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Excerpts
Why Choose Sickness Over Indulgence?
Dec. 30 | How much better is itto be known fordoing well by manythan for living extravagantly?— Musonius Rufus [From ‘On Furnishings’]: I would choose sickness rather than luxury, for sickness harms only the body, but luxury destroys...
It Is Easier To Be Born In Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land
Nov. 11 | I prostrate to Amitabha, leader of humans and gods.Through compassion you always see each migrator as your own child.Remembering you just once leaves fear of the Lord of Death far behind.May you eminent activities for migrators be glorious and without...
To What Extent Should The Dharma Be Protected? 护法应当到什么程度？
Sep. 23 | 于诸佛净戒，护持如明珠。— 释迦牟尼佛《梵网经菩萨戒本》Of all the Buddhas’ pure precepts,protect and uphold them like bright pearls.— Śākyamuni Buddha (Brahma Net Sūtra’s Bodhisattva Precepts) The...
That One Should Disdain Hardships
Sep. 9 | You will earn the respect of all menif you begin by earning the respect of yourself.— Musonius Rufus(Fragment: 30) In order to support more easily and more cheerfully those hardships which we may expect to suffer in behalf of virtue and goodness,...
May Your Compassion Be More Powerful Than Greed
Aug. 28 | We are just being slaughtered and slaughteredone lifetime after another — don’t let your wisdom, compassion and power be so weak!— Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol(in the voice of old ewes) As for the argument sometimes put forward by Mahayana...
Does Cutting Out The Organs Disturb The Mind?
Aug. 5 | Helping our loved ones at the time of death is the best service we can offer them, our greatest gift. Why? Because death is the most important time of life: it’s at death that the next rebirth is determined.— Lama Zopa Rinpoche Some people...
Why Should I Attain Buddhahood Too?
Jul. 23 | Immeasurable Buddhas, including you,are needed to guideimmeasurable beings, including you,to Buddhahood.— Shilashanti Someone wonders, “Can Buddhas really benefit sentient beings?” Yes, they can, but they can’t help everyone...
Why Be Ashamed Of Being Shameless?
Jul. 8 | Non-integrity is not to be ashamed of yourself;inconsideration of others is not being embarrassed with regard to others.Haughtiness is the incapacity of honoring others.Fury is a mental disturbance caused by anger.— Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland...
Be As Bodhisattva-Like As You Can
Jun. 17 | All the suffering there is in this worldarises from wishing our self to be happy.All the happiness there is in this worldarises from wishing others to be happy.― Santideva You also get plenty of opportunities to help others outside of work....
The Butter & Lamp Analogies For Buddha-Nature
Apr. 21 | Full enlightenment is attainedby fully realising Buddha-Natureand fully renouncing all other ‘natures’.— Shilashanti I bow to you, the Dharmadhātu[i.e. Dharma-nature, or Buddha-nature,the bright essential potential for Buddhahood],Who...
Tame & Transform Your Raging Tiger
Apr. 14 | It’s great to be able to stopWhen you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong,And be able to do something else insteadAnd think this song.— Mr. Rogers As silly as those lyrics might seem to us in the moment, as our temper is boiling...
Do The Right Thing Naturally
Apr. 7 | There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with. — Seneca Neither the Buddhists nor the Stoics believed in what has come to be called ‘original sin’ — that we are a fallen and flawed...
One Stone At A Time
Mar. 25 | Since there is only one thoughtin each moment,be aligned to do only one thing wellin each moment.— Shilashanti There is no such thing as good multitasking… Pay attention to your attention — when you have it and when you don’t....
Master Being A Beginner
Mar. 18 | Those who think they are learnedare probably the least learned.Those who know they should learnwill probably become learned.— Shilashanti All of us act like those close-minded experts sometimes, and all of us can benefit from a bit more...
