We speak of the preciousness of human existence and its potential for constructive productivity, yet few of us manage to put this into practice before we grow old. We spend decades of our lives wanting happiness, peace, and contentment — without sowing the causes for that aspiration. Why did we not plant the seeds of... Continue Reading →
The aim of far too many teachings these days is to make people “feel good,” and even some Buddhist masters are beginning to sound like New Age apostles. Their talks are entirely devoted to validating the manifestation of ego and endorsing the “rightness” of our feelings, neither of which have anything to do with the... Continue Reading →
In prison Khenpo Münsel Rinpoche taught me this:‘The extent of your realization will be known when you encounter difficult circumstances.You will not know the extent of your realization when things go well.’ When you find yourselfin a troublesome situation, when you are in great pain, when an intense emotion arises,only then will you know where... Continue Reading →
When you are so busy that you feel perpetually chased, when worrying thoughts circle your head, when the future seems dark and uncertain, when you are hurt by what someone has said, slow down, even if only for a moment. Bring all of your awareness into the present and take a deep breath. What do... Continue Reading →
Ram Dass sometimes shared a story of a young woman who told him, “My family hates when I’m a Buddhist but loves when I’m a Buddha.” In other words, its not what religion we identify ourselves with that matters, but how freely we are able to love and keep our hearts open with others that... Continue Reading →
If you plant a seed in the ground and all the right conditions are present, such as perfect soil, water, and heat—every thing is together and there are no obstacles—then no matter how much you pray for the plant not to grow, it will grow. It will definitely grow because the seed planted in the... Continue Reading →
What are the experiences that the teachings of the Buddha are founded on? They are sadness, love, and openness. Although they appear to be quite different, sadness and openness are in fact intimately connected. The profound sadness that overwhelms us when we understand the impermanent nature of all phenomena opens us up to the world... Continue Reading →
We talk about the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, and all these instructions and methods of practise we can do and benefit from. But in essence, to find Dharma one has to look inward, not outward. One has to constantly exert effort in examining oneself and one’s own mind. Of course, there are methods... Continue Reading →
If you want to be really, really happy, it isn’t enough just to space out in meditation. Many people who have spent years alone in meditation have finished up the worse for it. Coming back into society, they have freaked out. They haven’t been able to take contact with other people again, because the peaceful... Continue Reading →
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is... Continue Reading →
Yes and no…this or that…one or zero. In the basis of this elementary two-term discrimination, all human knowledge is built up. The demonstration of this is the computer memory that stores all knowledge in the form of binary information. It contains ones and zeroes, that's all.Because we're unaccustomed to it, we don't usually see that... Continue Reading →
Whenever the competitive mind and jealousy come up, then you need to do the work. Now, some people will think that this is very positive thinking: “We need to work with competitive companies and competitive people and we need to work harder to improve.” But my point is that our competitive and comparing mind is... Continue Reading →
"Don’t conclude that your mind is significantly different from anyone else’s. We all have this monkey mind. Once we put the monkey under the magnifying glass, the mind commonly appears crazier than ever. It’s not. You are just allowing yourself to become acquainted with how crazy it has always been. This is great news” Mingyur... Continue Reading →
Actually, we are all hungry ghosts. It’s a metaphor for the part of us that’s unsatisfied. Because of our attachments and our conditioning, we miss the food and drink that’s right in front of us. In fact, the ingredients we need to make a meal that will satisfy us are all right here. But we... Continue Reading →
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" —The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
If only for a moment make yourselfAvailable for the use of othersJust as earth, water, fire, wind, medicine,And forests [are available to all].—Nagarjuna's Precious Garland, translation by Jeffrey Hopkins
