Buddhist Wisdom

[ajay0]

Our very own awareness is itself fundamentally pure and good. The only problem is that we get so caught up in the ups and downs of life that we don’t take the time to pause and notice what we already have.

Don’t forget to make space in your life to recognize the richness of your basic nature, to see the purity of your being and let its innate qualities of love, compassion and wisdom naturally emerge.

Nurture this recognition as you would a small seedling. Allow it to grow and flourish. ~ Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche



"The basic nature of all conscious beings is 'self-existing wakefulness'.
Self-existing meaning spontaneous or without effort and wakefulness meaning natural awareness.

To ignore our basic nature, is to wander in fear and confusion,
to directly realize our essential nature is to be Enlightened." ~ Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

 

[ajay0]

Mindfulness is nonconceptual awareness. Another English term for sati is “bare attention.” It is not thinking. It does not get involved with thought or concepts. It does not get hung up on ideas or opinions or memories. It just looks. Mindfulness registers experiences, but it does not compare them. It does not label them or categorize them. It just observes everything as if it was occurring for the first time. It is not analysis that is based on reflection and memory. It is, rather, the direct and immediate experiencing of whatever is happening, without the medium of thought. It comes before thought in the perceptual process. ~ Henepola Gunaratana


Mindfulness is present-moment awareness. It takes place in the here and now. It is the observance of what is happening right now, in the present. It stays forever in the present, perpetually on the crest of the ongoing wave of passing time. ~ Henepola Gunaratana

 

[ajay0]

Mindfulness is here for you, but you must use it, or it remains a valuable quality wasted. ~ Ora Nadrich


Mindfulness helps us, and we need it. We must not be so arrogant to think we can stay present and alert in every moment. We can’t. ~ Ora Nadrich


Mindfulness helps us stay right here, even when it’s uncomfortable staying right here, and this is something very important for us to learn. We must discipline our mind to be present, aware, and focused, even when we would rather do anything but that. ~ Ora Nadrich

 

[ajay0]

“Within all of us is a limitless pool, an Inner Wealth, that we can tap into to help achieve this state of awareness, this state of peace. This Inner Wealth is vast, with all of the understanding that we will ever need. There are many ways that we can access or reveal this Inner Wealth: through meditation, contemplation, or simply trying to breathe and calm the mind.” ~ Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa.


“In Buddhist terms, the absolute peace is enlightenment, but this state of awareness is available and open to all.” ~ Thaye Dorje

 

[ajay0]

There are many thoughts that always arise, but thoughts are impermanent; they come and go. The mind from which they arise, however, abides like space; it never comes and goes. It is always there, it has always been there, and it will always be there. It is like space, or a vast ocean, or a mirror. It never goes anywhere, just like space.

Therefore, do not cling to the temporary thoughts. No matter how much you cling to them you cannot actually hold on to them, as they are impermanent by nature. Rather, observe that which never goes away, the clear knowing awareness that recognizes all the thoughts arising. This awareness is the Buddha within you; it is your true nature. Whatever thoughts arise, negative thoughts, sadness, afflictive emotions, do not follow them but continue to observe with mindfulness. ~ Garchen Rinpoche



When this mindfulness is sustained, arising thoughts will naturally dissipate without the need to abandon them. This awareness must be upheld, not only in meditation sessions, but also during all your activities. No matter what you experience, happiness or suffering, it does not affect your awareness; it always is as it is. This nature is Buddha nature, and every being has it.~ Garchen Rinpoche

 

[ajay0]

"The practice of mindfulness is something that you can apply anywhere. It goes with you no matter where you are - it is a wonderful friend."~ 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje


"We can not control all of the conflict in our world, but we can control our response to it." ~ 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Dorje Trinlay Thaye Dorje


"Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choices. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom. You don't have to be swept away by your feeling. You can respond with wisdom and kindness rather than habit and reactivity." ~ Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

 

[ajay0]

To be mindful doesn’t mean to become emotionally intense or to stir up hosts of concepts in order to watch what we are thinking or doing. On the contrary, the mind is relaxed and calm, and therefore sharply aware of every event as it is, without conceptual and emotional struggle. ~ Tulku Thondup

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When we notice that our mind is wandering, we should gently but firmly bring ourselves back to the present and to what we are doing. ~ Tulku Thondup

 

[ajay0]

Without self awareness, you are technically not involved in the practice of dharma. In that sense, dharma practice is not similar to fixing an object with manual skill, something that does not necessarily require analysis and self awareness. Dharma practice must involve your own self awareness of your experience.

As you find out what is taking place in your mind, you follow up by applying the teachings themselves with an accurate measurement until mind is resolved, until your pain is lessened, until you are free to move on in a healthy state of mind, carrying no baggage of the past, harboring no fear that the baggage will return in the future. ~ Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

 

[ajay0]

Sometimes you might doubt that all sentient beings have buddha-nature. You might find it hard to imagine that this potential for compassion exists in everyone when violence, massacres, genocide, and “ethnic cleansing” are happening throughout the world. You might even begin to believe that human nature is basically evil. But this is not the case.

