In the Presence of Masters: Wisdom from 30 Contemporary Tibetan Buddhist Teachers

it is often what they think is best that parents tend to enforce on their children rather than cherishing the children’s own nature and wishes.

Those with whom we associate have an enormous impact on us. If we spend our time with spiritual mentors, we will find our mind gradually imbued with their auspicious qualities.

Aspiration bodhichitta must rest in a pure vision of the suffering in our lives, a vision that is developed through daring and courage in exploring, penetrating, and fathoming the full extent of the pain of our human existence (8.20).

your mate becomes a spokesman for the rest of the world. That seems to be a very important part of one’s life.

A correct understanding of emptiness leads us to see how things are related, and how we are responsible for our world.

We struggle to escape from our pain, but the success rate of doing so is very low (4.13).

However, he also said we must work with such thoughts.

I don’t think it’s like that in the West. . . . One has to take responsibility for one’s personal livelihood: that’s the Western way, so that’s what has to be followed.

There are three basic kinds of patience: forbearance in the face of threats or harm from others, accepting and dealing with the hardships of spiritual practice, and accepting and relating without fear to the profound implication of the true nature of reality.