Thubten Quotes & Sayings

Our normal tendency is to feel dissatisfied and to criticize our body, speech, and mind - My body is out of shape; my voice is unpleasant; my mind is confused. - We are so caught up in this pointless, neurotic habit of criticism that we disparage others as well as ourselves. This is extremely damaging. — Thubten Yeshe

Learning to say prayers in a foreign language ... is not in itself the way to fulfill our highest human potential; there is nothing of transcending value to be gained from substituting one set of cultural conventions for another. People whose practice remains on this superficial level end up with nothing but confusion, not knowing who they are or what they should do. — Thubten Yeshe

When we drop all of our painful effort to attain something, then suddenly there is spaciousness in our consciousness, a sense of being unobstructed, and we are able to enjoy life as it comes. — Anam Thubten

It is great that even before we become enlightened or generate any lam-rim realizations we are able to offer incredible benefit to others. The person who does this is a very fortunate person and should rejoice very often. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

No matter how confused or deluded we may be at the moment, the underlying and essential nature of our being is clear and pure — Thubten Yeshe

At certain times, a silent mind is very important, but 'silent' does not mean closed. The silent mind is an alert, awakened mind; a mind seeking the nature of reality. — Thubten Yeshe

It is precisely because our present life is so inseparably linked with desire that we must make use of desire's tremendous energy if we wish to transform our life into something transcendental. — Thubten Yeshe

It is a simple truth that if we identify ourselves as being fundamentally pure, strong, and capable we will actually develop these qualities, but if we continue to think of ourselves as dull and foolish, that is what we will become. — Thubten Yeshe

If one does not remember death, one does not remember Dharma. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

The narrow mind rejects; wisdom accepts. — Thubten Yeshe

Be blissful and enjoy your life; do not let yourself become obsessed with anything. Determine to use the rest of your life to benefit others as much as possible. — Thubten Yeshe

The mind is very powerful. Therefore, it requires firm guidance. A powerful jet plane needs a good pilot; the pilot of your mind should be the wisdom that understands its nature. — Thubten Yeshe

Some children are wiser than adults. — Thubten Yeshe

The fact is that when you are in a clean, clear state of mind you will be free to pay full attention to what you are doing and you will therefore naturally do it well. Problems come when you are not living in a natural state of mind. Then, no matter what you are doing your mind will be on something else. — Thubten Yeshe

First of all, merely by living a simple life with a heart dedicated to overcoming self-cherishing, we automatically benefit others. — Thubten Yeshe

To make our life meaningful, we have to do meaningful actions. — Thubten Zopa

When? At this time, while you have all the opportunities, if you do not do your best to achieve the pure, stainless path to enlightenment when will you do it? If you don't meditate, don't practise the graduated path to enlightenment, especially bodhicitta, in this life, then when? When will you practise? When will you have this realization? If, in this life, you don't achieve renunciation, bodhicitta and sunyata, as well as the two stages of tantra, when will you? When will you have these attainments? When will you become enlightened? When will you perform perfect work for sentient beings? — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

By renouncing samsara, we renounce our habitual grasping, unhappy minds. And by renouncing samsara, we embrace our potential for enlightenment. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Your mind is your religion. — Thubten Yeshe

When a strong wind blows, the clouds vanish and blue sky appears. Similarly, when the powerful wisdom that understand the nature of the mind arises, the dark clouds of ego disappear. — Thubten Yeshe

Each one of us is responsible for other living beings' happiness, besides our own. As a result, your loving kindness is the most wish-fulfilling thing in life, more precious than anything else in this world. That makes for a most satisfying, fulfilling life. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

We completely deny the existence of a self-existent I, or a permanent, independent soul. Every aspect of your body and mind is impermanent: changing, changing, changing ... — Thubten Yeshe

When you plant seeds in the garden, you don't dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they're ready. — Thubten Chodron

