+~
+Three modes of generating an altruistic intention to become enlightened are
+described--like a king, like a boatman, and like a shepherd. In the first,
+that like a king, one first seeks to attain a high state after which help can
+be given to others. In the second, like a boatman, one seeks to cross the
+river of suffering together with others. In the third, like a shepherd, one
+seeks to relieve the flock of suffering beings from pain first, oneself
+following afterward. These are indications of the style of the altruistic
+motivation for becoming enlightened; in actual fact, there is no way that a
+Bodhisattva either would want to or could delay achieving full enlightenment.
+As much as the motivation to help others increases, so much closer does one
+approach Buddhahood.
+ -- from "Our Human Potential: The Unassailable Path of Love, Compassion, and
+ Meditation", by H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+An Aspiration Prayer
+
+May prosperity and glory proliferate, benefitting the Land of Snow.
+May the lamp of the Buddhist teachings blaze in dark lands in the ten
+ directions.
+May auspiciousness and the ten virtues pervade the three worlds.
+May coincidence click into place, completely victorious in all directions.
+ -- from "Inseparable across Lifetimes: The Lives and Love Letters of the
+ Tibetan Visionaries Namtrul Rinpoche and Khandro Tare Lhamo", translated
+ by Holly Gayley, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Becoming a Qualified Student
+
+How do we become a qualified disciple? One quality to develop is open-
+mindedness. In other words, we let go of our own hard and fast agenda, of our
+likes and dislikes, and of our erroneous opinions about the nature of reality
+or the stages of the path. If we attend a teaching yet still hold strongly to
+our preconceptions about the path, we will evaluate teachers by whether or not
+they agree with our ideas. Is that a valid criterion for selecting a teacher?
+Such an attitude blocks us from learning because we're holding on to what we
+believe and only accepting what validates our own opinions. In that case, we
+aren't receptive to the Enlightened One's teachings. To learn, we must
+set aside our own prejudices, be open-minded, and listen with a fresh mind.
+ -- from "How to Free Your Mind: The Practice of Tara the Liberator", By
+ Thubten Chodron, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Compassion is the Best Medicine
+
+Much of our suffering comes from being too immersed in our own self-interests.
+We are constantly thinking about ourselves, trying to protect and defend
+ourselves. We are very interested in our own well-being, our own security.
+We fear, sometimes unconsciously, that somebody or something in the outer
+world, the world of "others," may harm us. This makes us feel lonely and
+alienated from everybody else. Compassion is the best medicine to cure this
+illness, the illness of loneliness, isolation, and alienation.
+ -- from "Choosing Compassion: How to Be of Benefit in a World That Needs Our
+ Love", by Anam Thubten, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Delusions and Emotions
+
+What becomes very clear through Buddhist teachings is that the suffering and
+problems we have in life are not caused by external circumstances but by the
+mind that reacts to them. The mind dominated by delusions or emotional
+afflictions is considered in Buddhism to be the cause of most of the suffering
+and problems that arise in our life and more generally in the world at large.
+We can certainly see the truth in this view when we look at the way fear,
+hatred, and greed seem to be at the root of many if not most of the problems
+that exist in the world, from wars to the banking crisis. From this viewpoint
+we can also see that if we had a greater awareness of the emotions that drive
+us, both individually and collectively, our world would be very different.
+ -- from "Feeling Wisdom: Working with Emotions Using Buddhist Teachings and
+ Western Psychology", by Rob Preece, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Developing Equanimity
+
+We are attached to friends and relatives because of the temporary benefit they
+have brought us in this life. We hate our enemies because of some harm they
+have inflicted on us. People are not our friends from birth, but become so
+due to circumstances. Neither were our enemies born hostile. Such
+relationships are not at all reliable. In the course of our lives, our best
+friend today can turn out to be our worst enemy tomorrow. And a much-hated
+enemy can change into our most trusted friend. Moreover, if we talk about our
+many lives in the past, the unreliability of this relationship is all the more
+apparent. For these reasons, our animosity toward enemies and attachment
+toward friends merely exhibits a narrow-minded attitude that can only see some
+temporary and fleeting advantage. On the contrary, when we view things from a
+broader perspective with more farsightedness, equanimity will dawn in our
+minds, enabling us to see the futility of hostility and clinging desire.
+ -- from "Stages of Meditation: The Buddhist Classic on Training the Mind", By
+ H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Discontentment
+
+Buddhism frequently speaks of overcoming dissatisfaction and discontentment,
+as if these experiences are always undesirable. In certain respects, however,
+discontentment is necessary. No matter what we have achieved in the past
+about which we may justifiably feel proud, we should not be satisfied with
+that but should look to develop and improve ourselves further. This is an
+ongoing process. We should have the enthusiasm to want to go further and
+further in relating to others and developing ourselves on a spiritual and
+psychological level. Our normal experiences of dissatisfaction,
+incompleteness, deprivation, privation, or sense of lack can and must be
+sublimated into spiritual ones. We should never be satisfied with our
+spiritual progress, thinking, "This will do," or "That is enough." We should
+always have hunger for deeper, higher, richer experiences on the path.
+ -- from "The Essence of Buddhism: An Introduction to Its Philosophy and
+ Practice", by Traleg Kyabgon, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Distraction
+
+People let their time pass in distractions, and the wisdom of investigating
+the nature of phenomena is exceedingly rare. Even if there is some modest
+inclination toward spirituality, due to habituation with distraction, it does
+not tend to be sustained, nor go very deep. It is difficult to remedy that
+habituation.
+ -- from "Perfecting Wisdom: How Things Appear and How They Truly Are", by
+ H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Don't Create Problems for Yourself
+
+There is a story about a monk who had an extremely ugly body but a beautiful
+voice. People loved to hear him chant but recoiled when they saw him.
+Someone who had clairvoyant powers saw that in a previous lifetime, while
+constructing a stupa--a monument representing the Buddha's mind--he
+continually complained and showed an ugly face. When the stupa was completed,
+he had a change of heart and offered a bell with a charming and elegant sound
+to the stupa. His ugly body was a result of his anger while making the stupa,
+and his beautiful voice was the result of having later offered the lovely-
+sounding bell to the stupa.
+ -- from "Good Karma: How to Create the Causes of Happiness and Avoid the
+ Causes of Suffering", by Thubten Chodron, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Eight Special Thoughts of a Holy Individual
+
+The eight special thoughts of a holy individual: (1) Alas! If possible, may I
+be able to make sentient beings be without the suffering of birth, and
+likewise (2) without the suffering of aging, (3) the suffering of sickness,
+and (4) the suffering of death. (5) I will deliver beings who are not
+delivered and (6) free those who are not free. (7) I will free them from
+powerful suffering, and (8) I will lead to nirvana those who have not yet
+reached nirvana. One should continuously be mindful, moment by moment,
+thinking these thoughts.
+ -- from "Atisa Dipamkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind", by James B.
+ Apple, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Everyday Dharma
+
+On your left, imagine all the women in your life, beginning with your mother,
+sisters, relatives, friends, and all female sentient beings extending
+infinitely. On your right, imagine all the men in your life: your father,
+your brothers, relatives, friends, and all the male beings in the world,
+extending out and filling space. Behind you, imagine all the friends who have
+given you support, encouraged you in your spiritual development and your life
+in general: all benefactors, kind friends, and helpers. In the space in front
+of you, imagine all those beings with whom you have had difficult relations,
+were there is unfinished business or healing work to be done. Extend the
+circle out on all sides until space is filled with all living beings in all
+worlds. We are related to all these sentient beings.
+ -- from "Buddhism through American Women's Eyes", edited by Karma Lekshe
+ Tsomo, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Existence
+
+We have been conditioned to go to the sensory objects of the world--the
+sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and physical sensations--and bypass
+everything else. We have been taught to go there, but that does not mean
+these objects are the roots of our existence. Existence seems to be bigger
+than these sense objects, like the space of the universe that holds all the
+matter within it but is not defined by that matter.
