Below you will find an archive of the quotes that have been sent out so far.
2008
August 30
Once we take ourselves and the quality of our life seriously, and acknowledge the difficulties we may be experiencing, the next step is to have confidence that (1) it is possible to overcome them, (2) there is a way to accomplish this, and (3) we are capable of achieving it [Buddha-nature]. This bring us to the topics of refuge and Buddha-nature.
Taking refuge is not a passive act of placing ourselves in the hands of a higher power that will do everything for us, as the English word "refuge" might imply. It is an active process of putting a safe, reliable and positive direction in our life. That direction is indicated by the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha--the Three Precious Gems. They are precious in the sense that they are both rare and valuable....
In short, the definitive level of the Three Precious Gems of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha presents the goal we would like to achieve. Their interpretable level indicates what we rely on, externally, to bring ourselves there. But we also have internal factors that we need to rely on as well. These refer to our Buddha-nature.
We are capable of eliminating our problems and achieving the definitive Three Precious Gems because everyone has Buddha-nature, namely the various factors or working materials that make it possible. Of all our natural resources, the most important is mind. We all have a mind which, in its nature, is unhampered by anything from experiencing whatever exists. No matter what happens--no matter how confused, stressed or unhappy we may be--we experience it. Even death is something that we experience when it occurs. Therefore, because we have a mind that allows us to experience whatever exists, we have the basic resource that allows us to experience a total absence of confusion and a utilization of all possible good qualities for helping others--provided that such a total absence and utilization actually exist. In other words, if we can establish that it is possible for these two things to exist--and that they are not just objects of nice but totally unrealistic wishes--we can be confident that we are capable of attaining them, simply because we have a mind.
--from The Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
August 24
Actually, we Buddhists are supposed to save all sentient beings, but practically speaking, this may be too broad a notion for most people. In any case, we must at least think in terms of helping all human beings. This is very important. Even if we cannot think in terms of sentient beings inhabiting different worlds, we should nonetheless think in terms of the human beings on our own planet. To do this is to take a practical approach to the problem. It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help another, the least we can do is to desist from harming them. We must not cheat others or lie to them. We must be honest human beings, sincere human beings.
On a very practical level, such attitudes are things which we need. Whether one is a believer, a religious person, or not, is another matter. Simply as an inhabitant of the world, as a member of the human family, we need this kind of attitude. It is through such an attitude that real and lasting world peace and harmony can be achieved. Through harmony, friendship, and respecting one another, we can solve many problems in the right way, without difficulties.
--from Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists
August 16
It makes no sense to brood anxiously on the harmful actions we have committed in the past to the point where we become paralyzed. They are done, it is over. If the person is a believer in God, the appropriate action is to find some means of reconciliation with Him. So far as Buddhist practice is concerned, there are various rites and practices for purification. When the individual has no religious beliefs, however, it is surely a matter of acknowledging and accepting any negative feelings we may have in relation to our misdeeds and developing a sense of sorrow and regret for them. But then, rather than stopping at mere sorrow and regret, it is important to use this as the basis for resolve, for a deep-seated commitment never again to harm others and to direct our actions all the more determinedly to the benefit of others. The act of disclosure, or confession, of our negative actions to another--especially to someone we really respect and trust--will be found to be very helpful in this. We are quite wrong if we merely acknowledge the gravity of our actions inwardly and then, instead of confronting our feelings, give up all hope and do nothing. This only compounds the error. Above all, we should remember that as long as we retain the capacity of concern for others, the potential for transformation remains. Above all, we should remember that as long as we retain the capacity of concern for others, the potential for transformation remains.
--from Ethics for the New Millennium
August 9
According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It's not passive--it's not empathy alone--but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is lovingkindness). Let's examine these two elements.
The suffering from which we wish to liberate other sentient beings, according to Buddha's teachings, has three levels. The first level includes the obvious physical and mental sensations of pain and discomfort that we can all easily identify as suffering. This kind of suffering is primarily at the sensory level--unpleasant or painful sensations and feelings. The great Tibetan master Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsan, tutor to the fifth Dalai Lama, reminds us that even animals seek to avoid physical suffering and pain.
The second level of suffering is the suffering of change. Although certain experiences or sensations may seem pleasurable and desirable now, inherent within them is the potential for culminating in an unsatisfactory experience. Another way of saying this is that experiences do not last forever; desirable experiences will eventually be replaced by a neutral experience or an undesirable experience. If it were not the case that desirable experiences are of the nature of change, then, once having a happy experience, we would remain happy forever! In fact, if desirability were intrinsic to an experience, then the longer we remained in contact with it, the happier we would become. However, this is not the case. In fact, often, the more we pursue these experiences, the greater our level of disillusionment, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness becomes.
...But the third level of suffering is the most significant--the pervasive suffering of conditioning. This refers to the very fact of our unenlightened existence, the fact that we are ruled by negative emotions and their underlying root cause, namely our own fundamental ignorance of the nature of reality. Buddhism asserts that as long as we are under the control of this fundamental ignorance, we are suffering; this unenlightened existence is suffering by its very nature.
If we are to cultivate the deepest wisdom, we must understand suffering at its deepest, most pervasive level. In turn, freedom from that level of suffering is true nirvana, true liberation, the true state of cessation. Freedom from the first level of suffering alone--merely being free of unpleasant physical and psychological experiences--is not true cessation of suffering. Freedom from the second level is again not true cessation. However, freedom from the third level of suffering--being completely free from the very source of suffering--that is genuine cessation, genuine liberation.
--from Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's Heart of Wisdom Teachings
August 2
To consider those things which are existent, there are many phenomena which are produced only occasionally. For example, certain plants grow only during certain seasons, not all the time. That shows that they have been produced by their causes and conditions. On the other hand, certain phenomena exist permanently. Those are the two types of phenomena. In the case of phenomena which arise only occasionally for a certain period of time then cease to exist, their production is evidence used to prove their dependence on their causes and conditions. But permanent phenomena are not dependent on causes and conditions. Generally speaking, almost all phenomena which are beneficial or harmful to us belong to the category of the occasional, the dependent--the impermanent. Even our mind, which is to be disciplined and subdued belongs to that category.
Within the kind of phenomena which are existent, we can talk about different types: those which are animate and those which are inanimate; those with form and those formless; visible and invisible; audible and inaudible. And there are phenomena which definitely exist but can be experienced only by our mind, not our sense perceptions; in other words, we can talk about two types of phenomena, external matter and internal consciousness. When we talk about subduing mind, we refer to internal consciousness, that which has clarity and cognitive power and is capable of experiencing objects. Although our mind has arisen depending upon its causes and conditions, we need to find out to what extent it can be transformed, for it is through the transformation of our mind that we can subdue it. The way of transformation is to pacify the mind's faults and to cultivate and enhance its good qualities. Although there are certain phenomena which, having arisen from their causes and conditions, remain as they are and cannot be changed by any means, there are others, including our mind, which can be. To establish that kind of distinction, the reasons provided in the Lam-rim section on analytical meditation to generate special insight are especially important and useful.
--from Generous Wisdom: Commentaries by H.H. the Dalai Lama XIV on the Jatakamala
July 27
Many types of valid consciousnesses derive from basic, natural, and obvious perception. All of us have an innate "I," although if we try to locate this "I," we get into a lot of difficulties. This sense of "I" gives us a well-founded aspiration to happiness and a wish not to suffer.
There are different levels of happiness and different kinds of suffering. Material things usually correspond to physical happiness, whereas spiritual development corresponds to mental happiness. Since our "I" has these two aspects--physical and mental--we need an inseparable combination of material progress and internal, or spiritual, progress. Balancing these is crucial to utilizing material progress and inner development for the good of human society.
Big schemes for world development arise from this wish to gain happiness and relieve suffering. But there are higher levels of happiness beyond these worldly forms, in which one seeks something longer-term, not just confined to this lifetime. Just as we need a long-range perspective that protects the environment, we need an internal long-range perspective that extends to future lifetimes.
--from How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships
July 19
All phenomena should be understood as lacking an end and a middle, just as the mind does not have an end or a middle. With the knowledge that the mind is without an end or a middle, no identity of the mind is perceived. What is thoroughly realized by the mind, too, is realized as being empty. By realizing that, the very identity, which is established as the aspect of the mind, like the identity of physical form, and so forth, is also ultimately not perceived. In this way, when the person does not ultimately see the identity of all phenomena through wisdom, he will not analyze whether physical form is permanent or impermanent, empty or not empty, contaminated or not contaminated, produced or non-produced, and existent or non-existent. Just as physical form is not examined, similarly feeling, recognition, compositional factors, and consciousness are not examined. When the object does not exist, its characteristics also cannot exist. So how can they be examined?
--Stages of Meditation by Kamalashila
The above passage deals with ultimate reality; its meaning is that in the ultimate sense the object of imputation is not findable. In this context we find in the Heart Sutra phrases like: "There is no physical form, no sound, no smell, no taste, and no object of touch." The mind, too, is not findable in the ultimate sense. Since in the ultimate sense such things are non-existent, there is no point examining whether they are permanent or impermanent. Ultimately all phenomena, including the aggregates and so forth, are devoid of true existence. Within the notion of ultimate reality, things are devoid of true existence. In the same way, suchness, which is an attribute of phenomena, is also devoid of true existence. This is important. Even when we understand that phenomena like physical form and so forth are devoid of true existence, there is a danger of thinking that ultimate reality may have true existence.
