is granted to them.
+However, to those who can hold both Bodhisattva and mantra vows the full
+initiation of a vajra master is granted.(p.78)
+ -- 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
+~
+ Awareness as virtue. Beyond choosing more virtuous forms of speech, you can
+also try to cultivate awareness of the subtle vibration underlying your speech
+and of how your speech manifests from there. Is your voice creating the right
+energy field?
+ In dzogchen the concept of virtuous speech is taken to its highest level.
+For example, the A-Tri system of dzogchen offers a group of successive
+practices in which one learns to maintain awareness while engaging in various
+virtuous, neutral, and nonvirtuous activities.
+ One initially tries to stay present amid virtuous activity such as praying
+or chanting mantras. Once that experience is stabilized, one integrates
+presence with neutral speech, such as conversing casually with a friend about
+cooking or gardening. Finally, one tries to integrate with negative speech
+such as lying, arguing, or giving insults. It is easier if you can establish
+your intent for self-awareness before you get drawn into an angry argument.
+For example, think of how courtroom lawyers argue a case: although they may
+use strong, sharp language, they are never driven by their emotions--every
+word is carefully chosen for its impact and is guided by intent, if not
+awareness.
+ From this perspective "nonvirtuous speech" might be defined as speech that
+is driven and not guided and through which you lose connection with your self.
+In dzogchen practice you aim to arrive at a place where all activity of body,
+speech, and mind becomes an expression of contemplative awareness and an aid
+to spiritual development--therefore virtuous in the truest sense of the word.
+(p.85)
+ -- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, "Tibetan Yogas of Body, Speech, and Mind",
+ edited by Polly Turner, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Bodhisattvas give solely out of concern for others, without a self-
+cherishing attitude. That is the proper way of giving. Courageous
+Bodhisattvas risk even their lives to help others, and so, when we are in
+relatively better, more comfortable situations, we must certainly practice
+giving. Even if they are threatened, the courageous ones will not engage in
+improper actions. Instead, after examining the situation carefully, when they
+find that certain actions are correct and justified, on the basis of reason,
+they engage in them even at the risk of their lives. That is the way of the
+decent, civilized and courageous ones, who do not follow misleading paths.(p.20)
+ -- H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, "Generous Wisdom: Commentaries by H.H. the
+ Dalai Lama XIV on the Jatakamala, Garland of Birth Stories", translated
+ by Tenzin Dorjee, edited by Dexter Roberts
+~
+ Merely understanding the mind is not good enough. Recognizing it as the
+source of happiness and suffering is good, but great results come only from
+looking inward and meditating on the nature of the mind. Once you recognize
+its nature, then you need to meditate with joyful effort. Joyful meditation
+will actualize the true nature of the mind, and maintaining the mind in this
+natural state will bring enlightenment. This type of meditation reveals the
+innermost, profound wisdom that is inherent in the mind.
+ Meditation can transform your body into wisdom light, into what is known as
+the rainbow body of wisdom. Many masters in the history of the Nyingma
+lineage have achieved this, as can anyone who practices these methods of
+meditation. The wisdom aspect of our nature exists at all times in each of
+us. You have always had this nature and it can be revealed through
+meditation. When you maintain the mind in its natural state, wonderful
+qualities shine out like light from the sun. Among these qualities are
+limitless compassion, limitless loving-kindness, and limitless wisdom.
+ -- Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche,
+ "The Buddhist Path: A Practical Guide from the Nyingma Tradition of
+ Tibetan Buddhism", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ In order for the wisdom of special insight to remove impediments to proper
+understanding, and to remove faulty mental states at their very roots, we need
+concentrated meditation, a state of complete single-mindedness in which all
+internal distractions have been removed.
+ Single-minded meditation involves removing subtle internal distractions such
+as the mind's being either too relaxed or too tight. To do so we must first
+stop external distractions through training in the morality of maintaining
+mindfulness and conscientiousness with regard to physical and verbal
+activities--being constantly aware of what you are doing with your body and
+your speech. Without overcoming these obvious distractions, it is impossible
+to overcome subtler internal distractions. Since it is through sustaining
+mindfulness that you achieve a calm abiding of the mind, the practice of
+morality must precede the practice of concentrated meditation.(p.23)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life",
+ translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
+~
+ Buddha means one who is fully enlightened. In other words, a buddha has
+fully awakened from the sleep of delusion. He is free from all obscurations,
+both gross and subtle, and has revealed the two intrinsic wisdom awarenesses.
+Buddhahood is the spontaneously established, uncompounded nature that does not
+depend on any other conditions. A buddha has perfect wisdom, has perfectly
+accomplished the nature of compassion, and has every ability to manifest all
+excellent activities.
+ There are many buddhas in the past, present, and future. In fact, there are
+as many buddhas as there are particles of dust. Basically, the term buddha
+refers to anyone whose mind is fully awakened and who is free from all
+suffering and its causes. When we point to Buddha Shakyamuni as a buddha, he
+is an example of this. A buddha has four forms, all of which emanate from the
+dharmakaya:
+ 1. Nirmanakaya is a buddha who has emanated in a physical form. A
+nirmanakaya can emanate anywhere as anything animate or inanimate--as a human
+being, an animal, or even a bridge, if necessary...
+ 2. Sambhogakaya is the expression of the complete, perfect manifestation
+of the Buddha's excellent, infinite qualities, called the enjoyment body--
+splendid and glorious. All the buddhas appear and manifest in the limitless
+buddha fields in this form...
+ 3. Dharmakaya is one's own perfection, fully free from all delusion and
+suffering. It is infinite and transcends all boundaries...
+ 4. Svabhavikakaya is the indivisible nature of the other three forms.(p.165)
+ -- Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen, "A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path",
+ edited by Khenmo Trinlay Chodron, published by Snow Lion Publications
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