indicated by the syllable Hung.
-- Jamgon Mipham, "White Lotus: An Explanation of the Seven-Line Prayer to
Guru Padmasambhava", published by Shambhala Publications
-
+~
+While dreaming, all kinds of things may come to mind, but these are nothing
+more than appearances. Likewise, a magician may create a variety of illusory
+appearances, but they do not exist objectively. Likewise, oneself, others,
+the cycle of existence, and liberation—in short, all entities—exist merely
+by the power of mind and convention.
+ -- H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, from "Transcendent Wisdom", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+ From our deluded samsaric standpoint, it may seem that certain traits are
+necessary for our well-being, self-esteem, and self-worth. Talking about
+others’ defects may make us appear more desirable, or gossiping about
+others’ misfortunes may make our own misery seem less, but we have to
+examine these tendencies much more closely to see that this is a completely
+mistaken aspect of our lives.
+ Despite having a good motivation and the best intentions, our mind
+training will have little success if we can’t commit ourselves strongly
+enough to undermining these traits. These tendencies don’t bring us any
+self-confidence or happiness. In fact, they undermine our personal autonomy
+and well-being and obstruct our spiritual progress. It’s important to put
+an end to these negative and paranoid tendencies and replace them with love,
+compassion, and the development of a kind heart.
+ -- Traleg Kyabgon, in "The Practice of Lojong", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Awareness of the thought process at the moment of an impulse arising is what
+makes freedom from thought possible, because when the mind is only at the
+stage of an impulse arising, the energies haven’t fully engaged. There is
+an almost impartial quality about the energy of the impulse. When it is
+driven into specific thought, the situation changes and it becomes “my
+thought with my feeling, therefore me.” This is what is meant by being
+caught in the thought. The inner energy has transmuted from being something
+relatively neutral and therefore not very important or compelling into
+something entirely personal and therefore extremely important and compelling.
+ -- Rob Nairn, in "Living, Dreaming, Dying", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ The Buddha, radically, interpreted the individual as a compound of many
+different elements, physical and mental--a psychophysical complex. Therefore
+our feelings, thoughts, emotions, memories, dispositions; our perceptual
+capability, our cognitive capacities, and our physical conditions—all are
+constantly interacting and impacting each other.
+ And agents themselves are also continually interacting with other agents.
+Logically, then, we need not feel compelled to identify ourselves with a
+single thing, a core element to our psyche, as it is really a matter of being
+in a constant state of flux. In this sense, karma could be said to operate as
+streams of networking karmic processes, where all kinds of living, breathing
+individuals are involved. The really important principle to grasp about this
+approach is to look closely at things, for things in their nature are complex.
+Acknowledging this will bring us great reward in fact. Doing the opposite,
+looking at things in a very simple way, keeps us trapped in ignorance.
+ -- Traleg Kyabgon, from "Karma: What It Is, What It Isn't, Why It Matters",
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+There is magic in vajrayana practice and in vajrayana altogether. People
+often think that magic is the ability to do things like change fire into
+water, or float up toward the ceiling and then come down again, or make tomato
+ketchup into cream cheese. But we have a better understanding of magic than
+that; what is actually happening is better than those things. We are not
+talking about magic in the style of a conjuring magician on the stage, but we
+are talking about fundamental magic. This magic is always based on the
+profound effect that we have discovered from the hinayana discipline of one-
+pointedness and the mahayana discipline of openess and compassionate
+nonterritoriality. Out of that comes vajrayana magic, which is that we are
+able to cut our thoughts abruptly and directly. On the spot!
+ -- Chögyam Trungpa, in "The Tantric Path of Indestructible Wakefulness",
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+When, in the Mahayana, one goes for refuge, one cultivates an unbearably
+powerful compassion for beings, who have been one’s mothers in the past and
+whose number is as boundless as the sky is vast. But it is not enough to feel
+compassion for them; one must be determined and decide to liberate them from
+their suffering. As long as one is not free oneself, however, one is
+powerless to bring others to freedom. Consequently, in order to free oneself
+and others from the perils of both samsaric existence and the peace of
+nirvana, one takes refuge in the Three Jewels, according to the Mahayana,
+until one gains enlightenment.
+ -- Kunzang Pelden, in "Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+Just as a precious jewel, the sky, and water are by nature pure, likewise the
+tathagatagarbha or dharmadhatu is by nature always free from the defilement of
+the mental poisons and thus utterly pure. Whereas this is the meaning of the
+essence, the cause that completely purifies the adventitious defilements
+consists of devotion towards the Mahayana Dharma, of highest discriminative or
+analytical wisdom realizing the non-existence of a self, of limitless samadhi
+endowed with bliss, and of great compassion focusing on sentient beings as its
+point of reference. The realization arising from these [purifying causes] is
+to be known as enlightenment.
+ -- Maitreya, in "Buddha Nature", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Meditation means learning to control our minds, thereby protecting our minds
+from domination by delusion and other afflictions. We may think, “Oh, I
+wish my mind were not dominated by ignorance and other afflictions.” But
+these afflictions are very powerful and very destructive; they operate despite
+our wishes. We have to work to develop effective countermeasures. We cannot
+buy such remedies from a store; even very sophisticated machines cannot
+produce them for us. They are obtained only through mental effort, training
+the mind in meditation.