+ -- from "Touching the Infinite: A New Perspective on the Buddha's Four
+ Foundations of Mindfulness", by Rodney Smith, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Experiential Dualism
+
+The fact that Buddhist contemplatives have observed the mind for centuries yet
+formulated no theory of the brain implies that introspective knowledge of the
+mind does not necessarily shed any light on the brain. Likewise, the study of
+the brain alone--independent of all first-person accounts of mental
+states--does not necessarily yield any knowledge of mental phenomena. Thus,
+experiential dualism, which maintains that physical and mental phenomena
+experientially seem to be different, is accepted by Buddhism as well as by at
+least some of the scientists in this meeting.
+ -- from "Where Buddhism Meets Neuroscience: Conversations with the Dalai
+ Lama on the Spiritual and Scientific Views of Our Minds", by H.H. the
+ Fourteenth Dalai Lama, edited by Zara Houshmand, Robert B. Livingston,
+ and B. Alan Wallace, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Generosity
+
+In order to transform ordinary giving into letting go of our egocentric
+habits, we create entire universes and give those away. We give away the
+stars and the sun, the oceans, forests, and mountains made of jewels. We
+generate the mind of letting go by giving away what we cannot conceive of
+owning in the first place. We allow imagination to travel so far beyond
+conventional ideas of generosity that it breaks our associations with socially
+sanctioned concepts of virtuous behavior.
+ -- from "Turning Confusion into Clarity: A Guide to the Foundation Practices
+ of Tibetan Buddhism", by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Helen Tworkov,
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Investigation
+
+What we call experience is truly a playful exchange of our inner and outer
+worlds. There is no problem with experience, in and of itself. The problem
+comes when the appearance of things outshines their nature and we begin to
+react. To release the mind from this very confusion constitutes the sole
+purpose of Middle Way investigations.
+ -- from "The Logic of Faith: A Buddhist Approach to Finding Certainty Beyond
+ Belief and Doubt", by Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Like the Moon's Reflection on the Water
+
+The enlightened mind
+Is without coming or departing.
+It is neither outside nor within.
+Transcending thought, it has no partiality.
+It is ultimate reality, unlimited and unconfined,
+Wherein there is no wide or narrow
+And no high or low.
+So set aside all anxious search for it.
+ -- from "Finding Rest in Illusion: The Trilogy of Rest, Volume 3", By
+ Longchenpa, translated by Padmakara Translation Group, published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+Medhina
+
+Medhina was a farmer. A yogin approached him and offered to teach him how to
+escape from suffering. He gave him tantric instructions, but Medhina was too
+distracted by thoughts of his farmwork to meditate. The yogin therefore
+adapted his teachings to Medhina's milieu, telling him to think of his
+thoughts as the plow, the two oxen as pleasure and pain, and his own body as
+the field, sowing the seeds of the elements that will bear fruit as the bliss
+of the nature of reality. After twelve years of meditation, Medhina attained
+siddhi, proclaiming his realization from the top of a tree.
+ -- from "Seeing the Sacred in Samsara: An Illustrated Guide to the Eighty-
+ Four Mahasiddhas", by Donald S. Lopez Jr., published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Meritorious Deeds
+
+O father, this world is the site of karma;
+beyond it lies the site of karmic result.
+Whatever we have done in this life,
+we will definitely experience in another.
+Even small virtues and sins
+can have extensive results.
+Having been born into this site of karma,
+why not opt for planting virtuous seeds?
+ -- from "The Just King: The Tibetan Buddhist Classic on Leading an Ethical
+ Life", by Jamgön Mipham, translated by José Cabezón, published by
+ Shambhala Publications
+~
+Mindful Eating
+
+Personally speaking, I believe our motivation for eating is the key factor in
+transforming the action of eating into Dharma practice. When we recognize
+that we are able to eat due to the kindness of the sentient beings involved in
+the many activities necessary for a plate of food to arrive in front of us,
+attachment to food is easily replaced by gratitude toward sentient beings.
+When we contemplate that we have food now because in previous times we
+practiced generosity, we are inspired to eat with a virtuous mind to create
+constructive karma that will continue our good circumstances. We also realize
+that by accepting and eating this food, we have the responsibility to pay it
+forward by benefiting others with our study, meditation, and service work.
