Buddha's Words

I am secure in the cloak of the Dharma and the inspiring words of Buddha. Gone are the days of lonliness.

Now I am able to look forward to tomorrow.

Now my life becomes fruitful! I have succeeded as a human being! Today I am born in the Buddha family! I have become a child of Buddha! From now on may all my actions suit that family tradition! May I never act to disgrace this family so impeccable and holy!

There are causes for all human suffering, and there is a way by which they may be ended, because everything in the world is the result of a vast concurrence of causes and conditions, and everything disappears as these causes and conditions change and pass away. Rain falls, winds blow, plants bloom, leaves mature and are blown away. These phenomena are all interrelated with causes and conditions, and are brought about by them, and disappear as the causes and conditions change. One is born through the conditions of parentage. His body is nourished by food: his spirit is nurtured by teaching and experience. Therefore, both flesh and spirit are related to conditions and are changed as conditions change. As a net is made up by a series of knots, so everything in this world is connected by a series of knots. If anyone thinks that the mesh of a net is an independent, isolated thing, he is mistaken. It is called a net because it is made up of a series of connected meshes, and each mesh has its place and responsibilities to other meshes. Blossoms come about because of a series of conditions that lead up to their blooming. Leaves are blown away because of a series of conditions lead up to it. Blossoms do not appear independently, nor does a leaf fall of itself, out of its season. So everything has its coming forth and passing away; nothing can be independent without any change. It is the everlasting and unchanging rule of this world that everything is created by a series of causes and conditions and everything disappears by the same rule; everything changes, nothing remains constant.

He abused me, he laughed at me, he struck me. Thus one thinks and so long as one retains such thoughts, one's anger continues. Anger will never disappear so long as there are thoughts of resentment in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten.

The Way is perfect like vast space, where nothing is lacking and nothing is in excess. Indeed it is due to our choosing to accept or reject that we do not see the true nature of things. Live neither in the entanglements of outer things, nor in the inner feeling of emptiness. Be serene in the oneness of things, and such erroneous views will disappear by themselves. When you try to stop activity to achieve passivity, your very effort fills you with activity. As long as you remain in one extreme or the other, you will never know Oneness.

To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance. Buddha

When you think everything is someone else's fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy. Pride leads to violence and evil. The truly good gaze upon everything with love and understanding.

1) Concerning the body: do not ask to be free of all illness, for when the body is free of all illness, greed quickly arises. When greed has arisen, the precepts soon are broken and progress becomes regression.

2) Concerning the management of worldly affairs: do not ask that any chore be an easy one, for when things go too easily, pride is soon born in the mind. When pride is born in the mind, one soon becomes flippant and deceitful.

3) Concerning thought: do not ask that thinking always be without obstruction, for when thinking is without obstruction, it quickly becomes feverish and irregular. When thinking becomes feverish and irregular, one soon will become deluded and believe that the false is true and the true is false.

4) Concerning the practice of Buddhism: do not ask that there be no trials, for when one is never tried, one's vows will not be strong. When one's vows are not strong, one can easily be led into believing that one has achieved what one has not achieved.

Once we fully overcome attachment and all of its ways of thought, then we will clearly understand that all goodness and all defilement arise dependent on inner conditions.

"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." Buddha

He takes no delight in being shown respect. If he is slighted, he shows no anger. His wisdom is like an ocean.

These are the hallmarks of the truly wise.

Do not think only of your own joy, but vow to save all beings from suffering. This is sharing in its highest form and purity beyond all poisons of this world.

True stature is not created by form or ornament; words spoken out of jealousy and greed oppose it. Only when evil has been stopped at its roots, and when there is wisdom without anger, is there true stature.

However young, the seeker who sets out upon the Way, shines bright over the world. But day and night, the person who is awake, shines in the radiance of the Spirit. Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work, with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! SHINE!

"I don't think religious teaching is easy to wipe out, but very difficult. Once it is deep-rooted, I don't think it is easy to destroy. The actual threat comes from the inside. That means, you see, those so-called "religious persons" who do not practice well, do not follow a proper way. That is the most dangerous, the greatest threat.

"Anger and hatred cannot bring harmony. The noble task of arms control and disarmament cannot be accomplished by confrontation and condemnation. Hostile attitudes only serve to heat up the situation, whereas a true sense of respect gradually cools down what otherwise could become explosive. We must recognize the frequent contradictions between short-term benefit and long-term harm." The Dalai Lama

"You can train your mind by analyzing the shortcomings of anger as well as from other people's experiences. It is also useful to look at history. Whenever I examine human tragedy, I find that in most cases it is the result of human behavior - negative emotions, such as anger, hatred, jealousy and extreme greed. All good things that are constructive, happier human experiences, are mostly motivated by respect for others' rights and concern for others' well-being - compassion, love and kindness.

"Whoever excludes others will find himself excluded in turn. Those who affirm that their God is the only God, are doing something dangerous and pernicious, because they are on the way to imposing their beliefs on others, by any means possible." The Dalai Lama

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5) Concerning the making of plans: do not ask that they always be easily made, for when plans are always easy to make, one's will becomes weak and ineffectual. When the will is weak and ineffectual, one is easily led to believe that one's abilities are less than they are.

6) Concerning friendship: do not ask that matters always go your way, for when one always gets one's own way, one soon will lose a sense of right and wrong. When one loses a sense of right and wrong, one quickly slides into the tendency to blame others for anything that goes awry.

7) Concerning people: do not ask that others always follow your lead, for when others always follow one's lead, one will soon become arrogant. When one has become arrogant, one will begin to

grasp tightly onto the attachments of the ego.

8) Concerning morality: do not ask for rewards for moral behavior, for if one is always rewarded for moral behavior, one will soon become calculating in everything one does. Once one has become calculating, one will begin to crave fame and a good reputation.

9) Concerning profits: do not always ask to obtain a part of them, for when one always gets a part of all profits, one soon will become lazy and dull. Once one has become lazy and dull, one will quickly hurt oneself.

10) Concerning false accusations: do not try to justify yourself or make explanations, for self-justifications only increase the illusion of having a separate self. Once this illusion of a separate self arises, thoughts of anger and revenge soon will follow.

Once we have learned to think in the ways described above, we will be much closer to being able to concentrate on what we are doing and not on what we are getting. The value of this life and of all our future lives is determined by what we are doing now and not by what we are getting now. This point is very important. Everything that happens to us should be perceived as an opportunity for growth and Enlightenment.

"What is most striking when taking photos of His Holiness, is His range of expressions - one moment solemnly engaged in contemplation, the next moment sharing a brilliant smile with those around Him. He is simultaneously a powerful spiritual leader and a genuine, accessible human being."

"By the accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love and kindness he may rule the world forever." Lao-Tse

"I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm- hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.