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In the highly revered Budhhist text called the Lotus Sutra, there is a chapter which tells about a highly evolved monk named Never Despairing. Interestingly, his practice did not consist of long hours of sitting meditation, nor long hours of chanting, nor long hours of reciting matras – all considered vital to spiritual advancement in Buddhism. Never Despairing’s solitary, consistent practice was this: upon seeing another person, he would put his palms together, bow and offer this greeting: “You will become a Buddha one day!” In so doing, Never Despairing greeted every person with a deep sense of respect and honor.
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I often say that there should be just two words over the door of our temple in Santa Fe: Show up! Yes, suffering is present. We cannot deny it. There are 65.3 million refugees in the world today, only eleven countries are free from conflict, and climate change is turning forests into deserts. Economic injustice is driving people into greater and greater poverty. Racism and sexism remain rampant. But understand, wise hope doesn’t mean denying these realities. It means facing them, addressing them, and remembering what else is present, like the shifts in our values that recognize and move us to address suffering right now. - Roshi Joan Halifax
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We become happy when we can serve people. Buddhism taught us that serving humanity is the ultimate religion. - Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero
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It is awareness that is your opening into spiritual practice. Awareness sets us off looking for a more complete truth than thee one we know. - Angel Kyodo Williams
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When you are living in darkness, why don’t you look for the light?
— The Dhammapada, translated by Eknath Easwaran
— The Dhammapada, translated by Eknath Easwaran
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Put a smile on the faces of other people. Gain your happiness and your positive states of mind by making other people happy. - Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
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Buddhism isn't just about mindfulness and meditation, though those are important. Being a Buddhist or following the Buddhist path means committing to these intentions:
I undertake the precept to abstain from harming living beings.
I undertake the precept to abstain from taking that which is not freely given.
I undertake the precept to speak without being abusive or exploitive.
I undertake the precept to abstain from sexuality that is exploitive or abusive.
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating my mind into heedless behavior.
I undertake the precept to abstain from harming living beings.
I undertake the precept to abstain from taking that which is not freely given.
I undertake the precept to speak without being abusive or exploitive.
I undertake the precept to abstain from sexuality that is exploitive or abusive.
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating my mind into heedless behavior.
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“Mindful. Full mind. Whatever we are working with or experiencing in this moment alone should fill our minds so that our attention can be complete. By paying full attention to our thoughts we are able to focus and let go of the excess chatter. Our intentions are clear and thought out. When we speak, we have thee presence of mind to choose our words carefully so we are less likely to hurt others with them. When mindfulness is applies to action, we find that we are more graceful and fluid because we are more certain of ourselves.” - Angel Kyodo Williams
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Physical clutter often results in mental clutter because when you have so many things to ccare for, you naturally experience stress. - Daniel D’Apollonio
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How much of what we need is really the poison greed? - Angel Kyodo Williams