Buddhism can be said to be a special kind of culture since it encompasses many rich academic disciplines, among them philosophy, astronomy, geography, and other sciences. Not only that, Buddhism also has its own view of life, of proper values, and of the world.

The Buddhist worldview consists firstly of specific knowledge, but more importantly, it is one in which this knowledge in formulated into ways and methods that can be used in our daily life. One aspect of this concerns regulating our mind; the other aspect concerns benefiting sentient beings, and bringing happiness, a healthy life, and joy to more people —— this is also the basic tenet of Buddhism.

~ Luminous Wisdom 9 : The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

Many people think that Buddhism is negative and pessimistic. Such a biased assessment is used by those who do not understand the teachings of Buddhism and their meaning. In fact, Buddhism is neither too pessimistic nor too optimistic. The Buddha taught us that we should see the world and our life in the right perspective. There’s no need to be doggedly pessimistic about it or to excessively glamorize it. If we are too idealistic about our life, there will be no inner preparation for times of crisis. Once any unpredictable incident occurs, it will be difficult for us to accept it and we will sink into intense suffering.

~ Luminous Wisdom, 8

The practice of the Four Noble Truths begins with the cultivation of renunciation and bodhicitta. Renunciation enables us to transcend samsara while bodhicitta inspires us to remain in samsara without being bound by it.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View ~ The Four Noble Truths

Using motivation as a criterion, to liberate animals for the sake of one’s own freedom from samsara is viewed as a transcendent Hinayana practice. To do it out of bodhicitta, the wish to attain buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, is a transcendent Mahayana practice. To couple the Mahayana practice with some Vajrayana views essentially makes animal liberation a Vajrayana practice.

~ Luminous Wisdom 1 : The Three Differences

The Zen tradition often talks about letting go, but how to let go? If one tries letting go of living a boring and pessimistic life, by escaping into the mountains to practice, this is not letting go but just a temporary escape.  The real letting go is knowing from the very foundation that everything is a dream, an illusion, and for this reason there is no attachment or obsession.

~ Luminous Wisdom, 4

Ignorance is translated in Chinese as "wu ming." The word "ming", refers to wisdom that comes from realization; "wu" is a negation. Thus, wu ming means the absence of wisdom and the absence of realization. Although the innate clarity of the mind is always there, we have never recognized or experienced it because we have not attained realization. This is why it is called ignorance.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series: The Paper Tiger ~ Suffering is just a Paper Tiger

The Yogacara School asserts that everyone has a mental continuum from beginningless time until the attainment of enlightenment. This mental continuum is sometimes comprised of the five consciousnesses of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, but sometimes not.  No matter how it manifests itself, the permanent existence of what is called the alaya consciousness is present at all times. Whenever actions are committed, a karmic seed will be planted in the alaya consciousness.

There is an analogy for this. When ink is poured on snow, the snow will take on the color of the ink.  After the snow melts, the ink’s color can still be seen on the ground.   Similarly, if karma is born of defilements, a karmic mark will be left in the alaya consciousness after the defilements are gone.

~ Luminous Wisdom 1 : On Cause and Effect

In Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend, it said that, according to the Buddha’s advice, being content with fewer desires is the greatest asset that one can have. Those who are able to maintain such a disposition are truly rich people even if they do not own a single asset, because only they can attain the ultimate, perfect happiness.

~ Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View : A Buddhist's Mode Way of Life

If the purpose of doing something was to satisfy worldly pursuits such as health and longevity, it would be deemed an unwholesome motivation. All the activities done on this premise, whether they are meditation or reciting sutras, are considered just mundane phenomena that do not lead to enlightenment. Patrul Rinpoche had said that absent genuine renunciation and bodhicitta, if one were to do a nine-year retreat and cut off all associations with others to practice the Great Perfection full-time, one would not even sow the seed of liberation, let alone other achievements. How terrible having not generated renunciation and bodhicitta! What use is there for other practices when not even the Great Perfection can sow the seed of liberation? Therefore, making the choice of motivation should never be taken lightly.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View ~ The Three Supreme Methods