Recognizing Who We Are

When it comes to the true nature of mind, this isn’t something that we get from a spiritual tradition or religion. It’s not something that we need to seek from a guru or that we need to find by going to a sacred place, but it’s a matter of recognizing who we are, whatever that it is. When we see this completely clearly, when who we actually are becomes completely evident and obvious to us, and we recognize it and appreciate it in a completely perfect way, then that I think is what is called recognizing the true nature of mind. Then we fully make this a reality for ourselves.

~ 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje

To see if you’ll attain liberation in the future or not...

To see if you’re aware of impermanence or not, check whether your plans are long or short term. To see if you perceive samsara as flawed or not, check how strong is your attachments. To see if you’ll attain liberation in the future or not, check whether your conduct is good or bad. To see if you’ve given rise to loving kindness and compassion or not, check how you take care of those in need. To see if you’ve tamed the demon of anger or not, check how much hatred you feel towards your enemies. To see if you’ve dispelled the obscuring demon of ignorance or not, check how much you cling in hope and fear. To see if you’ve purified the three poisons or not, check how free from grasping you’ve become. You’ll know your Dharma practice has become the path or not by thoroughly examining your own mind.

~ Chokgyur Lingpa

Without it, all is lost!

When you practise the teachings of the sutras and tantras,

The altruistic bodhicitta of aspiration and application is crucial,

Because it lies at the very root of the Mahayana.

Just to have this is enough, but without it, all is lost.

~ Chatral Rinpoche

The three types of uninterrupted-ness during mantra recitation.

There are three types of uninterrupted-ness when we recite the mantra. There are uninterrupted offerings to the Buddhas; uninterrupted purification of obscurations of sentient beings, and uninterrupted attainment of siddhis or attainments. The siddhi is basically the increase of love and compassion; if love and compassion increase, wisdom increases and one attains enlightenment. Due to compassion, one temporarily experiences the seven qualities of the higher realms, the happiness of the higher realms and many other benefits that come from mantra recitation.

~ Garchen Rinpoche.

Spinning the prayer wheel

Spinning the prayer wheel is a virtuous deed of body, speech and mind, and is therefore extremely beneficial. Whenever you can, if you have time for an hour or even just five minutes, you should pick up the prayer wheel and spin it. It is very helpful to maintain mindfulness, and therefore thoughts may come to an end. Thus, mahamudra can be practiced while spinning the prayer wheel, as it is a practice of maintaining mindfulness. Spinning a prayer wheel involves virtuous actions of body, speech and mind, and if you spin one at all times, you are accumulating merit continuously.

~ Garchen Rinpoche.

No limits and no boundary!

Dissolving into the expanse of emptiness

That has no limits and no boundary,

Everything I see, everything I hear,

My own mind, and the sky all merge.

Not once has the notion arisen

Of these being seperate and distinct.

~ Shabkar

Viewing our experience in this world as a dream

Viewing our experience in this world as a dream, Siddhartha found that our habit of fixating on the mere appearance of our dreamlike relative world, thinking that it is truly existing, throws us into an endless cycle of pain and anxiety.

We are in a deep sleep, hibernating like a silkworm in a cocoon. We have woven a reality based on our projections, imagination, hopes, fears, and delusions.

Our cocoons have become very solid and sophisticated. Our imaginings are so real to us that we are trapped in the cocoon. But we can free ourselves simply by realizing that this is all our imagination.

~ Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche