BUDDHIST WISDOM

[Pravin Kumar]

Let your actions be like clouds going by; the clouds going by are mindless. Let your stillness be as the valley spirit; the valley spirit is undying. When action accompanies stillness and stillness combines with action, then the duality of action and stillness no longer arises.

- Pei-chien

Trust has nothing to do with moral courage. It occurs when we have nowhere else to turn, when we reach the end of our need to control.

- Rodney Smith, "Lessons From the Dying"

A mind unshaken when touched by the worldly states, sorrowless, stainless, and secure, this is the blessing supreme. Those who have fulfilled all these are everywhere invincible; they find well-being everywhere, theirs is the blessing supreme.

- (adapted from) Mangala Sutta

It is not sufficient for religious people to be involved with prayer. Rather, they are morally obliged to contribute all they can to solving the worlds problems.

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama


If I had supernatural power, I could take you up to the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha for a visit, or to the Kingdom of God if you are a Christian. I am sure that everything would be nice and clean there, with beautiful scenery. But once you were there, how would your footsteps be? Can you be sure that your footprints on the Pure Land would not show traces of worries and sorrows you carried from this samsaric, worldly life? If you take your worries and sorrows along with you and set them on the Pure Land, you would defile the Pure Land and make it much less pure! To deserve the Pure Land, you must be able to take peaceful and anxiety-free steps right here on this samsaric ground.

- Thich Nhat Hanh, "Guide to Walking Meditation"