X-Git-Url: https://feistymeow.org/gitweb/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=infobase%2Ffortunes.dat;h=6b2d0c475bf82899312e7638bf4ab1fe4dc8deb8;hb=8145ec010e0e68f589d951d3e0c52872db92e80a;hp=973bc15cf0672a53cc1f341a2c337b4431da28ff;hpb=9898bee183c5a8230368b7c5a4d165e452534939;p=feisty_meow.git diff --git a/infobase/fortunes.dat b/infobase/fortunes.dat index 973bc15c..6b2d0c47 100644 --- a/infobase/fortunes.dat +++ b/infobase/fortunes.dat @@ -40500,4 +40500,134 @@ 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 +~ + Recognizing the instability of causes and conditions leads us to understand +our own power to transform obstacles and make the impossible possible. This +is true in every area of life. If you don’t have a Ferrari, you very well +may create the conditions to have one. As long as there is a Ferrari, there +is the opportunity for you to own one. Likewise if you want to live longer, +you can choose to stop smoking and exercise more. There is reasonable hope. +Hopelessness--just like its opposite, blind hope--is the result of a belief +in permanence. + You can transform not only your physical world but your emotional world, +for example, turning agitation into peace of mind by letting go of ambition or +turning low self-respect into confidence by acting out of kindness and +philanthropy. If we all condition ourselves to put our feet in other +people’s shoes, we will cultivate peace in our homes, with our neighbors, +and with other countries. + -- Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, "What Makes You Not a Buddhist", published by + Shambhala Publications +~ +On the path of seeing there is (1) mindfulness whereby one does not forget the +object, the truth; (2) the wisdom of perfect discernment with regard to the +object; (3) diligence, delight in virtue, being assiduous in undertaking what +is right and avoiding what is wrong in accordance with the path; (4) joy or +mental happiness regarding the latter; (5) flexibility, in which mind and body +function appropriately; (6) concentration; and (7) evenness, in which the mind +enters the natural state, free from the conditions of lack of clarity and +wildness. These seven are elements of the path of seeing, the essence of +enlightenment. They will make one accumulate or accomplish the positive +actions that help one attain nirvana. + -- Nagarjuna, "Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend" +~ + What is the relationship between bodhichitta and love? When you are in +love, your heart and mind are naturally open and awake to life. When you +cultivate bodhichitta by opening and awakening your heart and mind, love can +flow and grow. + Bodhichitta is like opening the curtains, and love is like the sun shining +through, bringing light and warmth into the room. Or we could say that +bodhichitta is like opening the window, and love is the cool breeze that +refreshes the stuffiness and stagnation of living inside a personal fortress. +Bodhichitta is like discovering an inexhaustible treasure, and love is its +enjoyment. Bodhichitta is our direct connection with basic goodness. + -- Moh Hardin, from "A Little Book of Love", published by Shambhala Pub. +~ + Use mindfulness to become aware of these negative thoughts as they arise. +For example, when the first thought of anger arises, notice it and don’t let +it multiply. Instead, remember what happened in the past when you were +overwhelmed by anger. Based on your direct experience, see the suffering and +problems anger caused you and recognize its defects. You can crush anger +using antidotes once you clearly see it as something destructive. + You can find a particular antidote to destroy each afflictive emotion. To +conquer desire, you can meditate on the unappealing aspects of the object; for +hatred, meditate on loving-kindness; for jealousy, joy; and so on. This is +how you discard negative mental factors. + -- Shechen Rabjam, from "The Great Medicine That Conquers Clinging to the + Notion of Reality", published by Shambhala Publications