The Tao of Tranquility: The Wisdom of Lao Tzu and the Buddha - Qingjing Jing

the higher one rises in any virtuous practice, the less one fixates on the virtue, thus making one truly virtuous.

Anyone who promises instant enlightenment without much work is leading others down the side path.

Thus, attaining the Tao really means receiving the guidance to help you make the best possible choice.

No one is intrinsically superior or inferior — we are all just going through phases.

The great Tao is broad and plain But people like the side paths

The Buddha did not consider his perspective to be pessimistic. He only wished to describe existence accurately, to view life in a way that was as realistic as possible. This was neither optimism nor pessimism; it was simply a coherent collection of facts that could not be refuted.

One of the common delusions people have is about material things. We all need a certain amount to survive in the world, so there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the material things themselves. The delusion only comes about when we forget the greater purpose of life, and let material things become that purpose.

When you elevate your understanding to the next level, you attain nothing except the realization of your self-nature — which is everything.

It is always the progressive study of dharma that builds the foundation for the spirit to awaken. The awakening itself may occur in an instant, but the process leading up to it unfolds gradually.