Philosophy 06 (May 26 - Dec 27)

[winston]

The Importance of Joy

Joy is very important in your practice. It’s a marker to a signpost that says awakening.

- Buddharakkhita

[winston]

Focusing on Pain

If we are truly aware of the sensations, we find that pain can focus and calm the mind.

There can be a joy that arises with this concentration.

We are not scattered. The mind is happily focused.

- Gavin Harrison, “Working with Pain”

[winston]

Humanity’s Virtues

No virtue is beyond our reach — a basis of unreserved hope for a humanity capable of justice, peace and love.

- David Richo, “Finding Another Way”

[winston]

Conditions for Awakening

The conditions for awakening can’t be imported from outside.

They have to be grown from the inside, through the quality of one’s own attention, one’s own willingness and readiness.
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- Nico Hase, “Your Partner Is Not Your Project”

[winston]

Examine Your Motivations

Whatever you do in thought, word or deed, dealing with people or objects in the world, you should first examine your motivations.

Only if they’re sound and reasonable, should you listen to them and act in line with them.
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- Ajaan Lee, “Human Values”

[winston]

The Bridge to Reality

Nobody likes anguish. But the idea that there’s some other way across the bridge, from unreality to reality besides going across it, is really an illusion.
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- Charlotte Joko Beck, “Mute the Commentary”

[winston]

The Origin of Discipline

Discipline is not motivated by fear or self-punishment.

Discipline comes from the confidence and dignity of realizing we are not static beings with set characters.
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- Phakchok

[winston]

Emptiness Is Empty

Emptiness itself is empty.

After all, for “emptiness” to exist, there would need to be “things” to be deemed empty.
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- Filip Holm, “Emptiness Explained”

[winston]

Concentration Requires Mindfulness

Concentration arises from a state of stabilized awareness.

But to help us uncover our innate wisdom, concentration requires mindfulness — the noticing of what arises in one’s mind, body and surroundings.
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- Bodhin Kjolhede, “Don’t Just Sit There”
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[winston]

A Chain of Moments

Our entire lives are nothing but a chain of moments in which we perceive one sight, taste, smell, touch, sound, feeling or thought after another.

Outside of this process, nothing else happens.
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- Cynthia Thatcher, “What’s So Great About Now?”