-- Rose Taylor Goldfield, in "Training the Wisdom Body: Buddhist Yogic
Exercise", published by Shambhala Publications
~
- Once we recognize that other sentient beings—people, animals, and even
-insects—are just like us, that their basic motivation is to experience peace
+ Once we recognize that other sentient beings--people, animals, and even
+insects--are just like us, that their basic motivation is to experience peace
and to avoid suffering, then when someone acts in some way or says something
that is against our wishes, we're able to have some basis for understanding:
"Oh, well, this person (or whatever) is coming from this position because,
-- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche from "All the Rage: Buddhist Wisdom on Anger and
Acceptance", published by Shambhala Publications
~
-Who knows the true nature of things? The actual knower—the empty, cognizant
-aspect of mind—is the primordial Buddha, Samantabhadra, the personification
+Who knows the true nature of things? The actual knower--the empty, cognizant
+aspect of mind--is the primordial Buddha, Samantabhadra, the personification
of one's own rigpa. Rigpa, the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, is very,
very important. It is the clear light, luminous buddha-nature, that which
knows. Innate awareness-wisdom, rigpa, is functioning through us even now, if
own existence is regarded as neurosis. Instead of building yourself up, you
should continue with your pursuit of helping others. Instead of being
selfish, you should empty yourself. The basic definition of ego is holding on
-to one's existence—and paramita practices are techniques that allow you
+to one's existence--and paramita practices are techniques that allow you
not to grasp onto or propagate the notion of me-ness, or "I am." Experiencing
egolessness is a process of letting go. But you do not regard the ego as an
enemy or obstacle, you regard it as a brussels sprout that you cook and eat.
According to the Buddha, if we do not understand how conditioned phenomena
are marked by these three aspects, then we will not be able to understand the
first Noble Truth. We may do all we can in order to avoid facing the fact
-that everything is contingent and transient—we may try to hide ourselves
+that everything is contingent and transient--we may try to hide ourselves
from it, and we may even spin out all kinds of metaphysical theories of an
unchanging, permanent, substantial reality to avoid this all-pervasive nature
of ephemerality. Also, if we do not understand that conditioned phenomena are
overindulgence in sensory gratifications, which makes us lose our center and
become immersed in worldly concerns, so that our life is governed by greed,
craving, and attachment. All of these things disturb the mind.
- If we do not understand that everything is insubstantial—anatman—then
+ If we do not understand that everything is insubstantial--anatman--then
we may believe that there is some kind of enduring essence or substance in
things, or in the personality, and because of this belief we generate delusion
and confusion in the mind.
Everything becomes personal: our pain, our anger, our shortcomings. When we
take thoughts and emotions personally, they torture us. Looking at our
thoughts and emotions in this way is like rubbing our nose in something
-unpleasant—what purpose does it serve other than to create more pain? This
+unpleasant--what purpose does it serve other than to create more pain? This
is not the kind of looking we are speaking of here.
With the view of selflessness, we can enjoy whatever arises in our
awareness. We can accept that everything that arises is a result of our past
Inspired by the example of the earth, this prayer encourages us to aspire to
be an unconditional source of all well-being and life for others. This is a
supreme aspiration. We do not just have a great deal to learn about the
-environment—we also have a lot to learn from it.
+environment--we also have a lot to learn from it.
-- H.H. the Seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, "The Heart Is Noble",
published by Shambhala Publications
~
that we understand that the longing for happiness is the same for all beings.
We can rejoice in their temporal happiness, which has come from their
accumulation of merit. When we recognize the quality of happiness in
-others—when we see someone genuinely smile or laugh or see a glimmer of
-brightness in their eyes—we can rejoice. When they obtain something they
+others--when we see someone genuinely smile or laugh or see a glimmer of
+brightness in their eyes--we can rejoice. When they obtain something they
want or need, whatever it may be, we have an opportunity to practice
rejoicing. Beings long for all kinds of things, some of which we might not
-want ourselves—but that doesn't matter. The important thing is that, if
+want ourselves--but that doesn't matter. The important thing is that, if
only for a single moment, it has brought them some happiness.
-- Dzigar Kongtrul, from "Light Comes Through", published by Shambhala
Publications
by Shambhala Publications
~
The ultimate mode of being, the ground wherein both we and Guru Rinpoche are
-primordially inseparable—namely, the selfarisen primordial wisdom, which is
-subject to no movement of discursive thought—is referred to as Guru.