--from Stages of Meditation
July 12
...reflect upon the negative consequences of our strong attachment to friends and hostility toward enemies. Our feelings for a friend or a loved one sometimes blind us to certain of his or her aspects. We project a quality of absolute desirability, absolute infallibility, upon that person. Then, when we see something contrary to our projections, we are stunned. We swing from the extreme of love and desire to disappointment, repulsion, and sometimes even anger. Even that sense of inner contentment and satisfaction in a relationship with someone we love can lead to disappointment, frustration, and hatred. Though strong emotions, like those of romantic love or righteous hatred, may feel profoundly compelling, their pleasure is fleeting. From a Buddhist point of view, it is far better not to be in the grip of such emotions in the first place.
What are the repercussions of becoming overpowered by intense dislike? The Tibetan word for hatred, shedang, suggests hostility from the depth of one's heart. There is a certain irrationality in responding to injustice or harm with hostility. Our hatred has no physical effect on our enemies; it does not harm them. Rather, it is we who suffer the ill consequences of such overwhelming bitterness. It eats us from within. With anger we slowly begin to lose our appetite. We cannot sleep at night and often end up just rolling back and forth, back and forth, all night long. It affects us profoundly, while our enemies continue along, blissfully unaware of the state we have been reduced to.
Free of hatred or anger, we can respond to actions committed against us far more effectively. If we approach things with a cool head, we see the problem more clearly and judge the best way to address it. For example, if a child is doing something that could be dangerous to himself or others, such as playing with matches, we can discipline him. When we behave in such a forthright manner, there is a far greater chance that our actions will hit the mark. The child will respond not to our anger but to our sense of urgency and concern.
This is how we come to see that our true enemy is actually within us. It is our selfishness, our attachment, and our anger that harm us. Our perceived enemy's ability to inflict harm on us is really quite limited. If someone challenges us and we can muster the inner discipline to resist retaliating, it is possible that no matter what the person has done, those actions do not disturb us.
--from An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life
July 5
Over the last few days I have been meeting scientists, mainly specialists on the brain, as well as psychologists and psychotherapists.... The majority of them agreed...that the key cause of the mental unrest and depression so prevalent today...is lack of sympathy and affection.
I think you might find the following story quite interesting. A few weeks ago I met someone whose mind, I was told, is severely disturbed. At the beginning, I used all of my reasoning to encourage him, explaining that, as a human being, there was no need for him to be discouraged, because we have such a good human brain and intelligence. I pointed out how, with determination, we can solve all our human problems and overcome all obstacles, and so there is no reason to worry or be discouraged or depressed. Personally, I always find this kind of reasoning is quite effective, but this time it failed. He was not impressed by this line of thinking. On the contrary, instead of showing any appreciation, he developed a rather contrary attitude. After listening to what I had to say, he became even more agitated, and asked me, "Why are you concerned about my problem? How do I know if your attitude is sincere or not?" I felt really sad. I was quite moved as well, and as I was explaining something or other, my hand reached out and caressed his arm. It was a natural gesture, a sincere expression of how I felt. Gradually, his mood altered; I could see his face beginning to change, and finally a smile began to appear. Then as I gained confidence, I increased that expression of affection. At last a big smile spread right across his face.
I told him, "Please consider me as an old friend. Any time, you can come to see me. Whatever I can do to help you, I am ready to do. I am at your service." When I said this, then his mood, it was clear, became very happy and joyful. The following day he came to see me again. When he arrived, he already had a happy air about him, but nevertheless he was trying to pretend otherwise and was not smiling. Anyway, what this incident really gave me was another confirmation of how powerful genuine compassion, love, or altruism can be, to affect other people's minds. And how they can remove fear and suspicion, and alleviate feelings of insecurity and mistrust.
So I always consider compassion as the key, not only for achieving and maintaining our own mental calmness, stability and happiness, but also as something extraordinarily useful for creating a healthy human society. By that I mean a happier and less harmful human society. Therefore--whether it be in individual cases, on a family level, a national level, or an international level--altruism, love and compassion are the basis for success, for happiness, and for a happy environment.
--from Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection
June 28
[It] is quite clear to me is that the moment you think only of yourself, the focus of your whole reality narrows, and because of this narrow focus, uncomfortable things can appear huge and bring you fear and discomfort and a sense of feeling over-whelmed by misery. The moment you think of others with a sense of caring, however, your view widens. Within that wider perspective, your own problems appear to be of little significance, and this makes a big difference.
If you have a sense of caring for others, you will manifest a kind of inner strength in spite of your own difficulties and problems. With this strength, your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. By going beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain inner strength, self-confidence, courage, and a greater sense of calm. This is a clear example of how one's way of thinking can really make a difference.
One's own self-interest and wishes are fulfilled as a byproduct of actually working for other sentient beings. As the well-known fifteenth-century master Tsongkhapa points out in his Great Exposition of the Path to Enlightenment, "The more the practitioner engages in activities and thoughts that are focused and directed toward the fulfillment of others' well-being, the fulfillment or realization of his or her own aspiration will come as a byproduct without having to make a separate effort." Some of you may have actually heard me remark, which I do quite often, that in some sense the bodhisattvas, the compassionate practitioners of the Buddhist path, are "wisely selfish" people, whereas people like us are the "foolishly selfish." We think of ourselves and disregard others, and the result is that we always remain unhappy and have a miserable time.
...we find that kindness and a good heart form the underlying foundation for our success in this life, our progress on the spiritual path, and our fulfillment of our ultimate aspiration, the attainment of full enlightenment. Hence, compassion and a good heart are not only important at the beginning but also in the middle and at the end. Their necessity and value are not limited to any specific time, place, society, or culture.
Thus, we not only need compassion and human affection to survive, but they are the ultimate sources of success in life. Selfish ways of thinking not only harm others, they prevent the very happiness we ourselves desire. The time has come to think more wisely, hasn't it? This is my belief.
--from The Compassionate Life
June 22
In Buddhism there are basically two types of practices: Sutra and Tantra.... The special purpose of Tantra is to provide a faster path so that qualified practitioners can be of service to others more quickly. In Tantra the power of imagination is harnessed to meditation in a practice called deity yoga. In this practice you imagine 1) replacing your mind as it ordinarily appears, full of troubling emotions, with a mind of pure wisdom motivated by compassion; 2) substituting your body as it ordinarily appears (composed of flesh, blood, and bone) with a body fashioned from compassionately motivated wisdom; 3) developing a sense of a pure self that depends on purely appearing mind and body in an ideal environment, fully engaged in helping others. As this distinctive practice of Tantra calls for visualizing yourself with a Buddha's body, activities, resources, and surroundings, it is called "taking imagination as the spiritual path."
Let us consider a qualm about this practice. You are considering yourself to have Buddha qualities which you presently do not have. Is this, then, a correct type of meditative consciousness? Yes. Your mind is involved in understanding reality, out of which you are appearing as a deity. Therefore, your mind, from this viewpoint, is correct. Also, you are purposely imagining yourself as having a divine body even if you do not presently possess one. This is an imaginative meditation; you are not convinced from the depths that you actually have pure mind, body, and selfhood. Rather, based in clear imagination of ideal body and mind, you are cultivating the sense of being a deity, compassionately helping others.
...to engage in Tantra at any level demands a powerful intention to become enlightened for the sake of others, and a feeling that this needs to be done very quickly.
--from How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life
June 14
...practice must be carried out in terms of one's own thought. If one knows how to bring the teachings into one's own thought, all physical and verbal deeds can be made to accord with practice. If one does not know how to bring them into one's own thought, even though one might meditate, recite scriptures, or spend one's life in a temple, it will not help; thought is therefore important for practice. Thus, taking refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, his Doctrine and the Spiritual Community), taking into account the relationship between actions and their effects, and generating an attitude of helping others, are most important.
Formerly in Tibet there was a famous lama called Drom. One day Drom saw a man walking around a reliquary. 'Walking around a reliquary is good,' he said. 'Practice is even better.' The man thought, 'Then, reading a holy book would be good.' He did so, and one day while he was reading, Drom saw him and said, 'Reading a holy book is good; practice is even better.'
The man thought, 'This also does not seem to be sufficient. Now if I do some meditation, that will certainly be practice.' Drom saw him in meditation and said, 'Meditation is good; practice is even better.' The man was amazed and asked, 'How does one practise?' Drom answered, 'Do not be attached to this life; cause your mind to become the practices.' Dram said this because practice depends on thought.
--from The Buddhism of Tibet
June 7
...if you consider just the subtlest mind and the wind or energy that serves as its mount, the mere factor of luminosity and knowing of the subtlest mind itself as well as the energy associated with it are what will be transformed into the mind and body of a Buddha. This is the mind that will turn into an omniscient consciousness--a Buddha's mind; it is this mind which will be transformed, not some other mind coming from the outside. In other words, the Buddha nature is inherent; it is not imported from somewhere else.
This is true because the very entity of the mind, its nature of mere luminosity and knowing, is not polluted by defilements; they do not abide in the entity of the mind. Even when we generate afflictive emotions, the very entity or nature of the mind is still mere luminosity and knowing, and because of this we are able to remove the afflictive emotions.
--from Kindness, Clarity, and Insight 25th Anniversary Edition
May 31
For those of you who are not able to devote all your time to meditation, there is nevertheless the possibility of engaging in practice in a serious way. For example, the students at the monastic universities in South India can, with some effort, do meditations during the prayers. When you recite the prayers, you can mentally do the contemplation. The lifestyle and daily routine at these monasteries have been structured by the great masters of the past in a way that is most conducive to individual practice as well as to the flourishing of the dharma.
