Someone who has acted carelessly,
But later becomes careful and attentive,
Is as beautiful as the bright moon emerging from the clouds.
~ Nagarjuna
When you don’t have obsession,
When you don’t have hang-ups,
when you don’t have inhibition,
When you are not afraid,
You will be breaking certain rules.
When you are not afraid
You will not fulfill somebody’s expectations.
What more enlightenment do you want.
That’s it. ~Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty – they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. ~Freshmorningquotes
Our misery or happiness depends on how we react to external events and internal thoughts. We judge and label everything based on our reactions. Sometimes our reactions are so strong that they destroy us. But the real problem is in not understanding that reactions themselves come and go based on ever-changing circumstances. ~ 17th Karmapa
To live as equals with others requires a wide range of experience. The wise have much experience and fools have little. To gain experience, you need to go through good and bad times. How can you grow if your experiences are always the same? Anything that happens, good or bad, can be constructive in the end — as long as you learn something useful from it. So when you face difficulties, don’t feel too bad! ~17th Karmapa
Follow then the shining ones, the wise, the awakened, the loving, for they know how to work and forbear. ~Buddha
They are not following dharma who resort to violence to achieve their purpose. But those who lead others through nonviolent means, knowing right and wrong, may be called guardians of the dharma. ~Buddha
Knowing that the other person is angry, one who remains mindful and calm acts for his one’s own best interest as well as for the other’s interest. ~ Buddha
Those who cause me suffering
Are like Buddhas bestowing their blessings.
Since they lead me to liberating paths,
Why should I get angry with them?
“Don’t they obstruct your virtuous practice?”
No! There is no virtuous practice greater than patience;
Therefore, I will never get angry
With those who cause me suffering.
If, because of my own shortcomings,
I do not practice patience with my enemy,
It is not he, but I, who prevents me from practicing patience,
The cause of accumulating merit.
—Shantideva
The Buddha is the Dhamma; the Dhamma is the Buddha. He didn’t take away the knowledge he awakened to. He left it right here. To put it in simple terms, it’s like the teachers in schools. They haven’t been teachers from birth. They had to study the course of study for teachers before they could be teachers, teaching in school and getting paid. After a while, they’ll die away — away from being teachers. But you can say that in a way the teachers don’t die. The qualities that make people into teachers remain right here. It’s the same with the Buddha. The noble truths that made him the Buddha still remain right here. They haven’t run off anywhere at all. ~Ajahn Chah
“In Simple Terms: 108 Dhamma Similes”, by Ajahn Chah
translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 2 November 2013
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