+primordially inseparable--namely, the selfarisen primordial wisdom, which is
+subject to no movement of discursive thought--is referred to as Guru.
Because deluded perceptions are themselves primordially pure, the path is free
from all striving and the fruit is present spontaneously like a lotus in full
flower. Therefore [the path itself] is referred to as Padma, or lotus. For
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
+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
+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
+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
+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
~
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
+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
+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.
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
+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
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
+~
+In the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) teachings, the issue is always whether or
+not we recognize our true nature and understand that the reflections of that
+nature manifest as experience. The dream is a reflection of our own mind.
+This is easy to believe after we wake up, just as the Buddhas know--after
+they are enlightened--that the entities and objects of samsara are illusory.
+And just as it takes practice to recognize the illusory nature of dream while
+asleep, we must practice to realize the illusory nature of waking life.
+
+ -- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, "The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep",
+published by Shambhala Publications
+
+~
+ The jewel in the lotus is a wonderful metaphor for the essential nature of
+mind. It integrates two very different approaches, recognizing that there is
+a worthy role for striving, for engaging in methods, for growth and
+development; and at the same time recognizing that all these methods are
+fundamentally designed simply to bring to light what is already there, in all
+of its perfection, in all of its completeness. This is the pure fountain of
+loving-kindness and wisdom we are trying to cultivate.
+ The mantra OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ is associated with Avalokiteśvara,
+the embodiment of enlightened compassion, and the mantra is the verbal
+articulation of that same quality of compassion. Among the many
+interpretations of the mantra, here is one I find especially meaningful. Oṃ
+signifies the manifest body, speech, and mind. Maṇi in Sanskrit means
+"jewel." Padme, pronounced pémé in Tibetan, means "in the lotus."
+Hūṃ, pronounced by the Tibetans as hoong, is a syllable suggestive of the
+deepest, essential, transcendent nature of consciousness. So the mantra
+starts out from the manifest state of the body, speech, and mind, then through
+the metaphor of the jewel in the lotus, goes to the depths of consciousness.
+ -- B. Alan Wallace, "The Four Immeasurables: Practices to Open the Heart",
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+ In general, people tend to minimize the importance of the ordinary sangha:
+Buddha is a big deal, Dharma is a big deal, and Sangha is something to put up
+with. Yet it's within the ordinary sangha, monastic or lay, that the
+roughest edges of our arrogance and pride can be smoothed down a little.
+Americans--with their car obsessions--have a good expression for this:
+"Where the rubber meets the road." Let's say there's a shiny new car
+on the floor. It appears to be perfect. But we still need to take it for a
+test–drive. The car that never leaves the shop is like a practitioner
+reciting nice words about compassion and selflessness, but removed from the
+opportunity to test–drive their intentions and aspirations. How do the
+bodhisattva ideals hold up when we actually interact with others?
+ Problems within the sangha inevitably arise because we're talking about
+unenlightened people trying to get along with each other. Jealousy,
+competition, and anger inevitably erupt. Although individual practitioners
+have unenlightened minds and commit unenlightened activities and get ensnared
+in ignorant understanding, the ordinary sangha still offers the best
+opportunity to apply dharma.
+ -- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, "Turning Confusion into Clarity", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+ Silly beings, uninterested in this meaning,
+ Are always carried away by the river of samsara and finished.
+
+There are some who do not have much faith in the dharmachakra of No Mental
+Activity, the essence-meaning of mahamudra. Here, Mahasiddha Tilopa does not
+mean all sentient beings in general but rather some who cling to tenet
+systems--those with attachment to their own system. There are quite a few
+such intellectual logicians. Such intransigent stubborn "silly ones" who
+lack the eye of wisdom
+ -- Sangyes Nyenpa, "Tilopa's Mahamudra Upadesha", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+ Ordinary beings--even those who are kind and compassionate--are
+primarily motivated by self-interest and work mainly for their own benefit.
+All of their activities and thoughts are tinged by self-serving motivations
+and attitudes. Even when they perform acts of kindness, they generally do so
+expecting praise or personal satisfaction and not because of pure altruism.
+ Bodhisattvas, however, are motivated by universal compassion, and they
+seek the ultimate goal of buddhahood in order to be of service to others.
+They embark on this path with the generation of the mind of awakening. Unlike
+ordinary beings, who think of their own advantage, bodhisattvas consider how
+best to benefit others.
