BUDDHIST WISDOM

[Pravin Kumar]

Don't be heedless of merit ('It won't come to me'). A water jar fills, even with water falling in drops. With meriteven if bit by bit, habitually the enlightened one fills himself full.

- Dhammapada, 9, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Through heedfulness, Indra won to lordship over the gods. Heedfulness is praised, heedlessness censured-- always.

- Dhammapada 30, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Subhuti, how does a person first feel a need to save beings? He becomes aware of that kind of wise insight which shows him beings as on their way the destroying themselves. Great compassion then takes hold of him. He surveys the world, and what he sees fills him with agitation. ... So such a person radiates great friendliness and compassion over all these beings and gives his attention to them, thinking, "I would like to save these beings, I would like to release them from all their sufferings." But he does not make this desire into an attachment, for even he never turns his back on full enlightenment.

- Prajnaparamita

Whoever, abandoning sensual passions here, would go forth from home-- his sensual passions, becomings, totally gone: he's what I call a brahmin. Whoever, abandoning craving here, would go forth from home-- his cravings, becomings, totally gone: he's what I call a brahmin.

- Dhammapada, 26, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

O monks, even if you have insight that is pure and clear but you cling to it, fondle it and treasure it, depend on it and are attached to it, then you do not understand that the teaching is like a raft that carries you across the water to the farther shore but is then to be put down and not clung to.

- Majjhima Nikaya

I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we may succeed in building a better world through human understanding and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama