Monthly Archives: January 2016

Spiritual practice is preparation for everyday life, for benefitting beings in every interaction.​ ​Practice is not something we do for ourselves and our individual happiness. We cannot stop suffering in isolation from other sentient beings, human and non-human. ​Yes, we need to … Continue reading →

What you would do… if you only had 10 more years to live? 1 more year to live? 1 more month to live? 1 more day to live? 1 more hour to live? 1 more minute to live? Would your … Continue reading →

Arya Shantideva said that it is pointless to revere the Buddhas if we do not also revere all sentient beings, for it is in their association that we obtain the opportunity to learn and practice the Dharma. Today, I would … Continue reading →

From your individual perspective, the pronoun “I” belongs to you. The person in front of you is “other”. Have you ever considered that you are the only person in the world who agrees with your appropriation of the pronoun “I”? … Continue reading →

There are many boats on the shore. Some are large and some are small; some are strong, some are feeble; some are beautiful, some are not; some are full, some almost empty; some are rich, some are poor.   Some are … Continue reading →

Wars, “religious” fundamentalism, economic collapse, criminality, and climatic catastrophes have generated an explosion of human migrations in search of safety and wellbeing. Although countless compassionate persons have welcomed them with open arms, the arrival of refugees has also unleashed xenophobic … Continue reading →

Introspection is one of the most difficult and beneficial endeavors. Even if it is painful to observe our and others’ suffering just as it is, without such clarity all progress is artificial and subject to backsliding. Just as without contemplating … Continue reading →

Ordinarily, our attention is directed at the myriad thoughts that appear in the mind sequentially. Sometimes these thoughts have clear and purposeful connections between them; at other times, the connections are tenuous and seemingly random. When we identify with these … Continue reading →

In studying the Dharma, we must avoid these defects: A pot turned upside down cannot be filled. When we are distracted, unwilling to learn, or preoccupied with other matters, it is not possible to receive the teachings. This mental state … Continue reading →

As we begin the practice of meditation, we may discover that our minds don’t remain still for a single moment. We may then form the opinion that meditation is not beneficial, because it apparently creates more agitation, or we may … Continue reading →