In one hundred years, like the pappus of dandelion leaving a calyx receptacle, seven billion people on the earth will leave this world one by one, entering an unknown area. Then, all the fame and gain become worthless, what’s of only use is the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
One who practices compassion will become broad-minded, helpful, having discovered the meaning of life. The energy of loving kindness one exudes will make people around him or her easeful, cheerful and warm. Even practicing compassion for ten minutes will attain countless merit.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
Countless buddhas in the past, including Shakyamuni Buddha, vowed to liberate all sentient beings when giving rise to bodhicitta, vowing to attain buddhahood after all sentient beings attain buddhahood. We haven’t attained buddhahood yet, but they have. Why? Buddhas make such aspirations out of vast compassion. Due to the greatest and sublimity of their aspirations, they attained buddhahood swiftly. Whereas we are preoccupied with our own interest, thus we are still struggling in the samsara.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
Strictly speaking, without entering retreat, with a distracting mind one cannot practice dharma. Hence, during practice, one at least has to be solitary for one or two hours a day. Practicing dharma cannot be replaced by money. Doing life release or giving offering can help us accumulate merit, but mind training is not related to money.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
We study Buddhism to learn about wisdom and compassion. So called Buddhahood is the appearance of primordial wisdom and compassion when all greed, ignorance and anger ends. There is no other meaning than this.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
As a practitioner, one needs to have a certain assurance of facing death. Otherwise, even if one practices dharma well in this life, but after passing through the bardo state, due to difference of this life and the next, one will forget all one has learned in this life. Besides, if not acknowledging of bardo practices, one will miss many great opportunities to attain liberation. Thus, bardo practices are vital.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
Preliminary practice entails five practices, starting from taking refuge, up to guru yoga. Relying on the capacity of these five practices, one can realise emptiness, which is referred to as realising the nature of mind in the Chan tradition, it means actualising the truth of phenomena. In tantric context, it’s referred to as realising the primordial wisdom. What is it meant by primordial wisdom? Buddha nature is the primordial wisdom.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
One needs to keep some distance from bad friends, regardless of whoever they are. One needs to maintain one’s views in regards to religious belief and practices even when dealing with one’s parents, relatives and friends. It’s best to influence them to undertake dharma study; if not, one needs to keep some distance from them. The primary principle of Buddhism is dependent arising, one can create causes and conditions, there doesn’t exist a creator of omnipotent god to make all causes and conditions, or fate predestined, just like the programming of computer, as though nobody can change it.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
In our daily life, we tend to avoid difficulty and suffering. Shakyamuni Buddha did not let us avoid this; rather he taught us various methods to face up with them. The best method to train our mind is to realise emptiness, then we will become so strong that we’ll not be affected by external factors. After that, we need to think: despite the fact I’m courageous now, so many sentient beings have no understanding of the principle of emptiness, and their mind is not trained, thus I need to benefit them.
~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES
