Favorite Quotes from Buddha.

[C T]

Veiled by ignorance,

The minds of man and Buddha
Appear to be different;
Yet in the realm of Mind Essence
They are both of one taste.
Sometimes they will meet each other
In the great Dharmadhatu.

(Milarepa)

 

 

But really this mind of ours is already unmoving and peaceful - really peaceful!

Just like a leaf which is still as long as no wind blows. If a wind comes up, the leaf flutters.

The fluttering is due to the wind - the 'fluttering' of the mind is due to those sense impressions;

the mind follows them. If it doesn't follow them, it doesn't flutter. If we know fully the true nature

of sense impressions, we can be unconcerned.

(Ajahn Chah)

 

 

Freedom in this moment so often entails an acceptance of the inherent uncertainty of the next moment

and a disregard of the deeply disconcerting sense of groundlessness that always accompanies the unknown.

(Paramito Ladakh)

Edited January 24, 2015 by C T

[C T]

You can practice anywhere because the mind is with you everywhere.

If you think good thoughts while sitting, you can be aware of them;

if you think bad thoughts you can be aware of them also,

because the place to practice is in the mind.

 

(Ajahn Chah)

[C T]

Born out of ignorance, “I” will age, sicken and die, and will thus offer no refuge from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief or despair. The real refuge lies in the unborn awareness, which does not age, sicken or die, and which offers no surface upon which the shadows of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief or despair may be cast.

(Tharchin Zangpo)

[C T]

All contentions come to cessation in the unifying awareness of awakened mind. - Tharchin Zangpo

[C T]

I have described a rough outline of the practice. You as the practitioners must avoid getting caught in doubts. Don't doubt about the way of practice. When there is happiness, watch the happiness. When there is suffering, watch the suffering. Having established awareness, make the effort to destroy both of them. Let them go. Cast them aside. Know the object of mind and keep letting it go. Whether you want to do sitting or walking meditation it doesn't matter. If you keep thinking, never mind. The important thing is to sustain moment to moment awareness of the mind. If you are really caught in mental proliferation, then gather it all together, and contemplate it in terms of being one whole, cutting it off right from the start, saying, "All these thoughts, ideas and imaginings of mine are simply thought proliferation and nothing more. It's all aniccam, dukkham and anatta. None of it is certain at all." Discard it right there.

Ajahn Chah

[C T]

Five faultless gifts

"There are these five gifts, five great gifts — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans. Which five?

"There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans...

 

"Furthermore, abandoning taking what is not given (stealing), the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking what is not given. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the second gift...

 

"Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the third gift...

 

"Furthermore, abandoning lying, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from lying. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the fourth gift...

 

"Furthermore, abandoning the use of intoxicants, the disciple of the noble ones abstains from taking intoxicants. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the fifth gift, the fifth great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans."

— AN 8.39

Edited January 31, 2015 by C T

[C T]

We train the mind such that it simply realises its own nature.

 

As Jowo Jé Palden Atisha (982-1054 CE) states: “Of all that we perceive as forms and sounds there is nothing that does not arise in the mind. To realise that the mind is awareness indivisible from emptiness is the View. Keeping this realisation in mind at all times, and never being distracted from it, is Meditation. To practice the two accumulations (merit and wisdom) as a magical illusion from within that state is Action. If you make a living experience of this practice, it will continue in your dreams. If it comes in the dream state, it will come at the moment of death. And if it comes at the moment of death, it will come in the intermediate state. If it comes in the intermediate state, you may be certain of attaining the supreme accomplishment.”

[C T]

"Phenomena adorn emptiness, but never corrupt it. If you have a thorough understanding of the way phenomena appear through dependent arising, it will not be difficult for you to understand the view of emptiness while remaining in meditation. On arising from such a meditation and entering the path of action, you will recognize clearly the direct relationship between actions and their results. This will enable you to discriminate easily between positive and negative actions."

-- Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

 

 

"Relative truth and absolute truth are two aspects of the same nature. On the relative level, there are concepts and there is duality: subject and object, positive and negative, joy and suffering. Do not ignore this. Do not impose your realization of the absolute truth onto the relative truth. At the same time, you should not use the concepts of the relative truth to try to figure out the absolute truth. That is playing games, and the absolute truth is not attainable through concepts. Cultivate wide-open wisdom that is nondual and free of concepts in order to experience the absolute truth. Unite this effortlessly and beautifully with the relative truth, and there will be no conflicts. Blend it all into a single state. This is how we stay focused, discover our innate nature, and benefit ourselves and others."

-- Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
Pointing Out the Nature of Mind:
Dzogchen Pith Instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne (86)

 

 

Having taken birth once again in this round of discontent, dis-ease and dissatisfaction (dukkha), one who wisely reflects on the natural processes of ageing, sickness and death enters upon, and establishes him/herself in, the contemplative way of the samaṇa: One who relinquishes the conventional pursuits and obligations of social life in order to fully realise an awakened way of life that is perfectly “attuned” (sama) to the ways of nature.