If you find that your mind is in a very fluctuating emotional state--displaying anger, hatred, attachment and so forth--then you should first try to calm down that state of strong emotion. This should be done by first transforming it into a neutral state of mind, because there is no way that one can switch directly from a negative state of mind to a positive one. Therefore, you should first reduce the force of these emotions and fluctuations and try to bring about some sort of calmness, using any means--such as taking a stroll or concentrating on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath--that will enable you to forget what you are immediately feeling. This will help you to reduce the force of strong emotion, thereby giving you the calmness necessary for the practice of dharma. Like a white piece of cloth which could be dyed any color that you desire, such a neutral state of mind could then be transformed into a virtuous state of mind.
You could also engage in the preliminary practices of performing 100,000 prostrations, recitations of the Vajrasattva mantra, and so forth. When you undertake these practices, you should do them properly, not being only concerned about the number. Many great masters of the past of all traditions have emphasized the importance of these preliminary practices--they will enable you to have a very firm start. If through them you can acquire a fertile mind, then when the seed of meditation is planted, it will readily bear the fruits of realizations.
Having successfully neutralized the emotional fluctuations within your mind and having restored a reasonable degree of calmness, engage in the practice of taking refuge and generating the altruistic aspiration to attain full enlightenment. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels is the factor that distinguishes one's practice from that of an erroneous path, and the generation of the altruistic mind makes it superior to the paths aiming at individual liberation.
--from The Path to Bliss
May 23
Verse 6
When someone whom I have helped
Or in whom I have placed great hopes
Mistreats me in extremely hurtful ways
May I regard him still as my precious teacher.
--Langri Tangpa, Eight Verses for Training the Mind
According to worldly norms of human behaviour, when we help someone and place great trust in them and they mistreat us in return, it is seen as reasonable to be angry with them because we have been hurt. However, practitioners of bodhicitta must not give in to this type of conventional thinking. Instead, we should learn to view such people in a special way, as objects for our practice of forbearance and loving kindness. We must in fact recognise these people as our spiritual teachers. (For more on this, see Dalai Lama quotes for May 31 [2004] and November 12 [2001])
--from Lighting the Way
May 19
Compassion and love are not man-made. Ideology is man-made, but compassion and love are produced by nature. It is important to recognize natural qualities, especially when we face a problem and fail to find a solution. For example...in religious business, sometimes even due to religion, we create a problem. If we try to solve that problem using religious methods, it is quite certain that we will not succeed. So I feel that when we face those kinds of problems, it is important to return to our basic human quality. Then I think we will find that solutions come easier. Therefore, I usually say that the best way to solve human problems is with human understanding.
It is very important to recognize the basic nature of humanity and the value of human qualities. Whether one is educated or uneducated, rich or poor, or belongs to this nation or that nation, this religion or that religion, this ideology or that ideology, is secondary and doesn't matter. When we return to this basis, all people are the same. Then we can truly say the words brother, sister; then they are not just nice words--they have some meaning. That kind of motivation automatically builds the practice of kindness. This gives us inner strength.
...Next, let us talk about the human being as a social animal. Even if we do not like other people, we have to live together. Natural law is such that even bees and other animals have to live together in cooperation. I am attracted to bees because I like honey--it is really delicious. Their product is something that we cannot produce, very beautiful, isn't it? I exploit them too much, I think. Even these insects have certain responsibilities, they work together very nicely. They have no constitution, they have no law, no police, nothing, but they work together effectively. This is because of nature. Similarly, each part of a flower is not arranged by humans but by nature. The force of nature is something remarkable. We human beings, we have constitutions, we have law, we have a police force, we have religion, we have many things. But in actual practice, I think that we are behind those small insects.
Sometimes civilization brings good progress, but we become too involved with this progress and neglect or forget about our basic nature. Every development in human society should take place on the basis of the foundation of the human nature. If we lose that basic foundation, there is no point in such developments taking place.
--from The Dalai Lama, A Policy of Kindness: An Anthology of Writings By and About the Dalai Lama
May 10
A tantric yogi who has gained control of the subtle energies of the body and the subtle levels of consciousness will have control over the inner and outer elements and consequently can transform his or her ordinary samsaric form into a joyous rainbow body. But until we can do this, we have to accept the fact that our physical basis is a magnet attracting every kind of discomfort and pain.
...This samsaric body keeps us running all of our lives. We have to run to fulfill its endless needs, to keep it away from things that may harm it, and to protect it from anything unpleasant. We have to give it pleasure and comfort. We become ordained, and at first this is very satisfactory; but soon our body makes it so difficult for us that we think our practice would be less disturbed if we were to live as a layperson. So we give up and return to ordinary life; but then we end up with a family to support, leaving us with no time or energy for meditation. We have the pressing tasks of feeding, clothing, and sheltering our children, and of arranging their education and so forth. Our lives are spent alternating between work and worry, with occasional short periods of pleasure, and then we have to die; but even this we cannot do in peace, for, when we lie down to die, our last thoughts are worried ones concerning the family we are leaving behind. Such is the nature of worldly existence.
...To care for our old people--these ones who have given us our body, our life, and our culture--is a sacred duty of humanity. But most humans act more like animals than people, and often we see old people who have been abandoned by their families. Family units were very strong in Tibet, and old people were usually cared for directly by relatives. The national care for the old that we see in the West is something very good, a healthy sign, although perhaps here the spiritual and psychological basis is somewhat lacking.
The suffering of old age is something we all must face, unless we die prematurely. There is nothing we can do about it. Gone will be that false sense of personal ability and strength that made us so proud when we were young. Instead, helpers or friends will bathe us, dress us, spoonfeed us, and have to take us to the toilet. Rather than live under the delusion of permanence, we should engage in spiritual training so that we can enter old age at least with the grace of wisdom.
...So we can see that this body indeed causes us much grief in this life and, sadly, in their quest to satisfy its many needs, most people just collect an endless stream of negative karmic instincts that will lead them to lower rebirths in the future.
These are the sufferings of the human world.
...The important point here is to become aware of the third type of suffering, the subtle suffering that pervades all imperfect existence, the all-pervading misery concomitant with having a perishable, samsaric base.... [All are] enmeshed in suffering because the nature of their body and mind is bound with compulsive cyclic processes. Until we develop the wisdom that is able to free the mind from these compelling forces, there is no doubt that we shall experience suffering throughout our lives, and that we shall continue to wander endlessly in the wheel of birth, life, death, and rebirth where the presence of misery can always be felt.
--from The Path to Enlightenment
May 3
To succeed in practicing any form of tantra, it is necessary first to train in developing the altruistic intention to become enlightened. Dzong-ka-ba says that this needs to be done "in accordance with the quintessential instructions," these being found in his Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Specifically, such an altruistic intention is generated by way of the seven cause and effect quintessential instructions or the equalizing and switching of self and other. To do those, it is necessary to identify what liberation is and to develop an awareness seeking liberation, for which it is necessary to reflect on the three types of suffering and develop an intention to turn away from over-emphasizing the appearances of this life and then to turn away from over-emphasizing the appearances of future lives, developing an intention to leave such cyclic existence entirely, whereupon it is possible to reflect on how others suffer and develop compassion. Done continuously over a long period of time, at best one should develop a fully qualified altruistic intention to become enlightened, and at least one should develop such an intention from the depths of the heart.
With such altruism as your basic motivation it is possible to receive initiation and take the pledges that lay out a type of behavior conducive to enlightenment.
...nowadays some people look on the practice of religion as if it were something that causes them to lose their freedom. Opposite to this, rules [for controlling counter-productive ill-deeds and overcoming afflictive emotions] are for the sake of utilizing your freedom to develop the limitless qualities of Buddhahood, in the quest for which you should never be satisfied. Toward material things, which necessarily have a limit, it is best to be satisfied with what you have, but with regard to the limitless development of spiritual qualities, you should never be satisfied with a mere portion, but continually seek higher development. The rules themselves make your mind conducive to such progress, so there is no reason to be uptight about them.
--from Yoga Tantra: Paths to Magical Feats
April 26
Among Tibetans, at least traditionally, the economic conditions are such that this nine-to-five daily employment isn't really an important part of [working life]. In Tibet, either you are a farmer or a nomad or a merchant. The work is seasonal.... During the season they work very hard, and when they finish they come back and don't have any employment.
...in modern society, and particularly in industrialized nations, the issue of unemployment is a very difficult situation. There are no easy answers. One has no choice but to try to cope, and make one's best effort to find new work. There is just no other solution.
However, the basic attitude of the individual plays a very significant role, and can make a big difference in how someone responds. While we may not have control over our situation, our attitude is something that we have some control over. So first, what we need to realize is that uncertainty and change are very much a part of the modern economy, particularly with regard to employment. That is a serious problem, but a fact that we have to accept. There is no guarantee that there will be a job tomorrow if you are working today. So, if we understand this ahead of time, it may change how we respond when that happens. Then we won't feel so surprised, as if we are singled out. We understand that the loss of a job has many factors, the result of many causes and conditions. We will understand that, in many cases, it may even have roots in global economic issues. This way, we won't become so upset by taking it personally, or looking around us for someone to blame for our problems. This alone may help reduce our mental agitation. Of course, here we are talking about unemployment due to some wider causes or layoffs, not due to being fired because of one's own incompetence.
