X-Git-Url: https://feistymeow.org/gitweb/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=database%2Ffortunes.dat;h=f23033ee89bd7fe4622b981ca47218ecd964dd12;hb=1375ebcade52eb6fe48bf77ade5a5f4c95ff755e;hp=71bd822798b71ea4d9af3332b387927375d064d4;hpb=2b5ff450c36844ca7775ac3472726b0b49c959c4;p=feisty_meow.git diff --git a/database/fortunes.dat b/database/fortunes.dat index 71bd8227..f23033ee 100644 --- a/database/fortunes.dat +++ b/database/fortunes.dat @@ -6608,40 +6608,6 @@ JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH&HJKL|JKH ;;;;;;;;;;,:,,,,,,:;iIIIIIIti+;;;+IWWWXWWWWWYIi+tIYtii+=;::;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;,,:::,,,::::=itiiiIII+itIWWWMWWWWWXI+tiii+=;:::;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;:,,:,,:;;;;;:IYIIItiIItMWWWWWWWWWXI;=;;:::;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; -~ - Why E-Mail Is Like a Penis? - * In the long-distant past, its only purpose was to transmit information - considered vital to the survival of the species. Some people still - think that's the only thing it should be used for, but most folks today - use it for fun most of the time. - * It has no conscience and no memory. Left to its own devices, it will - just do the same damn dumb things it did before. - * It provides a way to interact with other people. Some people take this - interaction very seriously, others treat it as a lark. Sometimes it's - hard to tell what kind of person you're dealing with until it's too - late. - * If you don't apply the appropriate protective measures, it can spread - viruses. - * It has no brain of its own. Instead, it uses yours. If you use it too - much, you'll find it becomes more and more difficult to think - coherently. - * We attach an importance to it that is far greater than its actual size - and influence warrant. - * If you're not careful what you do with it, it can get you in big - trouble. - * It has its own agenda. Somehow, no matter how good your intentions, it - will warp your behavior. Later you may ask yourself "why on earth did - I do that?" - * Some folks have it, some don't. - Those who have it would be devastated if it were ever cut off. They - think that those who don't have it are somehow inferior. They think it - gives them power. They are wrong. - Those who don't have it may agree that it's a nifty toy, but think it's - not worth the fuss that those who do have it make about it. Still, many - of those who don't have it would like to try it. - * Once you've started playing with it, it's hard to stop. Some people - would just play with it all day if they didn't have work to do. - Thank you, please come again. ~ _ _|_|_ @@ -28804,7 +28770,7 @@ People are like birds: on the wing, all beautiful; up close, all beady little eyes. -- Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966 ~ -Evolution is individual -devolution is collective. +Evolution is individual--devolution is collective. -- Martin H. Fischer ~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self- @@ -37467,3 +37433,250 @@ That bliss is not the result of doing something to our consciousness, rather it is the pure state of our consciousness.(p.74) -- Anam Thubten, "The Magic of Awareness", edited by Sharon Roe, published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + The all-base consciousness* works like a savings bank. Continuously money +is paid into the bank and continuously it is taken out again. In the same way +karmic imprints are absorbed by the all-base, are stored there, and can +therefore be brought forth again. + Learning, for example, occurs through the mind consciousness. The mind +consciousness itself vanishes. Nevertheless, on the next day we have a memory +of what we learned. At this time of remembrance, the mind consciousness of +what we learned is no longer actually present, since it has ceased to exist. +Yet, still we did not forget what we learned previously. What we learned was +seized by the all-base in the form of karmic imprints, and stored. Due to the +'all-base of complete ripening' these imprints can be re-awakened, so that the +mind consciousness perceives them afresh. This is why we learn things. It is +similar with strong mental afflictions. + ...The example of the savings bank is particularly effective, especially in +the context of karmic actions. Whoever puts money into the bank can get it +out again later, often including interest!(p.37) + +* The all-base consciousness is the general basis for the whole mind, all +aspects of the mind. + + -- Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, "Everyday Consciousness and Primordial + Awareness", translated and edited by Susanne Schefczyk, published by + Snow Lion Publications +~ + Q: How can Dzogchen help us in our daily jobs and careers? + + HHDL: In the first place, it is quite difficult to have an experience of +Dzogchen. But once you do have that experience, it can be extremely +beneficial in dealing with your day to day life, your job, and your career. +This is because that kind of experience will give you the ability to prevent +yourself from being overwhelmed by circumstances, good or bad. You will not +fall into extreme states of mind: you will not get over-excited or depressed. +Your attitude toward circumstances and events will be as if you were someone +observing the mind, without being drawn away by circumstances. + For example, when you see a reflection of a form in a mirror, the reflection +appears within the mirror but it is not projected from within. In the same +way, when you confront the situations of life, or deal with others, your +attitude too will be mirror-like. + Also, when a reflection appears in the mirror, the mirror does not have to +go after the object that is reflected: it simply reflects, spontaneously, on +the surface. The same with you: since there is no attachment or agitation at +having these 'reflections' in your mind, you will feel tremendous ease and +relief. You are not preoccupied by what arises in the mind, nor does it cause +you any distress. You are free from conceptuality or any form of +objectifying. And so it really does help you, in allowing you to be free from +being caught up in the play of emotions like hatred, attachment, and the like. +(p.162) + -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great + Perfection", translated by Thupten Jinpa and Richard Barron, foreword by + Sogyal Rinpoche, edited by Patrick Gaffney, published by Snow Lion Pub. +~ + The quality of one's rebirth in the next life is determined by the quality +of one's mental activity in this life. Generally speaking, we have no power +to choose how we are born; it is dependent on karmic forces. However, the +period near the time of death is very influential in terms of activating one +from among the many karmas that a person has already accumulated, and, +therefore, if one makes particular effort at generating a virtuous attitude at +that time, there is an opportunity to strengthen and activate a virtuous +karma. Moreover, when one has developed high realization and has gained +control over how one will be reborn, it is possible to take what is called +"reincarnation" rather than mere rebirth.