-- Tharchin~Zangpo

[C T]

Awareness is your refuge:
Awareness of the changingness of feelings,
of attitudes, of moods, of material change
and emotional change:
Stay with that, because it's a refuge that is
indestructible.
It's not something that changes.
It's a refuge you can trust in.
This refuge is not something that you create.
It's not a creation. It's not an ideal.
It's very practical and very simple, but
easily overlooked or not noticed.
When you're mindful,
you're beginning to notice,
it's like this.

 

- Ajahn Sumedho

[C T]

[taoismtaoism]

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

 

That one is my favourite

[C T]

"The Mind is neither large nor small; it is located neither within nor without. It should not be thought about by the mind nor be discussed by the mouth. Ordinarily it is said that we use the mind to transmit the Mind, or that we use the mind to seal the Mind. Actually, however, in transmitting the Mind there is really no Mind to receive or obtain, and in sealing the Mind there is really no Mind to seal. If this is the case, then does the Mind exist or does it not exist?" ~ Huang Po

[C T]

As in Dreams ~ 
 

Thoughts are just thoughts. Feelings are just feelings. Sensations are just sensations. They come and go in waking life as quickly and easily as they do in dreams.

 

~ Mingyur Rinpoche

from the book "The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness"

[C T]

"In Vajrayana Buddhism it is said that wisdom is inherent in emotions. When we struggle against our energy we reject the source of wisdom. Anger without the fixation is none other than clear-seeing wisdom. Pride without fixation is experienced as equanimity. The energy of passion when it's free of grasping is wisdom that sees all the angles."

 

~ Ani Pema Chodron, THE PLACES THAT SCARE YOU (2001)

[C T]

The joyful heart is clear, creative and complete; fresh, fertile and free; awake, attentive and always accessible in the timeless spaciousness of this ineffable moment. ~ Paramito Ladakh

[Tibetan_Ice]

It appears that Buddha has many mouths.

It is too much for most to stick to the topic.

There is only one river, but many things are found floating downstream...

 

[C T]

It appears that Buddha has many mouths.

It is too much for most to stick to the topic.

There is only one river, but many things are found floating downstream...

 

Maybe because there are many buddhas. The OP didn't specify Gautama quotes. 

[C T]

A fundamental sense of opportunity ~ 17th Karmapa

 

When Buddhism talks about emptiness, it is not talking about a type of non-existence whatsoever, but rather the teachings on emptiness point to the notion of possibility, that anything can happen. The teachings on emptiness are about a fundamental sense of opportunity that is a part of reality, a fundamental presence of a gap or a space in which anything can occur. So this is the basic notion behind the Buddhist teachings on emptiness and dependent arising. And these teachings on dependent arising are present in all of the different vehicles in Buddhism, both the greater vehicle and the foundational vehicle.

[Marblehead]

Amazing that I was drawn to this thread and lo and behold I see an understanding that I have in my own way tried to express but never was successful at it.

[3bob]

concerning #68: the explanation is nice but half-baked or incomplete - for if "anything could happen" then that would include horrific, non-dharmic violence whereas the Buddhist teachings speak of the over-coming and mastery of such in the vicinity and luminosity of a true Buddha...  

Edited March 17, 2015 by 3bob

[Marblehead]

... half-baked or incomplete ...

Okay, so I'm half-baked and incomplete.  That's good too.

[C T]

concerning #68: the explanation is nice but half-baked or incomplete - for if "anything could happen" then that would include horrific, non-dharmic violence whereas the Buddhist teachings speak of the over-coming and mastery of such in the vicinity and luminosity of a true Buddha...  

Frankly i find your comments quite bizarre at times, 3Bob. A quote is just that... a quote. Its entirely up to the reader to bake it well or not, just like cooking - you have the ingredients there, and if you know what to do with them, something nice and tasty will result. If it turns out unsatisfactorily, don't go blaming the ingredients. 

[3bob]

if a quote has gapping holes in it there is nothing bizarre about pointing them out per most rational standards... where as glossing over things without any critical thinking (which btw is not something suggested in most wisdom teachings) tends to be much more problematic. 

Edited March 18, 2015 by 3bob

[Seeker of Wisdom]

...

So when someone says to you 'anything could happen!' you take it completely literally? You must understand the concept of figures of speech. Besides, the quote said nothing about Buddhas and what they do. It was just about emptiness, and how it allows change.

 

Honestly, if you go looking for holes in things to fulfil your blatant anti-Buddhist agenda, you will find them simply because you want to so much. Consciously or otherwise, if you have an agenda to meet you can straw-man anything, any way you like.

[Marblehead]

I have to defend 3bob here.  He and I have had our differences, that's for sure.  But he enjoys taking alternates views of a concept.  He regularly defends Buddism against nay sayers (like me sometimes).

 

In his post in question he was pointing out that there really are limits as to what could happen.  Buddhism really is an optimistic belief system so it anticipates that good things will happen.

 

I likely shouldn't even be posting in this thread but like I said, whatever the cause, I was drawn here to view that one post.