So there might be different ways in which individuals will respond to the challenges of change. What is important is to acknowledge this fact and try to work out how best to cope with the immediate problem itself. For example, if you need employment as a means of your livelihood and if you become unemployed, then all your efforts should be put into looking for new employment so that your livelihood will be secure. But there are two different responses. One person may feel demoralized and become sort of paralyzed, thinking, There is no hope, I lost my job, what am I supposed to do? But another individual in the same situation might look at it as an opportunity to make some changes. As a challenge. So that is the more positive way, the more proactive way of dealing with this problem. But of course it is not easy.
There may also be other ways that might help at least reduce the mental anxiety of dealing with the situation, so that a person can use all their mental energy to find new work. For Buddhists, there are certain thought processes and considerations that help--for example, the belief in karma [one's actions] and ultimately taking responsibility for one's own karma. Although this kind of mental attitude may not have any effect in physically resolving the situation, at least it will help ease the individual from the psychological effect of losing the job, and so on. And of course, believers in other religious systems can also take some consolation in their own beliefs.
--from The Art of Happiness at Work
April 19
Meditation on[or cultivation of] the six deities is like faith or love meditation in that the mind is being generated into the entity of the object meditated. When faith or love are meditated, those two are not the object observed but the entity into which the consciousness is being generated. Meditation on impermanence or emptiness, on the other hand, means to take these as the object and meditate on them. Thus, there are two types of meditation—of a subjective aspect and on an objective aspect. Meditation on the six deities is the former, for first one generates a wisdom consciousness knowing the sameness in suchness of oneself and the deity—the ultimate—and then causes it to appear as the sounds, letters, and finally the form of the deity.
--from Deity Yoga in Action and Performance Tantra
April 12
I always believe that each individual human being has some kind of responsibility for humanity as a whole. Particularly, I always believe that as scientists, you have a special responsibility. Besides your own profession, you have a basic motivation to serve humanity, to try to produce better, happier human beings. Whether we understand consciousness or not, we must produce warm-hearted persons. That is important. I want to express that. Whenever I meet scientists, I always have to say this.
Through my own profession, I try my best to contribute as much as I can. This proceeds without my being concerned whether another person agrees with my philosophy or not. Some people may be very much against my belief, my philosophy, but I feel alright. So long as I see that a human being suffers or has needs, I shall contribute as much as I can to contribute to their benefit. Scientists and medically qualified people can contribute especially. That's different; that's a particular context. A human being needs to be cared for according to your professional calling. You can contribute; that's your shared professional responsibility.
--from Consciousness at the Crossroads: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Brain Science and Buddhism
April 5
"When Tibet was still free, we cultivated our natural isolation, mistakenly thinking that we could prolong our peace and security that way. Consequently, we paid little attention to the changes taking place in the world outside. Later, we learned the hard way that in the international arena, as well as at home, freedom is something to be shared and enjoyed in the company of others, not kept to yourself."
Budapest, 1994
"I believe that Tibet will be free only when its people become strong, and hatred is not strength. It is a weakness. The Lord Buddha was not being religious, in the popular sense of the term, when he said that hatred does not cease by hatred. Rather, he was being practical. Any achievement attained through hatred [can only invite] trouble sooner or later."
Statement, 10 March 1971
--from The Pocket Dalai Lama
March 29
Buddha's teachings on non-manifest phenomena, such as the extremely subtle presentations of actions and their effect--which are very hidden phenomena--cannot be proved with reasoning. How then can they be verified?
There is no need to verify manifest phenomena through reasoning because they appear directly to the senses. The slightly hidden, however, can be proved with reasoning that generates inferential understanding, and since emptiness is very profound but only slightly hidden, it is accessible to reasoning.
...very hidden phenomena cannot be proved with reasoning, and it seems that Buddha can say whatever he likes. However, through our own experience we can confirm Buddha's teachings on more important topics such as emptiness, the altruistic mind of enlightenment, love, and compassion, for no matter who analyses--Buddhist or non-Buddhist--or how much one analyses, if the person is not biased through desire or hatred, these teachings can bear analysis and serve as powerful sources of thought. When you see that Buddha does not err with regard to these more important phenomena, you can accept his other presentations.
...The process of cyclic existence and the eradication of it can be proved by the reasoning that establishes the misconception of inherent existence as its root cause and establishes the wisdom cognising emptiness as its antidote.
This is the general explanation. On a deeper level, right at the time of an action, predisposing potencies are instilled in the consciousness. The performance of an action establishes a predisposing potency in the mind that, in the future, will serve as the causal condition for one's experiencing a good or bad effect.
--from Tantra in Tibet
March 22
...let us discuss true sources of suffering. The fact that sufferings are not always produced but are produced in some places at some times and cease at some times and in some places indicates that they are caused. Logically, it can be said that sufferings are caused because of being produced occasionally. If sufferings were produced causelessly, either they would never exist or they would always exist.
Since sufferings are caused, one needs to look into what their causes are. In the Buddhist systems, the causes are explained to be contaminated actions and afflictive emotions....
For instance, if I had an angry feeling, this could serve as a motivating force that would lead to a harsh attitude, harsh speech, and harsh physical gestures. Since the anger that serves as the motivating factor is a defilement--an afflictive emotion--the physical and verbal actions done through that motivating force are negative karmas, negative actions. Through them, the atmosphere immediately changes into one of tension. Right away, I might not feel the effects of those actions, perhaps even feeling that I had gained a victory over someone, even shouting, "I have won." However, later I will feel very sorry and shy, deep down experiencing a guilty conscience. Similarly, those around me would immediately lose their tranquility and peace. These are painful results of actions impelled by a bad motivation. This is the law of karma--motivation, action, result.
Conversely, a good, open, sincere motivation such as compassion with a deep respect for others impels verbal and physical actions that immediately create a peaceful, harmonious, enjoyable atmosphere. Due to that, I feel happy and calm, enjoying that atmosphere, and others around me also enjoy the same. Therefore, bad motivation creates problems, suffering, and pain, whereas good motivation creates happiness and peacefulness--something good.
This is the general explanation. On a deeper level, right at the time of an action, predisposing potencies are instilled in the consciousness. The performance of an action establishes a predisposing potency in the mind that, in the future, will serve as the causal condition for one's experiencing a good or bad effect.
--from The Dalai Lama at Harvard: Lectures on the Buddhist Path to Peace
March 15
...if people have compassion, naturally that's something they can count on; even if they have economic problems and their fortune declines, they still have something to share with fellow human beings. World economies are always so tenuous and we are subject to so many losses in life, but a compassionate attitude is something that we can always carry with us.
...Of course, in attempting to explain to someone the importance of compassion, in some cases, you might be dealing with a very hardened, individualistic, and selfish person, someone concerned only with her or his own interests. And it is even possible that there are people who may not have the capacity to empathize with even someone whom they love or who may be close to them. But even to such people, it is still possible to present the importance of compassion and love on the grounds that it's the best way to fulfill their self-interests. They wish to have good health, live a longer life, and have peace of mind, happiness, and joy. And if these are things that they desire, I've heard that there is even scientific evidence that these things can be enhanced by feelings of love and compassion.
...educating someone about these facts and scientific studies could certainly encourage some people to cultivate a more compassionate state of mind. But I think that, even aside from scientific studies, there are other arguments that people could understand and appreciate from their own practical or direct everyday experience. For example, you could point out that lack of compassion leads to a certain ruthlessness. There are many examples indicating that at some level deep down, ruthless people generally suffer from a kind of unhappiness and discontent, people like Stalin and Hitler. Such people suffer from a kind of nagging sense of insecurity and fear. Even when they are sleeping I think that sense of fear remains...these people lack something that you can find in a more compassionate person--a sense of freedom, a sense of abandonment, so when you sleep you can relax and let go. Ruthless people never have that experience. Something is always gripping them; there is some kind of hold on them, and they aren't able to experience that feeling of letting go, that sense of freedom.
...There are always different degrees of benefit that one might receive from practicing various methods and techniques, depending on one's particular circumstances.... First, through learning, thoroughly understanding the value of compassion--this gives you a feeling of conviction and determination. Then, employing methods to enhance empathy, such as using your imagination, your creativity, to visualize yourself in another's situation. And certain exercises or practices that you can undertake, such as Tong-Len, serve to strengthen your compassion. But I think it's important to remember that these techniques...were developed to help as many as possible, at least some portion of the human population. But it was never expected that these techniques could help 100 percent of people, the entire human population.
...the main point really, if we are talking about various methods to develop compassion, the important thing is that people make a sincere effort to develop their capacity for compassion. If they make their best efforts to be kinder, to cultivate compassion and make the world a better place, then at the end of the day they can say, "At least I've done my best!"
--from The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
March 8
To solve the problems humanity is facing, we need to organize meetings of scholars, educators, social workers, neuroscientists, physicians, and experts from all fields to discuss the positive and negative sides of what we have done thus far, as well as what needs to be introduced and what needs to be changed in our educational system. Proper environment plays a crucial role in the healthy growth of a child. All problems, including terrorism, can be overcome through education, particularly by introducing concern for all others at the preschool level.
Living in society, we must share the suffering of our fellow citizens and practice compassion and tolerance not only toward our loved ones but also toward our enemies. This is the test of our moral strength. We must set an example by our own practice. We must live by the same high standards of integrity we seek to convey to others. The ultimate purpose is to serve and benfit the world.
--from How to See Yourself As You Really Are
March 1
One of the reasons there is a need to adopt a strong countermeasure against someone who harms you is that, if you let it pass, there is a danger of that person becoming habituated to extremely negative actions, which in the long run will cause that person's own downfall and is very destructive for the individual himself or herself. Therefore a strong countermeasure, taken out of compassion or a sense of concern for the other, is necessary. When you are motivated by that realization, then there is a sense of concern as part of your motive for taking that strong measure.
