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Adverse conditions are mere imputations by conceptual minds that label them “adverse”; they do not exist inherently. When our understanding of this becomes firm, the difficulties we meet will no longer cause anxiety and frustration or interrupt our practice of Dharma.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Universal Compassion”
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We can use all the difficulties that we see in the world as spiritual teachings that encourage us to develop renunciation, the wish to liberate ourself from the cycle of impure life; compassion, the wish that others may be liberated permanently from the cycle of impure life; and the wisdom that realizes that all these impurities are the results of our non-virtuous actions.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Modern Buddhism”
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We need to think about our own faults because if we are not aware of them we shall not be motivated to overcome them. It was through constantly examining their minds for faults and imperfections, and then applying great effort to abandon them, that those who are now enlightened were able to release their minds from delusions, the source of all faults. Buddha said that those who understand their own faults are wise, whereas those who are unaware of their own faults yet look for faults in others are fools.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Eight Steps to Happiness”
kaitlyneschmidt: #karma #ecard #truth #idigit I normally don’t reblog these kind of trite little memes, but I really feel the need to comment on this one, since there is still so much grave misunderstanding and ignorance, particularly here in the West, regarding karma. Karma has absolutely NOTHING to do with “deserving” anything! It is simply cause and effect, with the effects often occurring much later than the causes (according to Buddhadharma, usually lifetimes later). For anything that happens to a person to be “deserved” suggests that there is some cosmic being passing judgment on all of us and determining who should have what happen to them. I am aware that other religions (or at the very least, some followers’ interpretations of their religions) have such judgmental deities; Buddhism does not. Buddha never said that anyone got what they “deserved” through karma. For example, my husband did not “deserve” to get into a car wreck today; the people who died or had their houses destroyed by tornadoes here in north Texas did not “deserve” that either; those in poverty don’t “deserve” their condition…the list could go on forever. All of these events are negative karma ripening; the conditions for that negative karma planted who-knows-how-long-ago are right for them to ripen now. That does not mean that any of those people “deserve” it. View high resolution

kaitlyneschmidt:

#karma #ecard #truth #idigit

I normally don’t reblog these kind of trite little memes, but I really feel the need to comment on this one, since there is still so much grave misunderstanding and ignorance, particularly here in the West, regarding karma.

Karma has absolutely NOTHING to do with “deserving” anything! It is simply cause and effect, with the effects often occurring much later than the causes (according to Buddhadharma, usually lifetimes later). For anything that happens to a person to be “deserved” suggests that there is some cosmic being passing judgment on all of us and determining who should have what happen to them. I am aware that other religions (or at the very least, some followers’ interpretations of their religions) have such judgmental deities; Buddhism does not. Buddha never said that anyone got what they “deserved” through karma.

For example, my husband did not “deserve” to get into a car wreck today; the people who died or had their houses destroyed by tornadoes here in north Texas did not “deserve” that either; those in poverty don’t “deserve” their condition…the list could go on forever. All of these events are negative karma ripening; the conditions for that negative karma planted who-knows-how-long-ago are right for them to ripen now. That does not mean that any of those people “deserve” it.

(Reblogged from eddietg)
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By purifying and controlling our mind through the sincere practice of Buddhadarma, we can ensure that our mind remains calm and happy all the time. Then, no matter how difficult our external circumstances may be, we will always be happy and peaceful.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Introduction to Buddhism”

This quote really hit home for me today. My husband called me while I was on my lunch break to tell me he got into a car wreck; he had blacked out or fallen asleep at the wheel while sitting at a light at an intersection, and woke up as he hit the curb and then a pole. The paramedics checked him out at the scene and then took him to the hospital; I told my boss and left to go to the hospital. He’s mostly OK, but not allowed to drive until he gets checked out by our family doctor and probably a neurologist.

It’s times like these that we really need to rely on our Dharma practice. I can’t say that my mind was perfectly calm and peaceful through the whole ordeal, but I think I was calmer than I would have been 5 or 6 years ago before I started studying and practicing Buddhadharma. After I got off the phone with my husband after the first call to tell me he had gotten into a wreck, the word “accept” popped into my mind; just accept the situation as it is since there was nothing I could do at the moment, but practice patient acceptance. Now I’m continuing to practice patience while we sort out the situation with our insurance company, hospital bills, a rental car while the car is in the shop etc.

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We often feel that it is someone else who is making us unhappy, and we can become very resentful. If we look at the situation carefully, however, we will find that it is always our own mental attitude that is responsible for our unhappiness. Another person’s actions make us unhappy only if we allow them to stimulate a negative response in us. Criticism, for example, has no power from its own side to hurt us; we are hurt only because of our self-cherishing. With self-cherishing we are so dependent on the opinions and approval of others that we lose our freedom to respond and act in the most constructive way.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Transform Your Life”
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For Buddhists, faith in Buddha Shakyamuni is their spiritual life; it is the root of all Dharma realizations. If we have deep faith in Buddha we shall naturally develop the strong wish to practice his teachings. With this wish we shall definitely apply effort in our Dharma practice, and with strong effort we shall accomplish permanent liberation from the suffering of this life and countless future lives.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Modern Buddhism”
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Delusions are distorted ways of looking at ourself, other people, and the world around us. The way a deluded mind views these phenomena does not accord with reality. The deluded mind of hatred, for example, views another person as intrinsically bad, but there is no such thing as an intrinsically bad person.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Eight Steps to Happiness”
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Normally we believe that solving the suffering and problems of our present life is most important, and we dedicate our whole life for this purpose. In reality, the duration of the suffering and problems of this life is very short; if we die tomorrow, they will end tomorrow. However, since the duration of the suffering and problems of future lives is endless, the freedom and happiness of our future lives is vastly more important than the freedom and happiness of the one short life. With the words ‘You should know sufferings’ Buddha encourages us to use our present human life to prepare for the freedom and happiness of our countless future lives. Those who do this are truly wise.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “The New Heart of Wisdom”
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Day and night, she gave us her loving care, regarding us as more important than herself. She saved our life many times each day. During the night she allowed her sleep to be interrupted, and during the day she forfeited her usual pleasures. She had to leave her job, and when her friends when out to enjoy themselves she had to stay behind. She spent all her money on us, giving us the best food and the best clothes she could afford. She taught us how to eat, how to walk, how to talk. Thinking of our future welfare, she did her best to ensure that we received a good education. Due to her kindness, we are now able to study whatever we choose. It is principally through the kindness of our mother that we now have the opportunity to practice Dharma and eventually to attain enlightenment.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - “Modern Buddhism”

Happy Mother’s Day!