+ -- John Powers, A Concise Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+ "I'm fine. My life's together. I know what I'm doing. I've
+got to look like a good Dharma practitioner. People shouldn't see me cry.
+They shouldn't know how distracted I am during meditation. I can't let on
+how incredibly confused I am." We think we're the only one who is confused
+and not wanting to lose face, we hide our turmoil and pretend to be calmly in
+charge of the show. But we're in cyclic existence, so how much control do
+we really have? How peaceful can we be when we have a samsaric body and mind?
+ When our "garbage mind"--as Lama Yeshe used to call it--spills out,
+we may be alarmed and think that we're not doing the practice correctly. In
+fact, we are. Only by exposing the garbage mind can we identify it and free
+ourselves from it.
+ -- Thubten Chodron, "Cultivating a Compassionate Heart", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+ Completely understanding his dire circumstances, the man had a strong
+feeling that the only way to be saved from deportation was to extend loving-
+kindness to Calcutta’s police inspector general. He placed a photograph of
+the police inspector general on his desk. He then completely focused his
+attention on it, extending his feeling of loving-kindness toward the man. In
+fact, he sat up the entire night looking at the photograph and practicing his
+loving-kindness meditation.
+ When the police inspector general arrived in the morning, he approached
+the man and looked directly into his eyes. He then said, "I will not send
+you to Sri Lanka, Sir, but I will instead look after you here as if you were
+my own father."
+ -- Bhante Walpola Piyananda, "The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A.", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+The scriptures say that thinking is not thinking, so do not even think about
+not having thoughts. There is no thinking about nonconceptualization, or
+about anything else. The scriptures also say that one should not think
+"stop thinking!" Do not think in order to clarify the meaning of
+nonconceptuality. This becomes more and more subtle, more and more peaceful,
+more and more clear, more and more equal. Once the basis has been
+transformed, rest in equanimity in the space of reality.
+ -- Sam van Schaik, "Tibetan Zen: Discovering a Lost Tradition", published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+ According the First Noble Truth, the first step in discovering truth and
+relieving our own and anyone else’s suffering is to acknowledge the pain and
+suffering that are present in our lives. Sometimes people assume that
+Buddhism is a pessimistic sort of tradition because of this teaching. In
+fact, however, recognizing that pain is simply part of being alive can be a
+relief. It is not a sign that we have done something wrong, stupid, or
+shameful. Yet I often catch myself and hear others making just that
+assumption--that pain and suffering are signs of some personal defect.
+ If I tell one friend that I have a cold, for instance, she is likely to
+say, "Well, how did that happen? Were you out without your hat in the cold?"
+Even more distressing is the view we all have heard at one time or another,
+which blames sufferers of serious diseases for having them: "Oh, yes, cancer
+is a sign of unexpressed grief." Of course, as modern medical research is
+increasingly showing us, the mind and the body are deeply interconnected, and
+our attitudes, emotions, and behaviors do affect our health. Yet, even if we
+were able to do "everything right," if we live long enough, we will not escape
+old age, sickness, and death.
+ -- Karen Kissel Wegela, "The Courage to be Present", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+In brief, whatever is dawning, be right there with an uncontrived mind. Do
+not involve yourself with stopping, or starting, or with any modification
+whatsoever. Whatever arises, stay uncontrivedly right with that arising.
+Don’t reel your mind in, don’t cast around for an object of meditation out
+there. Be right there with the meditator, your very own mind. Unfound when
+sought, your own mind is primordially empty mindnature. Seeking also is
+unnecessary; the seeker--yourself--is that [which one is seeking].
+Unwaveringly remain right with that very seeker.
+ -- Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche, "Strand of Jewels", published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Thus, all compounded and uncompounded phenomena--the ten directions, the
+three times, the three worlds, and so forth--are none other than one’s own
+mind, as is stated in the Great Sovereign of Practices, the Victory over the
+Three Worlds: "If one realizes, in accordance with one’s own unmistaken
+mind or the power of the mind, that discerning consciousness is the very
+nature of the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the like, one is enlightened. If one
+fails to understand this, everything appears as the vessel and contents that
+constitute samsara. The three worlds are simply this; the great elements
+are simply this."
+ -- Padmasambhava, "A Garland of Views: A Guide to View, Meditation, and
+ Result in the Nine Vehicles", from Padmasambhava’s classic text with a
+ commentary by Jamgön Mipham, published by Shambhala Publications
projects / feisty_meow.git / blobdiff