+ -- from "The Compassionate Kitchen: Buddhist Practices for Eating with
+ Mindfulness and Gratitude", by Thubten Chodron, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+Modern Students of Dharma
+
+Modern students behave very differently from ancient students of Dharma, if I
+judge from their histories. They are like children in a toy store who want to
+play with all the toys at once. Grasping, they go from one toy to another,
+capriciously throwing each one away when they have become tired of it or have
+difficulty making it work. Through changing intentions and strong divorce
+habit, they abandon their playthings with many different excuses. When they
+say, "my former teacher," this means their abandoned teacher, and since
+all teachers are embodiments of the same Buddha essence, this means that they
+have abandoned the Triple Gems and the path of enlightenment. Their Dharma is
+like their television: they are momentarily entertained, but when they are
+bored with one program, they constantly channel-change until they once again
+become bored. Just as they leave their worldly teachers when they find out
+what they want to know from them, they may leave their Buddhist teachers, even
+though they vowed when they took refuge in the words of the Buddha that they
+would never abandon the Buddha, never abandon the Dharma, never abandon the
+Sangha, and never abandon their teacher until they reach enlightenment.
+According to Buddhist tradition, the teacher is the representative of the
+Buddha, yet they think they can divorce tradition.
+ -- from " A Brief Fantasy History of a Himalayan: Autobiographical
+ Reflections", by Thinley Norbu, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Overview of the Vinaya
+
+Motivation is important to determine whether an action is positive or
+negative, or whether it contradicts the precepts or not. For example, when an
+act of stealing was reported to him, the Buddha asked, "What motivation did
+that person have when he did that? Was he sleeping? Was he mentally ill?"
+Do not think that the precepts simply say do not do this or that. They are
+much more subtle and make us examine our mind and its motivation. In doing
+so, they guide us in a new direction and indicate beneficial ways of being.
+ -- from "Choosing Simplicity: A Commentary on the Bhikshuni Pratimoksha", by
+ Venerable Bhikshuni Master Wu Yin, translated by Bhikshuni Jendy, edited
+ by Thubten Chodron, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Pure Conduct
+
+Enemies, friends, and those who are neither are all supports for the mind
+training: they help us purify our negative actions and obscurations, so
+reflect on how grateful you should be to them. Do not do or say things in
+the hope that others will recognize how selfless you are. Keep your conduct
+absolutely pure, in accord with the Vinaya texts. Do not talk about others'
+faults. Any faults you see in others you should recognize as your own impure
+perception. Avoid trying to expose people's hidden flaws, speaking
+harshly, reciting wrathful mantras aimed at nonhuman beings, and the like. Do
+not pass on to others difficult tasks that have fallen to you, nor blame
+others for things that are your own fault. It is wrong to feel glad when
+those who are not on the same side as you are defeated, to think well of an
+enemy's death, or, when others fall ill, to wish that the riches and honors
+will come to you. Instead of being concerned about whether you feel good or
+bad, or about what people say about you, meditate on bodhichitta and give up
+the sort of sporadic practice that comes from lack of conviction.
+ -- from "A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom: Complete Instructions on the
+ Preliminary Practices", by Dudjom Rinpoche, translated by Padmakara
+ Translation Group, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Suppleness
+
+The Compendium of Abhidharma says:
+
+What is suppleness? It is physical and mental flexibility that [comes about]
+because the negative propensities of body and mind have been eliminated. Its
+function is to eliminate all obscurations.
+
+The negative propensities of body and mind prevent the cultivation of physical
+and mental virtues. The force of suppleness brings physical flexibility: the
+attainment of physical buoyancy and ease, free from problems, such as feeling
+heaviness in the body. And it brings mental flexibility: the joy and
+happiness attained once the mind can focus on an object without any trouble.
+ -- from "Moonbeams of Mahamudra", by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, translated by
+ Elizabeth M. Callahan, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+The Body of the Absolute Truth
+
+There is a state of being which is nameless in itself, though we can give it
+many names. We can call it dharmakaya, the body of the absolute truth, or the
+Buddha mind. Whatever we call it, it is totally enlightened in itself. There
+is a part of us that is already enlightened and that part of us is actually
+who we are; it is our true nature. There is also a part of us that is lost,
+that is a little bit miserable with a lot of aches and pains, headaches and
+heartaches now and then. That part is also easily entertained by glorious
+illusions; that part of us is not who we really are. That part of us is a
+shell that is going to break down sooner or later, hopefully in the near
+future.