...One of the reasons why there is some ground to feel compassionate toward a perpetrator of crime or an aggressor is that the aggressor, because he or she is perpetrating a crime, is at the causal stage, accumulating the causes and conditions that later lead to undesirable consequences. So from that point of view, there is enough ground to feel compassionate toward the aggressor.
--from Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective
February 22
If, after having performed a virtuous action and accumulated its potency, that potency remained without degenerating until its fruit issued forth in either this or a future life, it would not be so fragile. But that is not the case. Rather, the generation of a strong nonvirtuous state of mind, such as anger, overpowers the capacity of a virtuously established potency so that it cannot issue forth, much like scorching a seed. Conversely, the generation of a strong virtuous attitude overpowers potencies established by nonvirtues, making them unable to issue their effects. Thus it is necessary not only to achieve many powerful constructive causes but also to avoid contrary forces that would cause those beneficial causes to degenerate.
The good actions required for accumulating these causes, or potencies, arise from a tamed mind, whereas bad actions arise from an untamed mind. Common beings like us have been accustomed to an untamed mind since beginningless time. Given this predisposition, we can conclude that actions performed with an untamed mind are more powerful for us and actions performed with a tamed mind are weaker. It is important to appreciate that this excellent life support of a human body that we now possess is a wholesome result of many powerful good actions from a tamed mind in the past. It was very difficult to gain, and, since it is very rare, you must take care to use it well, making sure that it is not wasted.
...If this human endowment, so difficult to attain, were stable and permanent--not prone to deterioration--there would be time later to make use of it. However, this life-support system is fragile and easily disintegrates from many external and internal causes. Aryadeva's "Four Hundred Stanzas on the Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas" says that once the body depends on the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, which themselves oppose each other, physical happiness is just an occasional balance of these elements, not an enduring harmony.
...So this human body is a precious endowment, potent and yet fragile. Simply by virtue of being alive, you are at a very important juncture, and carry a great responsibility. Powerful good can be achieved for yourself and others, so becoming distracted by the minor affairs of this lifetime would be a tremendous waste. You should make wishes to use this lifetime in this body effectively and make petitions to your guru, the three refuges, and other sources of help. In doing so, urge yourself on from the inside and seek assistance from the outside.....
In sum, since this human body, which supports your life, is beneficial, was difficult to gain, and easily disintegrates, you should use it for your benefit and that of others. Benefits come from a tamed mind: When your mind is peaceful, relaxed, and happy, external pleasures such as good food, clothing, and conversation make things even better, but their absence does not overpower you. If your mind is not peaceful and tamed, no matter how marvelous the external circumstances are, you will be burdened by frights, hopes, and fears. With a tamed mind, you will enjoy wealth or poverty, health or sickness, you can even die happily. With a tamed mind, having many friends is wonderful, but if you have no friends, it is all right, too. The root of your own happiness and welfare rests with a peaceful and tamed mind.
--from Mind of Clear Light: Advice on Living Well and Dying Consciously
February 16
As to what might be the mechanism through which karma plays a causal role in the evolution of sentience, I find helpful some of the explanations given in the Vajrayana traditions, often referred to by modern writers as esoteric Buddhism. According to the Guhyasamaja tantra, a principal tradition within Vajrayana Buddhism, at the most fundamental level, no absolute division can be made between mind and matter. Matter in its subtlest form is prana, a vital energy which is inseparable from consciousness. These two are different aspects of an indivisible reality. Prana is the aspect of mobility, dynamism, and cohesion, while consciousness is the aspect of cognition and the capacity for reflective thinking. So according to the Guhyasamaja tantra, when a world system comes into being, we are witnessing the play of this energy and consciousness reality.
...Despite the success of the Darwinian narrative, I do not believe that all the elements of the story are in place. To begin with, although Darwin's theory gives a coherent account of the development of life on this planet and the various principles underlying it, such as natural selection, I am not persuaded that it answers the fundamental question of the origin of life. Darwin himself, I gather, did not see this as an issue. Furthermore, there appears to be a certain circularity in the notion of "survival of the fittest." The theory of natural selection maintains that, of the random mutations that occur in the genes of a given species, those that promote the greatest chance of survival are most likely to succeed. However, the only way this hypothesis can be verified is to observe the characteristics of those mutations that have survived. So in a sense, we are stating simply this: "Because these genetic mutations have survived, they are the ones that had the greatest chance of survival."
From the Buddhist perspective, the idea of these mutations being purely random events is deeply unsatisfying for a theory that purports to explain the origin of life. ...One empirical problem in Darwinism's focus on the competitive survival of individuals, which is defined in terms of an organism's struggle for individual reproductive success, has consistently been how to explain altruism, whether in the sense of collaborative behavior, such as food sharing or conflict resolution among animals like chimpanzees or acts of self-sacrifice. There are many examples, not only among human beings but among other species as well, of individuals who put themselves in danger to save others.
...From the scientific view, the theory of karma may be a metaphysical assumption--but it is no more so than the assumption that all of life is material and originated out of pure chance.
--from The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
February 9
Dzogchen teaches that practice conducted with contriving, rough, fleeting minds cannot bring enlightenment. Only practice with the deep awareness of non-contriving rigpa--pure awareness--can bring us to the state of a Buddha. We can understand this in the same way as we do the statement that practice of the yoga class of tantras and below cannot bring us enlightenment by itself. The ultimate, deepest reason why it cannot is that the pathways of practice of these levels of teaching cannot by themselves make manifest the deep awareness of subtlest clear light mind. Without the manifestation of the deep awareness of clear light mind, we do not have the perpetrating causes for an enlightening body and enlightening mind of a Buddha--causes that are in the same uncommon category of phenomena as a Buddha's body and mind. Therefore, no matter how much we practice with pathway minds of yoga tantra and below, we are never able to attain to enlightenment on their basis alone.
...when we make clear light mind of deep awareness prominent or enhanced through techniques presented in the anuttarayoga tantra texts, and then transform it into the nature of being a pathway mind, only then do we have what can actualize an enlightening body and enlightening mind of a Buddha.
--from The Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
February 2
Thus, the suffering of everyone
Should be dispelled, and here there's no debate.
To free myself from pain means freeing all;
Contrariwise, I suffer with the pain of beings.
-from the Bodhicharyavatara by Shantideva
We might think, "If I meditate on compassion and think of the suffering of others, it will only add to the intense pain I already have." We only think like this because we are narrow-minded. If we do not want to help beings, then their suffering will be endless. But if we can develop a little compassion and make an effort to dispel the suffering of others, then that suffering will have an end. Without our taking the responsibility to help others, there can be no limit to suffering. When we develop a broad mind and feel compassion for others, this is vastly beneficial. Any small difficulties we might experience are worthwhile.
--from A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night
January 25 Question: If a person views the self and other phenomena as being empty of any inherent existence, is it then, in that state, possible for them to take any animate or inanimate phenomenon as their object, and through the power of imputation or words, enable that object to actually take on a manifesting role with the qualities which we view objects to have?
His Holiness the Dalai Lama: This is an instance of not properly understanding the meaning of "lack of inherent existence." If we think that "emptiness" means things cannot function, then, with an improper understanding of the view of emptiness, one will have fallen into nihilism. So, because one has failed to reconcile emptiness and the fact that things work, this view is incorrect. That is why it is said that the meaning of emptiness is to be understood in terms of dependent arising.
Now, since the meaning of emptiness is to be explained in terms of dependent arising, we can only explain something as arising dependently if there is a basis, that is, some thing that is dependent. Hence, such a basis must exist. We see then that when we speak of dependent arising, we are indicating that things work. Dependent arising proves that things have no inherent existence, through the fact that things work in dependence on each other. The fact that things work and the fact that they do so in dependence, one on the other, eliminates the possibility of their being independent. This in turn precludes the possibility of inherent existence, since, to inherently exist means to be independent. Hence, the understanding of emptiness, of the the emptiness of a kind of inherent existence that is independent, boils down to understanding dependent arising.
--from Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists
January 19
Some people feel that although it may be right to curb feelings of intense hatred which can cause us to be violent and even to kill, we are in danger of losing our independence when we restrain our emotions and discipline the mind. Actually, the opposite is true. Like their counterparts of love and compassion, anger and the afflictive emotions can never be used up. They have, rather, a propensity to increase, like a river flooding in summer when the snow melts, so that far from being free, our minds are enslaved and rendered helpless by them. When we indulge our negative thoughts and feelings, inevitably we become accustomed to them. As a result, gradually we become more prone to them and more controlled by them. And we become habituated to exploding in the face of displeasing circumstances.
Inner peace, which is the principal characteristic of happiness, and anger cannot coexist without undermining one another. Indeed, negative thoughts and emotions undermine the very causes of peace and happiness. In fact, when we think properly, it is totally illogical to seek happiness if we do nothing to restrain angry, spiteful, and malicious thoughts and emotions. Consider that when we become angry, we often use harsh words. Harsh words can destroy friendship. Since happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others, if we destroy friendships, we undermine one of the very conditions of happiness itself.