(p.42) + -- H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, "The Dalai Lama at Harvard: + Lectures on the Buddhist Path to Peace", translated and edited by Jeffrey + Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + Without an acute awareness of our personal suffering and a deep, heartfelt +determination to be completely rid of both this suffering and its causes, +there is no way to begin the spiritual quest authentically. For just as +Prince Siddhartha's sudden and unexpected visions of old age, sickness and +death shocked him out of mistaking the world to be a pleasure palace, so too +must all spiritual seekers confront the unsatisfactory nature of their lives +so directly that they become thoroughly disenchanted with the ordinary human +condition. + If we do not take a long, hard look at the uncomfortable truths of our +impermanent existence, we can easily waste the time between now and our +inevitable death in essentially worthless pursuits, never taking advantage of +this precious opportunity to do something truly meaningful with our life. +Like the foolish prisoner who becomes so accustomed to the confines of his +cell that he turns a blind eye to all chances of escape, we shall be +condemning ourselves to spiritual stagnation and the endlessly recurring +miseries of cyclic existence. + Yet it is not enough merely to become discontent with our present condition; +everyone experiences discontent at one time or another but very few do +anything of real significance about it. In fact, the usual ways of dealing +with problems and disappointment--blaming them on someone else or drowning +them in forgetfulness--only bind us tighter to the wheel of suffering. What +we must do is recognize that the true causes of all our misery lie rooted in +our own ignorant misconceptions and that these can only be eradicated through +the development of a clear, penetrating insight into the nature of reality. +Only through the continued cultivation of such penetrating wisdom will it +eventually be possible to attain liberation from all states of existence +conditioned by ignorance and be free of suffering.(p.45) + -- "Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice", by Jonathan Landaw + and Andy Weber, published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + We must distinguish between pride and self-confidence. Self-confidence is +necessary. It is what enables us, in certain situations, not to lose courage +and to think with some justification, 'I am capable of succeeding.' Self- +confidence is quite different from excessive self-assurance based on a false +appreciation of our capacities or circumstances. + If you feel able to accomplish a task that other people cannot manage, then +you cannot be called proud as long as your assessment is well founded. It is +as if someone tall came across a group of short people who wanted to get +something too high for them to reach, and said to them, 'Don't exert +yourselves, I can do it.' This would simply mean that he was more qualified +than the others to carry out a particular task, but not that he is superior to +them or that he wants to crush them.(p.259) + -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "365 Dalai Lama: Daily Advice from the + Heart", edited by Matthieu Ricard, translated by Christian Bruyat, + published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + What is progress? How do we recognize it? The teachings are like a mirror +before which we should hold our activities of body, speech, and mind. Think +back to a year ago and compare the stream of activities of your body, speech, +and mind at that time with their present condition. If we practice well, then +the traces of some improvement should be reflected in the mirror of Dharma. + The problem with having expectations is that we usually do not expect the +right things. Not knowing what spiritual progress is, we search for signs of +it in the wrong areas of our being. What can we hope for but frustration? It +would be far better to examine any practice with full reasoning before +adopting it, and then to practice it steadily and consistently while observing +the inner changes one undergoes, rather than expecting this or that fantasy to +become real. + The mind is an evolving organism, not a machine that goes on and off with +the flip of a switch. The forces that bind and limit the mind, hurling it +into unsatisfactory states of being, are impermanent and transient agents. +When we persistently apply the practices to them, they have no option but to +fade away and disappear. + Ignorance and the "I"-grasping syndrome have been with us since +beginningless time, and the instincts of attachments, aversion, anger, +jealousy and so forth are very deeply rooted in our mindstreams. Eliminating +them is not as simple as turning on a light to chase away the darkness of a +room. When we practice steadily, the forces of darkness are undermined, and +the spiritual qualities that counteract them and illuminate the mind are +strengthened and made firm. Therefore, we should strive by means of both +contemplative and settled meditation to gain stability in the various Lam Rim +topics.