+ -- H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, "From Here to Enlightenment", published
+ by Shambhala Publications
+~
+If we were asked to be free right now, to jump into the sea of love in this
+very moment, we might turn our attention inward and try it, and it may not
+work. Why? Because of a hindrance, a block. That block is the very sense of
+“I am” that is the false image of who we are. It is the shell that is
+veiling, covering our true nature. So the goal of all spiritual endeavors is
+to actually realize the enlightened part of who we are, not sometime in the
+future, but right now.
+ -- Anam Thubten, "The Magic of Awareness", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+You don’t need to be an "excellent meditator" to start with. All you
+need to do is have your heart and mind make the following agreement:
+"Let's rest. There’s no reason right now to wander around following
+thoughts or worrying. Let’s be relaxed and open." There’s not even any
+need to shut down your thoughts. Just be there with them, but not overly
+concerned or engaged. Let there be total openness, and just relax within
+that.
+ -- Dza Kilung Rinpoche, "The Relaxed Mind", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Awareness does not engage with objects of the ordinary mind. It is “self-
+cognizing primordial wisdom.” This can be illustrated by the “light” of
+the new moon: a profoundly indwelling luminosity, which does not radiate
+outward. Therefore, despite the fact that the five primordial wisdoms are
+spontaneously present in awareness, the latter is without thoughts related to
+sense objects. By contrast, even when it is still, the ordinary mind
+nevertheless “moves” and follows after different objects. It is like the
+light of the moon on the fifteenth of the month, which radiates outward and
+engulfs everything.
+ -- Longchen Yeshe Dorje, Kangyur Rinpoche, and Jigme Lingpa, in "Treasury of
+ Precious Qualities: Book Two", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ According to Buddhism, all existents abide in loving-kindness free from
+concepts in their absolute nature. But the understanding and realization of
+that true nature have been covered over by the webs of our own mental,
+emotional, and intellectual obscurations.
+ Now, in order to uncover the true nature and its qualities, we must dispel
+the cover—our unhealthy concepts, emotions, and actions. Through the power
+of devotion and contemplation, we must uncover and see the true innate
+enlightened qualities—loving-kindness that is free from concepts—shining
+forever.
+ -- Tulku Thondup, from "The Heart of Unconditional Love", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+The method for taking all situations as the path is to rest within the essence
+of the mind. Within our minds, there are three aspects: the way things
+appear, how they are confused, and the way they actually are. We do not take
+our difficulties as the path in relation to how things appear or are confused,
+but in relation to how they actually are. We rest naturally within their
+nature—the clear and empty nature of the mind that is sometimes called the
+union of clarity and emptiness or the union of wisdom and the expanse. We
+rest within this, recognizing it. When we take sickness as the path, we look
+at the essence of the sickness without altering it in any way and just rest
+naturally within that. When we take the afflictions as the path, we just look
+at the essence of the greed, aversion, or delusion that has occurred. We do
+not follow the affliction or block it. We do not try to stop our thoughts.
+Instead, we look at those thoughts and at the afflictions that occur, and we
+rest naturally within their inherently empty essence.
+ -- Khenchen Thrangu, from "Vivid Awareness", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+I suggest that dana—in all its wonderful, profound simplicity--is a
+necessary and significant part of what Dr. Buddha would prescribe for our
+times. It can be understood without hours of study. It liberates us from
+acquisitive and protectionist habits. It mitigates individualism and
+nourishes community. Its meaning spans the most basic levels of practice
+through to the ultimate. It challenges "me" and "mine," fostering letting go.
+A reinvigorated and updated understanding and practice of dana can serve as a
+powerful antidote to consumerism’s ills. I see this as essential for
+Buddhism to stay on course as we navigate this bizarre postmodern world
+seeking genuine peace and liberation.
+ -- Santikaro, from "Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the
+ Urge to Consume", edited by Stephanie Kaza, published by Shambhala
+ Publications and Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ The teachings are for living in this world—for having fewer problems and
+fewer tensions. Many people speak now about world peace. What does that
+mean? How can we have world peace if we don’t have peace in ourselves? We
+are each members of society—society meaning all of us together, not as
+individuals. Since many individuals make up society, it means that the
+individuals must have a kind of evolution. Although we have power and
+military might, and sometimes there are provisional changes, in the real sense
+it never changes.
+ Society is made up of individuals each having their point of view, their
+feelings, and their sensations. If we want to develop society so that there
+is more peace and happiness, each one of us must work with our condition. For
+example, our society is like numbers. When we count, we must always begin
+with the number “1.” If I think about society, I must start with myself as
+“number one.”
+ -- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, from "Dzogchen Teachings", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+ One of my favorite quotes from the Buddha is: "Let us rise up and be
+thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little,
+and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got
+sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
+ Gratitude is one of the fruits of living from genuine happiness; at the
+same time, it arises from an inherent seed in our being, a seed that requires
+cultivation. There's a quote from Meister Eckhart, the Christian mystic, that
+illustrates how important this quality is: "If the only prayer you said in
+your whole life was 'thank you,' that would suffice." If we truly understood
+the depth of this teaching it would be all we'd need to know. Unfortunately,
+we can't just tell ourselves to be grateful and expect it to happen, yet it's
+a quality that certainly can be nurtured.
+ -- Ezra Bayda, from "Beyond Happiness: The Zen Way to True Contentment",
+ published by Shambhala Publications
projects / feisty_meow.git / blobdiff