--from Ethics for the New Millennium
January 12 Selflessness in Context: Ultimate Bodhichitta
Let us return for a moment to the beginning of [the Heart] Sutra where the Buddha enters into the meditative absorption called "appearance of the profound" and Avalokiteshvara beholds the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom. Generally speaking, the expression "appearance of the profound" refers to the bodhisattva deeds, which are encompassed in the practice of the six perfections. Here, however, the expression refers particularly to the perfection of wisdom, known in Sanskrit as prajnaparamita. What the text means by "perfection of wisdom" is a direct, unmediated realization of emptiness that is also called "ultimate bodhichitta." This is not the direct realization of emptiness alone; rather it is this direct realization in union with bodhichitta--the aspiration to become a buddha in order to free all beings. This union of wisdom and method constitutes the first bhumi, or level of bodhisattva attainment.
The importance of this altruistic aspiration cannot be overstated. Bodhichitta is not only important as a motivating factor at the beginning of practice, it is also important as a complementary and a reinforcing factor during every stage of the path. The bodhichitta aspiration is twofold, comprised both of the wish to help others and of the wish to become enlightened so that one's assistance will be supremely effective.
--from Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama's Heart of Wisdom Teachings
January 4
In the frenzy of modern life we lose sight of the real value of humanity. People become the sum total of what they produce. Human beings act like machines whose function is to make money. This is absolutely wrong. The purpose of making money is the happiness of humankind, not the other way around. Humans are not for money, money is for humans. We need enough to live, so money is necessary, but we also need to realize that if there is too much attachment to wealth, it does not help at all. As the saints of India and Tibet tell us, the wealthier one becomes, the more suffering one endures.
...Eating, working, and making money are meaningless in themselves. However, even a small act of compassion grants meaning and purpose to our lives.
--from How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life
2007
December 25
When we compare two ancient spiritual traditions like Buddhism and Christianity, what we see is a striking similarity between the narratives of the founding masters: in the case of Christianity, Jesus Christ, and in the case of Buddhism, the Buddha. I see a very important parallel: in the very lives of the [founders] the essence of their teachings is demonstrated. For example... the essence of the Buddha's teaching is embodied in the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the path leading to this cessation. These Four Noble Truths are very explicitly and clearly exemplified in the life of... the Buddha himself. I feel [it] is the same with the life of Christ. If you look at the life of Jesus, you will see all the essential practices and teachings of Christianity exemplified. And in the lives of both Jesus Christ and the Buddha, it is only through hardship, dedication and commitment, and by standing firm on one's principles that one can grow spiritually and attain liberation. That seems to be a central and common message.
--from The Pocket Dalai Lama
December 21
...for the Christian practitioner, the Creator and the acceptance of the Creator as almighty, is a very important factor within that tradition in order to develop self-discipline, compassion, or forgiveness and to increase them in one's intimate relationship with God. That's something very essential. In addition, when God is seen as absolute and almighty, the concept that everything is relative becomes a little bit difficult. However, if one's understanding of God is in terms of an ultimate nature of reality or ultimate truth, then it is possible to have a kind of unified approach.
...As to one's personal religion, I think this must be based on one's own mental disposition.... Generally speaking, I think it is better to practice according to your own traditional background, and certainly you can use some of the Buddhist techniques. Without accepting rebirth theory or the complicated philosophy, simply use certain techniques to increase your power of patience and compassion, forgiveness, and things like that.
--from Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective
December 15
Buddha teaches that one should not practice extremes.... As Nagarjuna's "Precious Garland of Advice" says,
Practice is not done
By mortifying the body,
Since you have not forsaken injuring others
And are not helping others.
When you disregard the basic needs of the body, you harm the many sentient organisms that live within the body. You should also avoid the opposite extreme of living in great luxury. It is possible to make use of good food, clothing, residence, and furnishings without producing afflictive emotions such as attachment, pride, and arrogance. The crucial point is the control of internal factors such as lust and attachment; external factors are not in and of themselves good or bad. It is not suitable if attachment increases toward even mediocre food, clothing, and so forth.
For example: suppose I decide to make a black mug. To do this, I mix black clay and water, shape it to my liking, and fire the resulting mixture in an oven. Clay plus water turns into a mug because of my actions. But it exists because of the myriad different ways that atoms and molecules interact. And what about me, the creator of the black mug? If my parents had never met, the black mug might never have existed.
Contentment is the key. If you have contentment with material things, you are truly rich. Without it, even if you are a billionaire, you will not have happiness. You will always feel hungry and want more and more and more, making you not rich but poor. If you seek contentment externally, it will never happen. Your desire will never be fulfilled. Our texts speak of a king who gained control over the world, at which point he began thinking about taking over the lands of the gods. In the end his good qualities were destroyed by pride. Contentment is necessary for happiness, so try to be satisfied with adequate food, clothing, and shelter.
--from How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships
December 8
"Now let's look at ultimate reality," the Dalai Lama said, pointing a little finger to his mug. "What exactly is it? We're seeing color, shape. But if we take away shape, color, material, what is mug? Where is the mug? This mug is a combination of particles: atoms, electrons, quarks. But each particle is not 'mug.' The same can be said about the four elements, the world, everything. The Buddha. We cannot find the Buddha. So that's the ultimate reality. If we're not satisfied with conventional reality, if we go deep down and try to find the real thing, we ultimately won't find it."
Thus, the Dalai Lama was saying, the mug is empty. The term "mug" is merely a label, something we use to describe everyday reality. But each mug comes into existence because of a complex web of causes and conditions. It does not exist independently. It cannot come into being by itself, of its own volition.
For example: suppose I decide to make a black mug. To do this, I mix black clay and water, shape it to my liking, and fire the resulting mixture in an oven. Clay plus water turns into a mug because of my actions. But it exists because of the myriad different ways that atoms and molecules interact. And what about me, the creator of the black mug? If my parents had never met, the black mug might never have existed.
Therefore the mug does not exist independently. It comes into being only through a complex web of relationships. In the Dalai Lama's own words, and this is the key concept in his worldview, the mug is "dependently originated." It came to be a mug because of a host of different factors, not under its own steam. It is empty. "Empty" is shorthand for "empty of intrinsic, inherent existence." Or to put it another way, empty is another word for interdependent.
--from The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Intimate Conversations and Journeys
December 1
...In the Buddhist teachings, when we search for the causes of suffering, we find what is called 'the truth of the origin of suffering', namely that negative actions--karma--and the negative emotions that induce such actions are the causes of suffering.
Talking about causes, if we take a step further and investigate more deeply, we find that the cause alone is not sufficient for bringing about the results. Causes themselves have to come in contact with co-operative circumstances or conditions. For instance, say we search for a material or substantial cause for this plant, we will find that it has a continuity stretching back into beginningless time.
There are certain Buddhist texts that speak of space particles, existing before the evolution of this present universe. According to these texts, the space particles serve as the material and substantial cause for matter, such as this plant. Now if the essential and substantial cause for matter is traced to these space particles, which are all the same, how do we account for the diversity that we see in the material world? It is here that the question of conditions and circumstances comes into play. When these substantial causes come in contact with different circumstances and conditions, they give rise to different effects, that is, different kinds of matter. So we find that the cause alone is not sufficient for bringing about a result. What is required is an aggregation of many different conditions and circumstances.
Although you can find certain differences among the Buddhist philosophical schools about how the universe came into being, the basic common question addressed is how the two fundamental principles--external matter and internal mind or consciousness--although distinct, affect one another. External causes and conditions are responsible for certain of our experiences of happiness and suffering. Yet we find that it is principally our own feelings, our thoughts and our emotions, that really determine whether we are going to suffer or be happy.
--from Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection
November 24
[Preceding story: Before reaching enlightenment, the Buddha was born as Prince Visvantara, who, despite facing many challenges and adversity, brought all of his heart and courage to bear against a single enemy--human suffering.]
In giving we not only find wealth while in cyclic existence but we achieve the zenith of prosperity in supreme enlightenment. Therefore we all have to practice giving. A Bodhisattva's giving is not just overcoming miserliness and being generous to others; a pure wish to give is cultivated, and through developing more and more intimacy with it, such giving is enhanced infinitely. Therefore it is essential to have the firm mind of enlightenment rooted in great love and compassion and, from the depths of one's heart, to either give one's body, wealth and virtues literally to sentient beings as infinite as space, or to dedicate one's body, wealth and virtues for them while striving in all possible ways to enhance the wish to give infinitely. As mentioned in Engaging in Bodhisattva Activities and in The Precious Garland, we should literally give material help to the poor and needy, give teaching to others, and give protection to them, even the small insects, as much as we can. In the case of things which we are not able to part with, we should cultivate the wish to give them away and develop more and more intimacy with that wish.
--from Generous Wisdom: Commentaries by H.H. the Dalai Lama XIV on the Jatakamala
November 17
There is a Buddhist practice in which one imagines giving joy and the source of all joy to other people, thereby removing all their suffering. Though of course we cannot change their situation, I do feel that in some cases, through a genuine sense of caring and compassion, through our sharing in their plight, our attitude can help alleviate their suffering, if only mentally. However, the main point of this practice is to increase our inner strength and courage.
I have chosen a few lines that I feel would be acceptable to people of all faiths, and even to those with no spiritual belief. When reading these lines, if you are a religious practitioner, you can reflect upon the divine form that you worship. Then, while reciting these verses, make the commitment to enhance your spiritual values. If you are not religious, you can reflect upon the fact that, fundamentally, all beings are equal to you in their wish for happiness and their desire to overcome suffering. Recognizing this, you make a pledge to develop a good heart. It is most important that we have a warm heart. As long as we are part of human society, it is very important to be a kind, warm-hearted person.
May the poor find wealth,
Those weak with sorrow find joy.
May the forlorn find new hope,
Constant happiness and prosperity.
May the frightened cease to be afraid,
And those bound be free.
May the weak find power,
And may their hearts join in friendship.
November 10
Although there are as many categories of emptiness as there are types of phenomena, when you realize the emptiness of one specific phenomenon, you also realize the emptiness of all phenomena. The ultimate nature, or emptiness, of all phenomena is of equal taste and of the same undifferentiable nature. Even though the nature of emptiness of all phenomena is the same, and all the different aspects of phenomena, such as whether they are good or bad, or the way they change, arise from the sphere of emptiness, you should understand that emptiness cannot be found apart from the subject or the object.
Emptiness refers to an object's being free of intrinsic existence. Things depend on causes and conditions. This very dependence on causes and conditions signifies that phenomena lack independent, or intrinsic, existence. It also demonstrates how all the diverse aspects of things that we experience arise because they are by nature empty. When we talk about emptiness, we are not dealing with those different aspects, we are dealing with phenomena's ultimate reality.
--from Stages of Meditation
November 3
...when seeking work, or if you already have a job, it is important to keep in mind that a human being isn't meant to be some kind of machine designed only for production. No. Human life isn't just for work, like [a socialistic] vision where everyone's purpose is just to work for the state, and there is no individual freedom, where the state even arranges the person's vacations and everything is planned out for the individual. That is not a full human life. Individuality is very important for a full human life, and then accordingly some leisure time, a bit of holiday, and time spent with family or friends. That is the means to a complete form of life.... If your life becomes only a medium of production, then many of the good human values and characteristics will be lost--then you will not, you cannot, become a complete person.
So if you're looking for work and have a choice of a job, choose a job that allows the opportunity for some creativity, and for spending time with your family. Even if it means less pay, personally I think it is better to choose work that is less demanding, that gives you greater freedom, more time to be with your family, or to do other activities, read, engage in cultural activities, or just play. I think that's best.
--from The Art of Happiness at Work
October 27
...at Bodh Gaya, [Shakyamuni] displayed the ways of becoming fully enlightened. Then in stages he turned the three renowned wheels of doctrine.
In the first period, at Varanasi, Buddha turned the wheel of doctrine that is based on the four noble truths; he did this mainly in consideration of those having the lineage of Hearers (Sravaka). In the middle period, at Grdhrakuta, he set forth the middle wheel of doctrine, which is based on the mode of non-inherent existence of all phenomena; he did this mainly in consideration of trainees of sharp faculties who bear the Mahayana lineage. In the final period, at Vaisali, he set forth the final wheel [which is based on discriminating between those phenomena that do and those that do not truly exist]; he did this mainly in consideration of trainees of middling and lower faculties who bear the Mahayana lineage. The teacher Buddha also appeared in the body of Vajradhara, setting forth tantric doctrines.
--from The Buddhism of Tibet
October 19
We can see that there are many ways in which we actively contribute to our own experience of mental unrest and suffering. Although, in general, mental and emotional afflictions themselves can come naturally, often it is our own reinforcement of those negative emotions that makes them so much worse. For instance when we have anger or hatred towards a person, there is less likelihood of its developing to a very intense degree if we leave it unattended. However, if we think about the projected injustices done to us, the ways in which we have been unfairly treated, and we keep on thinking about them over and over, then that feeds the hatred. It makes the hatred very powerful and intense. Of course, the same can apply to when we have an attachment towards a particular person; we can feed that by thinking about how beautiful he or she is, and as we keep thinking about the projected qualities that we see in the person, the attachment becomes more and more intense. But this shows how through constant familiarity and thinking, we ourselves can make our emotions more intense and powerful.
We also often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, overreacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally. We tend to take small things too seriously and blow them up out of proportion, while at the same time we often remain indifferent to the really important things, those things which have profound effects on our lives and long-term consequences and implications.
So I think that to a large extent, whether you suffer depends on how you respond to a given situation.
--from The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
October 13
...We can't blame one individual for what happens in our world. I think we should blame our entire society. Society produces our leaders and politicians, and if we try to develop a more compassionate and affectionate society, we will have human beings with a more peaceful nature. Leaders, politicians, and businesspeople coming from such a society would offer hope for a better world. Our long-term responsibility--everyone's responsibility, whether they are believers or nonbelievers--is to find ways to promote a peaceful and compassionate society.
I think one way is quite simple. Each individual must try to ensure peace and compassion in his [or her] family. Put together ten peaceful, compassionate homes, or one hundred, and that's a community. The children in such a society would receive affection in their family and in their schools from the educators concerned. We might have one or two setbacks, but generally I think we could develop a sensible society. Sensible here means a sense of community, a sense of responsibility, and a sense of commitment.
--from Many Ways to Nirvana: Reflections and Advice on Right Living
October 6
When your mind is trained in self-discipline, even if you are surrounded by hostile forces, your peace of mind will hardly be disturbed. On the other hand, if your mind is undisciplined, your mental peace and calm can easily be disrupted by your own negative thoughts and emotions. The real enemy is within, not outside. Usually we define our enemy as a person, an external agent, whom we believe is causing harm to us or to someone we hold dear. But such an enemy is dependent on many conditions and is impermanent. One moment, the person may act as an enemy; at yet another moment, he or she may become your best friend. This is a truth that we often experience in our own lives. But negative thoughts and emotions, the inner enemy, will always remain the enemy. They are your enemy today, they have been your enemy in the past, and they will remain your enemy in the future as long as they reside within your mind.
This inner enemy is extremely dangerous. The destructive potential of an external enemy is limited when compared to that of its inner counterpart.... In a time when every country is a potential target for the nuclear weapons of others, human beings still continue to develop defense systems of greater and greater sophistication. I do not know if it will ever be possible to create a defense system capable of guaranteeing worldwide protection against all external forces of destruction. However, one thing is certain: as long as those destructive internal enemies of anger and hatred are left to themselves unchallenged, the threat of physical annihilation will always loom over us. In fact, the destructive power of an external enemy ultimately derives from the power of these internal forces. The inner enemy is the trigger that unleashes the destructive power of the external enemy.
Shantideva tells us that as long as these inner enemies remain secure within, there is great danger. Shantideva goes on to say that even if everyone in the world were to stand up against you as your enemies and harm you, as long as your own mind was disciplined and calm, they would not be able to disturb your peace. Yet a single instance of delusion arising in your mind has the power to disturb that peace and inner stability.
--from The Compassionate Life
September 29 Question: How can one work with deep fears most effectively?
Dalai Lama: There are quite a number of methods. The first is to think about actions and their effects. Usually when something bad happens, we say, "Oh, very unlucky," and when something good happens, we say, "Oh, very lucky." Actually, these two words, lucky and unlucky, are insufficient. There must be some reason. Because of a reason, a certain time became lucky or unlucky, but usually we do not go beyond lucky or unlucky. The reason, according to the Buddhist explanation, is our past karma, our actions.
One way to work with deep fears is to think that the fear comes as a result of your own actions in the past. Further, if you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.
Another technique is to investigate who is becoming afraid. Examine the nature of your self. Where is this I? Who is I? What is the nature of I? Is there an I besides my physical body and my consciousness? This may help.
Also, someone who is engaging in the Bodhisattva practices seeks to take others' suffering onto himself or herself. When you have fear, you can think, "Others have fear similar to this; may I take to myself all of their fears." Even though you are opening yourself to greater suffering, taking greater suffering to yourself, your fear lessens.
--from The Dalai Lama, A Policy of Kindness: An Anthology of Writings By and About the Dalai Lama
September 22
One time when I was giving an exposition on Nagarjuna's "Fundamentals of the Middle Way," which deals explicitly with the topic of emptiness, one student who did not have a prior background of learning in great treatises made a comment to another colleague. He said: 'Today's teaching was a little strange. His Holiness began with the presentation of the Buddha's path and built up the edifice one layer at a time. Then, all of a sudden, he started talking about emptiness and the absence of inherent existence, so that this whole edifice he had spent much time building was completely dismantled.' He couldn't really see the point. There is that danger. However, if we understand the importance of the need to generate wisdom into emptiness as a means of bringing about the cessation of the afflictions, particularly fundamental ignorance, then we recognise the value of deepening our realisation of emptiness. Also, as Dharmakirti points out, emotions such as loving kindness and compassion cannot directly challenge fundamental ignorance. It is only by cultivating insight into no-self that we can directly overcome our fundamental ignorance.
--from Lighting the Way
September 15
The five subtler aggregates* will eventually be transformed into the Buddhas of the five lineages. They are now as if accompanied by mental defilements. When the defilements are removed, these factors do not become any coarser or subtler; their nature remains, but [when they] become separated from the faults of mental pollution, they become the Buddhas of the five lineages. So if you ask whether the Buddhas of the five lineages are present now in our continuums, these factors are currently bound by faults, and since there cannot be a Buddha who has a fault, they are not Buddhas. One is not yet fully enlightened, but that which is going to become a Buddha is present; therefore, these factors presently existent in our continuums are Buddha seeds and are called the Buddha nature, or the essence of the One Gone Thus (Tathagatagarbha).
* The five consituents that are included within a person's continuum--earth, water, fire, wind, and space--that will be purified into the five Buddha lineages [the exalted manifestations of these constituents].
--from Kindness, Clarity, and Insight
September 8
Buddhists take a vow of morality in the context of first taking refuge--in Buddha, in the states of realization, and in the spiritual community. Refuge is the foundation for the practice of morality. Buddha teaches us how to find refuge from suffering and limitation, but the chief refuge, or source of protection, is found in the states of realization achieved through practicing morality, concentrated meditation, and wisdom.
...A lama from the Drukpa Kagyu tradition and I were very close. We met frequently and always used to joke, teasing each other back and forth. On one occasion I asked him about his spiritual experience. He told me that when he was young, he was staying with his lama who had him perform the preliminary practice of making a hundred thousand prostrations to the Buddha, the doctrine, and the spiritual community. Early in the morning and late in the evening he had to make prostrations on a low platform the length of his body. His lama was meditating in the dark in the next room; so to trick him into thinking he was making prostrations he would tap with his knuckles on the prostration platform. Years later, after his lama passed away, he was taking a meditation retreat in a cave, during which he recalled his lama's great kindness over years of training him, and he wept and wept. He almost fainted, but then experienced the clear light, which he continuously practiced. Subsequently, after successful meditations he occasionally would remember past lives in vivid reflections before him.
--from How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life
August 31
Attachment increases desire, without producing any satisfaction. There are two types of desire, unreasonable and reasonable. The first is an affliction founded on ignorance, but the second is not. To live, you need resources; therefore, desire for sufficient material things is appropriate. Such feelings as, "This is good; I want this. This is useful," are not afflictions. It is also desirable to achieve altruism, wisdom, and liberation. This kind of desire is suitable; indeed, all human development comes out of desire, and these aspirations do not have to be an affliction.
...when you have attachment to material things, it is best to desist from those very activities that promote more attachment. Satisfaction is helpful when it comes to material things, but not with respect to spiritual practice. Objects to which we become attached are something to be discarded, whereas spiritual progress is something to be adopted--it can be developed limitlessly, even in old age.
--from How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships
August 25
...mistakenly apprehending inherent existence in all phenomena serves as the root of all other delusions...
The opponent force powerful enough to eliminate the delusions should be a wisdom which combines calm abiding and special insight. In order to cultivate an advanced meditative stabilization that is free of both subtle mental sinking and mental excitement, first of all there should be a basis: the practice of morality, an abstaining from negative actions. Therefore, the path leading to liberation is comprised of the three higher trainings: the training of morality as the foundation, the training of meditative stabilization as the complementing factor, and the actual path which is the training of wisdom. By enhancing the practice of wisdom and by developing it to its fullest extent, you will be able to eliminate totally the delusions, particularly ignorance which misapprehends the mode of being of phenomena.
--from The Path to Bliss
August 18
How can we eliminate the deepest source of all unsatisfactory experience? Only by cultivating certain qualities within our mindstream. Unless we possess high spiritual qualifications, there is no doubt that the events life throws upon us will give rise to frustration, emotional turmoil, and other distorted states of consciousness. These imperfect states of mind in turn give rise to imperfect activities, and the seeds of suffering are ever planted in a steady flow. On the other hand, when the mind can dwell in the wisdom that knows the ultimate mode of being, one is able to destroy the deepest root of distortion, negative karma and sorrow.
--from The Path to Enlightenment
August 11
I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we may succeed in building a better world through human understanding and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.
--from His Holiness' Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, Oslo, December 1989, excerpted from The Pocket Dalai Lama compiled and edited by Mary Craig
August 4
...though the emptiness of an impure phenomenon and the emptiness of a pure phenomenon are the same, there is a difference. What is the difference? The continuum of an impure substratum will later cease, not existing in Buddhahood, whereas a pure substratum's continuum of similar type will exist right through Buddhahood. Since the deity as whom you are imaginatively meditating yourself is a divine figure that exists in the state of Buddhahood when all defilements have been abandoned, this substratum is, for your imagination, pure.
Hence, it is important when doing deity yoga to put great effort into:
working at realizing emptiness as much as you can
then imagining that the wisdom realizing emptiness appears itself as a compassionately directed divine body with a face, arms, and so forth
and then taking this divine figure as the substratum and continuously meditating on its emptiness.
July 28
If you are able to think about the meaning of cyclic existence in general and human life in particular, then it is possible to discipline the mind through religious practice which is the process of becoming peaceful and anxiety-free. Otherwise, if too much emphasis is put on the sufferings of the hells and the imminence of death, there is a chance of falling into paralysing fear. There is a story in Tibet about an abbot of a monastery who went to give a discourse. A fellow asked the abbot's servant where the abbot had gone, and the servant said, "He has gone to frighten old men and women." If you fulfil the value of a human lifetime through engaging in religious practice, then there is no point in worrying about death.
--from Tantra in Tibet
July 21
...all four tantra sets make use of deity yoga, the special tantric means for amassing the collections of merit and wisdom quickly. Highest Yoga Tantra has, in addition, techniques for generating subtler minds that realise emptiness and for using the winds or currents of energy that are the mounts of these subtler minds as the substantial cause of an actual divine body. Through this enhancement of the wisdom consciousness the obstructions to omniscience are quickly removed and Buddhahood is attained.
In the three lower tantras—Action, Performance, and Yoga—deity yoga is used to bring about the speedy achievement of many common feats and to come directly under the care of Buddhas and high Bodhisattvas, receiving their blessings, and so forth. This is done through a threefold process known as prior approximation, effecting the achievement of feats, and using the feats in the performance of activities for the welfare of others.
--from Deity Yoga in Action and Performance Tantra
July 14
The wisdom that realizes emptiness, that has gained insight into the nature of reality, is of varying kinds, depending upon the level of subtlety of the consciousness perceiving the emptiness. In general, there are rough levels of consciousness, more subtle levels, and then the innermost subtle level of consciousness. It is the uncommon characteristic of Tantric practice that through it one can evoke this most subtle consciousness at will and put it to use in a most effective way. For example, when emptiness is realized by this subtlest level of mind, it is more powerful, having a much greater effect on the personality.
In order to activate or make use of the more subtle levels of consciousness, it is necessary to block the rougher levels--the rougher or grosser levels must cease. It is through specifically Tantric practices, such as the meditations on the chakras and the channels, that one can control and temporarily abandon the rougher levels of consciousness. When these become suppressed, the subtler levels of consciousness become active. And it is through the use of the subtlest level of consciousness that the most powerful spiritual realizations can come about. Hence, it is through the Tantric practice involving the most subtle consciousness that the goal of enlightenment can most quickly be realized.
--from Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists
July 6
I always believe that each individual human being has some kind of responsibility for humanity as a whole....
Through my own profession, I try my best to contribute as much as I can. This proceeds without my being concerned whether another person agrees with my philosophy or not. Some people may be very much against my belief, my philosophy, but I feel all right. So long as I see that a human being suffers or has needs, I shall contribute as much as I can to contribute to their benefit.
--from Consciousness at the Crossroads: Conversations with The Dalai Lama on Brain Science and Buddhism
June 29
The ability to look at events from different perspectives can be very helpful. Then, practicing this, one can use certain experiences, certain tragedies, to develop a calmness of mind. One must realize that every phenomenon, every event, has different aspects. Everything is of a relative nature. For example, in my own case, I lost my country. From that viewpoint, it is very tragic--and there are even worse things. There's a lot of destruction happening in our country. That's a very negative thing. But if I look at the same event from another angle, I realize that as a refugee, I have another perspective. As a refugee there is no need for formalities, ceremony, protocol. If everything were status quo, if things were okay, then on a lot of occasions you merely go through the motions; you pretend. But when you are passing through desperate situations, there's no time to pretend. So from that angle, this tragic experience has been very useful to me. Also, being a refugee creates a lot of new opportunities for meeting with many people. People from different religious traditions, from different walks of life, those whom I may not have met had I remained in my country. So in that sense it's been very, very useful.
It seems that often when problems arise, our outlook becomes narrow. All of our attention may be focused on worrying about the problem, and we may have a sense that we're the only one that is going through such difficulties. This can lead to a kind of self-absorption that can make the problem seem very intense. When this happens, I think that seeing things from a wider perspective can definitely help--realizing, for instance, that there are many other people who have gone through similar experiences, and even worse experiences. This practice of shifting perspective can even be helpful in certain illnesses or when in pain. At the time the pain arises it is of course often very difficult, at that moment, to do formal meditation practices to calm the mind. But if you can make comparisons, view your situation from a different perspective, somehow something happens. If you only look at that one event, then it appears bigger and bigger. If you focus too closely, too intensely, on a problem when it occurs, it appears uncontrollable. But if you compare that event with some other greater event, look at the same problem from a distance, then it appears smaller and less overwhelming.
--from The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
June 23
It is possible to understand the Buddhist teachings as a method of psychological healing, comparable to psychotherapy, that teaches us how we can master destructive forces like anger, envy, and greed. Human beings seem to be a bundle of different qualities and psychological processes. We should attentively examine our qualities and be alertly aware of our experiences in order to recognize what we truly feel and think. At the same time, the personality of human beings is not seen as a unified whole. According to these teachings, the heart of consciousness is composed of various elements, the five types of attachment, or skandhas: body, sensations, perceptions, instinctual forces, and consciousness.
These inner forces impart the false concept of an ego-consciousness. The basic problem of emotional disorders therefore lies in a false concept of identity. This I-blindness should therefore be abolished through self-study.... The goal is not self-realization but selflessness.
--from Path of Wisdom, Path of Peace
June 16
We can experience things without confusion and without being tense. Even the most disturbed, nervous person has moments of clarity and calmness--even if only when he or she is peacefully asleep and dreaming pleasant or innocuous dreams. This demonstrates that confusion and tension are not integral parts of the nature of mind. Thus