Meditation does not imply only the development of single-pointed concentration, sitting in some corner doing nothing. Meditation is an alert state of mind, the opposite of sluggishness; meditation is wisdom. You should remain aware every moment of your daily life, fully conscious of what you are doing and how you are doing it. — Thubten Yeshe

When there is hallucination, there is the truth, by recognising it as hallucination. Where there is suffering, there is peace and bliss, by letting go and experiencing it for numberless suffering sentient beings. Always think of how others are kind and precious Treat them as you would like to be treated. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

If you know the psychological nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled; instead of being enemies and strangers, all living beings become your friends. The narrow mind rejects; wisdom accepts. Check your own mind to see whether or not this is true. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

When it is impossible for anger to arise within you, you find no outside enemies anywhere. An outside enemy exists only if there is anger inside. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Just the idea that you are religious doesn't help at all. It does not help you; it does not help others. In order to really help others, you need to gain knowledge-wisdom. — Thubten Yeshe

Karma is not something complicated or philosophical. Karma means watching your body, watching your mouth, and watching your mind. Trying to keep these three doors as pure as possible is the practice of karma. — Thubten Yeshe

Longchenpa said, "Good concepts are like a golden chain. Bad concepts are like an iron chain. — Anam Thubten

One action produces a reaction; that is karma. — Thubten Yeshe

Mindfulness meditation should be more than just watching what you are doing. What you really need to watch is your motivation. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

We are fortunate now to become aware of the contents of our mind. With that knowledge we will be able to change the aspects that lead to confusion and misery in our lives. — Thubten Chodron

When you check your own mind properly, you stop blaming others for your problems. — Thubten Yeshe

Don't think that examining and knowing the nature of your mind is just an Eastern trip. That's a wrong conception. It's your trip. — Thubten Yeshe

Some people live closely guarded lives, fearful of encountering someone or something that might shatter their insecure spiritual foundation. This attitude, however, is not the fault of religion but of their own limited understanding. True Dharma leads in exactly the opposite direction. It enables one to integrate all the many diverse experiences of life into a meaningful and coherent whole, thereby banishing fear and insecurity completely. — Thubten Yeshe

A sick body with a good heart is more beneficial to future lives than a fit, healthy body that is used for self-cherishing. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Buddhist meditation doen't necessarily mean sitting cross-legged with your eyes closed. Simply observing how your mind is responding to the sense world as you go about your business - walking, talking, shopping, whatever - can be a really perfect meditation and bring a perfect result. — Thubten Yeshe

Be wise. Treat yourself, your mind, sympathetically, with loving kindness. If you are gentle with yourself, you will become gentle with others. — Thubten Yeshe

Whenever you hear that someone else has been successful, rejoice. Always practice rejoicing for others-whether your friend or your enemy. If you cannot practice rejoicing, no matter how long you live, you will not be happy. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

It's not just philosophy, not just words; it's knowing how the mind functions; only then can you develop loving-kindness; only then can you become a spiritual person. — Thubten Yeshe

Examine your own mental attitudes. Become your own therapist. — Thubten Yeshe

Live with compassion. Work with compassion. Die with compassion. Meditate with compassion. Enjoy with compassion. When problems come, experience them with compassion. — Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

As human beings we have the capacity to enjoy limitless, blissful happiness ... there is nothing wrong with having pleasures and enjoyments. What is wrong is the confused way we grasp onto these pleasures, turning them from a source of happiness into a source of pain and dissatisfaction. It is grasping and attachment that is the problem, not the pleasure themselves ... — Thubten Yeshe

There is no miserable place waiting for you, no hell realm, sitting and waiting like Alaska - waiting to turn you into ice cream. But whatever you call it - hell or the suffering realms - it is something that you enter by creating a world of neurotic fantasy and believing it to be real. It sounds simple, but that's exactly what happens. — Lama Thubten Yeshe

Knowing your own mind is the solution to all our problems. — Thubten Yeshe

Meditation is the way we realize the nature of the mind. — Thubten Yeshe