-- Chögyam Trungpa, from "The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma.
Volume Two: The Bodhisattva Path of Wisdom and Compassion", published by
Shambhala Publications
+~
+ The appearances of this life--all the various appearances of forms, sounds,
+smells, tastes, and bodily sensations we perceive--seem to truly exist. But
+life's appearances do not say to us, "I am real." They only seem to be real
+from our confused thoughts' perspective when we think, "Those things really
+exist out there." That is like what we do in a dream when we do not know we
+are dreaming.
+ Similarly, we mistakenly believe that aging, sickness, and death are truly
+existent... but this is just confused consciousness at work. The buddhas'
+perfect wisdom does not view this life, or the aging, sickness, and death that
+occur within it, as truly existent. The noble buddhas and bodhisattvas with
+wisdom that sees genuine reality do not see these events as real. Training in
+the view of the Mind-Only school that all phenomena are mind, and in the
+Middle Way view that all phenomena are emptiness, helps us transform our
+confused consciousness into perfect wisdom.
+ -- Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso, in "Stars of Wisdom", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+ Egolessness is not the same as self-extinction. We do not cease to exist,
+but we come to know more about ourselves. Realizing that there is no
+unchanging self can in fact be an enriching experience. The path consists of
+working with ourselves so that gradually, by overcoming the various
+inhibitions, confusions, and delusions of the mind, we start to develop more
+insight into our own nature.
+ When we look at ourselves in the present moment, we see all kinds of
+confusions and defilements in our mind. Yet the possibility of overcoming all
+that and becoming enlightened is a reality. Our own lives become enriched
+from having undertaken this journey. So it’s important not to mistranslate
+this concept of selflessness or nonexistence of ego. To say that we do not
+exist at all is the nihilistic view, which the Buddha rejected completely.
+ -- Traleg Kyabgon, from "The Essence of Buddhism: An Introduction to Its
+ Philosophy and Practice", published by Shambhala Publications
+##Karma is basically habit. It’s the momentum of repeated actions that
+become habitual. It’s in our best interest to develop as many positive
+habits as we can. In the Mahanama Sutta, the Buddha said, “Just as oil
+rises to the top of a pot submerged in water, your virtue, your goodness, your
+faith, or generosity will rise to the top, and that is what will carry you to
+your next destination.”
+~
+ Karma is basically habit. It’s the momentum of repeated actions that
+become habitual. It’s in our best interest to develop as many positive
+habits as we can. In the Mahanama Sutta, the Buddha said, “Just as oil
+rises to the top of a pot submerged in water, your virtue, your goodness, your
+faith, or generosity will rise to the top, and that is what will carry you to
+your next destination.”
+ Try to get to the point where your emotional default is into bodhichitta.
+In other words, what is your automatic reflex to life situations, especially
+difficult ones? Do you think about yourself, and how you might profit or
+escape from a situation? Or do you think about others, and how you can help?
+Progress on the path, and a sign that you’re well prepared for death, is
+when the former changes into the latter, when you default not into selfishness
+but into selflessness. If you’re uncertain about what to do in a situation,
+just open your heart and love. This is training in bodhichitta.
+ -- Andrew Holecek, from "Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual
+ Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+When you explain or hear the teachings, if your mind and the teachings remain
+separate, then whatever is explained will be inconsequential. Hence, listen
+in such a way that you determine how these teachings apply to your mind. For
+example, when you want to find out whether or not there is some smudge, dirt,
+or whatever, on your face, you look in a mirror and then remove whatever is
+there. Similarly, when you listen to the teachings, your faults such as
+misconduct and attachment appear in the mirror of the teachings. At that
+time, you regret that your mind has become like this, and you then work to
+clear away those faults and establish good qualities.
+ -- Tsong-kha-pa, from "The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to
+ Enlightenment, Volume 1", published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+We work hard to bring happiness and peace into our lives, but there is no way
+to achieve real peace through material goods alone. Perhaps we can accomplish
+a little artificial joy and happiness, but these don’t last long. Truly
+substantial and lasting happiness and peace can be established only by
+exercising our inner mind with the precious Dharma teachings. This is the
+purpose of our meditation practice, and this is what Jigten Sumgön taught.
+Mental afflictions and neuroses can be pacified only through the Dharma.
+Dharma is the ultimate remedy for confusion.
+ -- Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen, "Opening the Treasure of the Profound",
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ The purpose of practice is to habituate ourselves to openness. This means
+we need to understand reactive mind. How do we experience the difference
+between reacting and staying open?
+ At what point do we decide to go with the habitual tendencies of
+exaggeration and denial or try something new? Where is the fork in the road?
+We need to explore these two experiences: reacting... staying open...
+reacting... staying open... reacting... staying open again. We begin to see
+the difference. It’s a process of refinement. Our investigation cultivates
+a discerning intelligence that guides us in a positive direction.
+ We need to ask ourselves: "If our confusion finds its genesis in our
+habit of turning away from the open state, what would happen if we habituated
+ourselves to staying open?"
+ -- Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, "The Power of an Open Question: The Buddha’s
+ Path to Freedom", published by Shambhala Publications
+
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