Developing compassion

Developing compassion is the most fruitful way of "getting even" with people who make you angry.

--Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Crazy Wisdom

A problem remains a problem

A problem remains a problem. Nothing dissolves into a love-and-lighty beautiful creamy honey lotus lake.

--Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, "The 4th Moment", Shambhala Sun Magazine, March 2006

You are not basically condemned

You are not basically condemned. Your naughtiness is not necessarily regarded as your problem- although it is witnessed, obviously. You are not fundamentally condemned; your temporary naughtinesses are regarded as coming from temporary problems only. Therefore, to follow up on that, this slogan says, "Always maintain only a joyful mind." It is a joyful mind because you do not have to be startled by any situation of wretchedness or, for that matter, sudden upliftedness. Instead, you can maintain a sense of cheerfulness all along. --Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, from: Training the Mind, Shambhala

The hinayan version of taming ego

The hinayana version of taming ego is to cut through sloppiness and wandering mind by the application of Shamatha discipline, or mindfulness. Shamatha practice cuts through the fundamental mechanism of ego, which is that ego has to maintain itself by providing lots of subconscious gossip and discursive thoughts.

--Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, from: Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness

The Firewood

The firewood is not itself the fire.

–-Nagarjuna, The Fundamental Wisdom Of The Middle Way

This quote courtesy of Shangpa NY, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangpaNY/

When he was dying the Buddha said

When he was dying, the Buddha said to his followers:

Hold fast to the truth as a lamp that shines in the darkness. Seek salvation in the truth alone.

Those who either now or after I am dead hold fast to the truth as their lamp and do not look for light from anywhere else - it is they who will reach Nirvana.

--Majjhima Nikaya