If, through introspection and meditation, you look deeply at the mind itself, you will apprehend the most fundamental aspect of consciousness, pure awareness. This nature of mind remains unspoiled even though obscuring emotions might temporarily cover it. ~ Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche



Buddha means awareness, the awareness of body and mind that prevents evil from arising in either. ~ Bodhidharma

 

[Wu Wei]

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. --Dalai Lama


The very purpose of our life is happiness, which is sustained by hope. We have no guarantee about the future, but we exist in the hope of something better. Hope means keeping going, thinking, ‘I can do this.’ It brings inner strength, self-confidence , the ability to do what you do honestly, truthfully and transparently. --Dalai Lama

 

[Wu Wei]

Intoxicants take you away from reality; meditation takes you toward reality. Which do you want? You are already intoxicated by ignorance, anger, and attachment and suffer as a result. Why do you want to take more intoxicants? - Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron,

 

[ajay0]

“The mind at this moment is very heavily and completely conditioned by many external as well as internal hindrances. Our mind is first of all, not under the control of ourselves and secondly, at present our mind does not have the capacity to remain attentive and concentrate.”~ Samdhong Rinpoche


“Meditation is to restore the mind’s ability to concentrate, attend, and to have mindfulness and bring to control in a way to use and command our mind according to our own choice or our own wish.” ~ Samdhong Rinpoche

 

[ajay0]

To be mindful doesn't mean to become emotionally intense or to stir up hosts of concepts in order to watch what we are thinking or doing.

On the contrary, the mind is relaxed and calm, and therefore sharply aware of every event as it is, without conceptual and emotional struggle. ~ Tulku Thondup


“Reality cannot be caught by thinking or feeling mind.” ~ Shunryu Suzuki


The cultivation of mindfulness helps us wake up to things as they are rather than as we would like them to be. And as we wake up to truth, to reality, we become a force for universal awakening, working with what actually is, not delusive fictions. ~ Lama Surya Das


“Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” ~ Thich Nhãt Hanh

 

[ajay0]

Mindfulness is a mental activity that in due course eliminates all suffering. ~ Ayya Khema


If you have time to be mindful, you have time to meditate. ~ Ajahn Chah


Mindfulness is life. Whenever we don’t have mindfulness, when we are heedless, it’s as if we are dead.~ Ajahn Chah

 

[ajay0]

“All wholesome words, deeds, and thoughts have mindfulness as their root.” ~ Henepola Gunaratana


“Right effort” is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake each moment. ~ Ajahn Chah

 

[Wu Wei]

Do not become annoyed when faced with difficulties. To do so merely adds difficulty to difficulty and further disturbs your mind.
- Master Sheng Yen

 

[Wu Wei]

The past has already been lived. It doesn’t have to be relived. To sacrifice the present and the future by reliving past injuries is not the way of the sages. - Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche,

 

[ajay0]

Why chase after thoughts, which are superficial ripples of present awareness? Rather look directly into the naked, empty nature of thoughts; then there is no duality, no observer, and nothing observed. Simply rest in this transparent, nondual present awareness. Make yourself at home in the natural state of pure presence, just being, not doing anything in particular. ~ Jamgon Kongtrul


When we let our mind relax, a moment will come when we rest without thoughts. This stable state is like an ocean without waves. Within this stability a thought arises. This thought is like a wave which forms on the surface of the ocean. When we leave this thought alone, do nothing with it, not "seizing" it, it subsides by itself into the mind where it came from. ~ Bokar Rinpoche


“Try to rest in the present moment, free of concepts. Watch the nature of the gap between thoughts, which is free from mental constructs. Gradually extend the interval between the disappearance of one thought and the emergence of the next. Remain in a state of simplicity that is free of mental constructs, yet perfectly aware; beyond effort, yet alert and mindful.” ~ Matthieu Ricard ( Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill)

 

[ajay0]

A sensation appears, and liking or disliking begins. This fleeting moment, if we are unaware of it, is repeated and intensified into craving and aversion, becoming a strong emotion that eventually overpowers the conscious mind. We become caught up in the emotion, and all our better judgment is swept aside. The result is that we find ourselves engaged in unwholesome speech and action, harming ourselves and others. We create misery for ourselves, suffering now and in the future, because of one moment of blind reaction.

But if we are aware at the point where the process of reaction begins—that is, if we are aware of the sensation—we can choose not to allow any reaction to occur or to intensify.~ S.N.Goenka


We observe the sensation without reacting, neither liking nor disliking it. It has no chance to develop into craving or aversion, into powerful emotion that can overwhelm us; it simply arises and passes away. The mind remains balanced, peaceful. We are happy now, and we can anticipate happiness in the future, because we have not reacted. This ability not to react is very valuable. ~ S.N.Goenka

 

[ajay0]

By developing awareness and equanimity, one can liberate oneself from suffering. Suffering begins because of ignorance of one's own reality. In the darkness of this ignorance, the mind reacts to every sensation with liking and disliking, craving and aversion. Every such reaction creates suffering now and sets in motion a chain of events that will bring nothing but suffering in the future. ~ S.N.Goenka


When we are aware of the sensations within the body, and at the same time maintain equanimity, in those moments the mind is free. ~ S.N.Goenka


Balance of mind is always helpful and will give the best results. ~ S.N.Goenka