+ -- from "The Magic of Awareness", by Anam Thubten, edited by Sharon Roe,
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+The Importance of Training Our Mind
+
+We can get an inkling of how our mind affects our perception even in our
+everyday lives. For instance, when we struggle with difficulties, if our
+attitude is positive, we find that our pain is less and we are more at ease.
+And we can see that happy people are happy not because of material or external
+circumstances, but because of the peace and strength of their own mind.
+ -- from " The Heart of Unconditional Love: A Powerful New Approach to
+ Loving-Kindness Meditation", by Tulku Thondup, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+The Middle Way
+
+The Middle Way lies between the two extremes of existence and nonexistence,
+eternalism and nihilism. Furthermore, when we use our discriminating
+intelligence to analyze the nature of any phenomenon, we discover that, once
+we transcend the two conceptual extremes, there is no "middle" or
+"center" left over. There is no final resting place for the conceptual
+mind to dwell. The end result of our analysis is to allow reifying thoughts
+to dissolve into the peace that is free of all contrivance.
+ -- from "The Karmapa's Middle Way: Feast for the Fortunate", by The Ninth
+ Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, translated by Tyler Dewar, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+The Nature of Reality
+
+Disturbing emotions, misperceptions, and confusions are not in accord with the
+nature of reality. Wisdom is in accord with the nature of reality. Wisdom is
+the power of truth, so its very presence in the mind causes the disturbances
+to weaken or vanish, just as light banishes darkness as soon as we flip the
+switch in a dark room.
+ -- from "Your Mind Is Your Teacher: Self-Awakening through Contemplative
+ Meditation", by Khenpo Gawang and Jamgon Mipham, published by Shambhala
+ Publications
+~
+The Symbolism of Turquoise
+
+One last time before our departure we pay a visit to Kagar Rinpoche. He
+offers us tea, gives us more information about places to see, and requests us
+to bring back stones from the various sacred sites we will visit. Then he
+hands Karma a turquoise, saying, "I entrust this la-yu to you, which all
+men wear as a stone of luck and good omens. Of all riches, this is the most
+precious; it protects and it cures. At the end of your pilgrimage, which will
+go well, I am sure of it, you will return home with all the blessings
+accumulated on the way." In Tibetan culture, the turquoise, yu, has a
+particularly profound symbolic value. Being both a "living" stone and
+susceptible to destruction, it shares with humans a common destiny. It
+represents both vitality and death. It also represents both beauty and wealth
+and serves as a "support" to human life itself. The term la-yu
+(literally "vital-spirit turquoise") occurs frequently in mythical and
+legendary themes and in folk tales: la referring to the vital spirit that
+humans are believed to possess, the will to live, the ability to function as
+an integrated person. It is this spirit or force that a turquoise guards,
+conserves, protects, and supports.
+ -- from "Tales of the Turquoise: A Pilgrimage in Dolpo", by Corneille Jest,
+ published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Working with Distractions
+
+It is important to avoid criticizing yourself when your mind is distracted or
+dull. Do not fall into discouraging thoughts or self-hatred because these are
+unproductive and are to be abandoned on the path. Remember that internal
+transformation takes time and rejoice in your opportunity to learn and
+practice the Dharma. "Slowly, slowly," as Lama Thubten Yeshe used to say.
+Learn to be satisfied with what you are able to do now while you aspire to
+improve in the future.
+ -- from "Guided Buddhist Meditations: Essential Practices on the Stages of
+ the Path", by Thubten Chodron, published by Shambhala Publications
+~
+Ego masquerades as seer, doer, and adviser--seeking happiness and avoiding
+sorrow. Its real agenda is to keep the game going by churning out projections
+and reacting to them as though they were real. It continually provides the
+allure of desirable projections and the menace of undesirable ones. Hopes of
+possessing what we want and fears of getting what we don't want keep us
+spinning and avert the spotlight from ego's most basic deceit--our adviser
+is nothing but smoke and mirrors.
+ -- from "Contemplating Reality: A Practitioner's Guide to the View in
+ Indo-Tibetan Buddhism", By Andy Karr, published by Shambhala Publications
+