(p.176) + -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Path to Enlightenment", edited and translated + by Glenn H. Mullin, published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + We are beings of the Desire Realm, and thus our minds are also included +within Desire Realm minds. If we cultivate great compassion, our own minds +are the basis for great compassion. By contemplating countless sentient +beings and meditating to develop great compassion, one eventually achieves +great compassion. At that point, the mental basis--one's own mind--has become +of the entity of great compassion. There is no distinguishing the two at that +time. Meditating on great compassion does not mean taking compassion as an +object and looking at it; it means taking sentient beings as one's object and +developing compassion for them such that the mind comes to be of the nature of +great compassion. + The texts frequently speak of different mental bases: the basis for calm +abiding, the basis for meditative absorption, the basis for achieving a path. +The way of understanding all of these is the same. You may wonder whether, +when one cultivates a certain path, the mind becomes of the entity of that +path. It is important to understand this question because that is, in fact, +what occurs when one cultivates calm abiding. The mental basis becomes of the +nature of calm abiding. + -- Geshe Gedun Lodro, "Calm Abiding and Special Insight: Achieving Spiritual + Transformation Through Meditation", translated and edited by Jeffrey + Hopkins, published by Snow Lion Publications +~ + Nature's law dictates that, in order to survive, bees must work together. +As a result, they instinctively possess a sense of social responsibility. +They have no constitution, no law, no police, no religion or moral training, +but because of their nature, they labor faithfully together. Occasionally, +they may fight, but in general, based on cooperation, the whole colony +survives. + We human beings have a constitution, laws and a police force. We have +religion, remarkable intelligence and a heart with a great capacity for love. +We have many extraordinary qualities, but in actual practice, I think we are +lagging behind those small insects. In some respects I feel we are poorer +than the bees. + -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "The Pocket Dalai Lama", compiled and edited by + Mary Craig +~ + Nagarjuna offers us encouragement in terms of someone of modest potential +accomplishing the practice, in verse 116: + + And even those who realized the truth + Did not fall from the heavens, nor emerge + Like crops of corn from earth's dark depths, but once + Were ruled by kleshas and were ordinary men. + + Not one of all the sublime beings who have appeared--individuals who had +direct realization of the Dharma of the four truths--was already a sublime +being right from the beginning: they did not fall from the sky, nor did they +emerge from the darkness of the earth like a crop. In the past they were +subject to afflictive emotions ['kleshas']--they were ordinary people +dominated by the afflictive emotions. They are therefore worth following as +an example for accomplishing the path.(p.150) + -- Nagarjuna, "Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend: with Commentary by Kangyur + Rinpoche", with commentary by Longchen Yeshe Dorje, Kyabje Kangyur + Rinpoche, translated by The Padmakara Translation Group, published by + Snow Lion Publications +~ +Our sense of self + + As long as we cling to some notion of objective existence--the idea that +something actually exists in a concrete, identifiable way--emotions such as +desire and aversion will follow. When we see something we like--a beautiful +watch, for example--we perceive it as having some real quality of existence +among its parts. We see the watch not as a collection of parts, but as an +existing entity with a specific quality of watch-ness to it. And if it's a +fine mechanical timepiece, our perception is enhanced by qualities that are +seen to exist definitely as part of the nature of the watch. It is as a +result of this misperception of the watch that our desire to possess it +arises. + In a similar manner, our aversion to someone we dislike arises as a result +of attributing inherent negative qualities to the person. When we relate this +process to how we experience our own sense of existence--how the thought "I" +or "I am" arises--we notice that it invariably does so in relation to some +aspect of our physical or mental aggregates. + Our notion of ourselves is based upon a sense of our physical and emotional +selves. What's more, we feel that these physical and mental aspects of +ourselves exist inherently. My body is not something of which I doubt the +specificity. There is a body-ness as well as a me-ness about it that very +evidently exists. It seems to be a natural basis for my identifying my body +as "me." Our emotions such as fear are similarly experienced as having a valid +existence and as being natural bases for our identifying ourselves as "me." +Both our loves and our hates serve to deepen the self sense. Even the mere +feeling "I'm cold" contributes to our sense of being a solid and legitimate +"I."(p.61) + -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "A Profound Mind: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday + Life", edited by Nicholas Vreeland, afterword by Richard Gere +~ + In the Mahayana, there exist the vows of the Bodhisattva... but in Dzogchen, +there exist no such rules or vows. + When the Indian Buddhist master Atisa came to Tibet in the eleventh century, +he met the famous Tibetan translator Rinchen Zangpo. Atisa asked him how he +practiced the Tantras which he had translated, and he replied that he +practiced them meticulously one after the other. But Atisa told him that this +was not the correct way. He pointed out to the translator that all of the +Tantras could be condensed and integrated into a single Upadesa and one need +only practise that in order to maintain all of the transmissions which he had +received. + The same is true with Dzogchen. If we really understand this single +teaching here which comes directly from Guru Padmasambhava, we can attain +liberation. But we must grasp this vital core of the teaching. No matter +what we are doing, which ever among the four modes of behavior--walking, +sitting, lying down, or eating, we must always hold to awareness, never +forgetting, never losing this awareness. This is the real meaning of Rigdzin, +one who is totally aware. In Dzogchen, there is only one rule--always be +aware in whatever we do, never be distracted!(p.68) + -- "Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness", translation and + commentary by John Myrdhin Reynolds, foreword by Namkhai Norbu, + published by Snow Lion Publications