Lastly, I wish to say to the people of good will, to the workers, to the poets: The whole future has been expressed in this line by Rimbaud: “Only with a burning patience can we conquer the splendid City which will give light, justice and dignity to all mankind“
Pablo Neruda, 1904 – 1973, Chilean poet
People take different roads seeking fulfilment and happiness.
Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.
The Dalai Lama
When we seek happiness through accumulation, either outside of ourselves-from other people, relationships, or material goods-or from our own self-development, we are missing the essential point. In either case we are trying to find completion.
Completion comes, not from adding another piece to ourselves,
but from surrendering our ideas of perfection
Mark Epstein, Going to Pieces without Falling Apart: A Buddhist Perspective
A reminder to hold our thoughts, ideas and, even our identity, somewhat lightly.
The Buddha once said in verse:
“Of various elements is this body of Mine composed.
The time of its arising is merely an arising of elements;
The time of its vanishing is merely a vanishing of elements.
As these elements arise, I do not speak of the arising of an ‘I’,
And as these elements vanish, I do not speak of the vanishing of an ‘I’.
Previous instants and succeeding instants are not a series of instants that depend on each other;
Previous elements and succeeding elements are not a series of elements that stand against each other.
To give all of this a name, I call it ‘the meditative state that bears the seal of the Ocean’.“
We need to make a diligent effort to fully explore these words of the Buddha.
Dogen, 1200- 1253, Shobogenzo
Thoughts come up that we don’t plan.
We don’t say “At 9:10, I’ll be filled with self-hatred”
We can forgive ourselves when these painful thoughts arise, unbidden.
Sharon Salzberg, Finding your Way
If you know a view as a view, you can be free of that view.
If you know a thought as a thought, you can be free of that thought.
Norman Fischer, Beyond Language
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