More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“Sometimes it’s very difficult to explain why people do the things they do ... You’ll often find that there are no simple explanations. If we were to go into the details of individual lives, since a human being’s mind is so complex, it would be quite difficult to understand what is going on, what exactly is taking place.”
I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness ...“
happiness is determined more by one’s state of mind than by external events.
whether we are feeling happy or unhappy at any given moment often has very little to do with our absolute conditions but, rather it is a function of how we perceive our situation, how satisfied we are with what we have.
Our feelings of contentment are strongly influenced by our tendency to compare.
I develop a feeling of desire, and my initial impulse might be, ‘Oh, I want this; I want that.’ Then, the second thought that arises, I ask myself, ‘Oh, do I really need this?’ The answer is usually no.
Self-satisfaction alone cannot determine if a desire or action is positive or negative.
The demarcation between a positive and a negative desire or action is not whether it gives you an immediate feeling of satisfaction but whether it ultimately results in positive or negative consequences.
The true antidote of greed is contentment. If you have a strong sense of contentment, it doesn’t matter whether you obtain the object or not; either way, you are still content.”
The second, and more reliable, method is not to have what we want but rather to want and appreciate what we have.
You can relate to them because you are still a human being, within the human community. You share that bond. And that human bond is enough to give rise to a sense of worth and dignity. That bond can become a source of consolation in the event that you lose everything else.”
On the surface, it seemed like a fairly obvious observation; of course, happiness and pleasure were two different things. And yet, we human beings are often quite adept at confusing the two.
we don’t need more money, we don’t need greater success or fame, we don’t need the perfect body or even the perfect mate—right now, at this very moment, we have a mind, which is all the basic equipment we need to achieve complete happiness.
Traditionally, it has been considered the responsibility of religion to prescribe what behaviors are wholesome and what are not. However, in today’s society, religion has lost its prestige and influence to some degree.
“it is still my firm conviction that human nature is essentially compassionate, gentle. That is the predominant feature of human nature.
“Whenever I meet people I always approach them from the standpoint of the most basic things we have in common. We each have a physical structure, a mind, emotions. We are all born in the same way, and we all die. All of us want happiness and do not want to suffer.
Anyway, I think that if one is seeking to build a truly satisfying relationship, the best way of bringing this about is to get to know the deeper nature of the person and relate to her or him on that level, instead of merely on the basis of superficial characteristics .
“Compassion can be roughly defined in terms of a state of mind that is nonviolent, nonharming, and nonaggressive. It is a mental attitude based on the wish for others to be free of their suffering and is associated with a sense of commitment, responsibility, and respect towards the other.
Our attitude towards suffering becomes very important because it can affect how we cope with suffering when it arises.
“For those people who do not believe in rebirth, then I think there are still some simple ways to help deal with the loss. First, they could reflect that if they worried too much, allowing themselves to be too overwhelmed by the sense of loss and sorrow, and if they carried on with that feeling of being overwhelmed, not only would it be very destructive and harmful to themselves, ruining their health, but also it would not have any benefit to the person who has passed away.
We also often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, overreacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally
Generally speaking, once you’re already in a difficult situation, it isn’t possible to change your attitude simply by adopting a particular thought once or twice. Rather it’s through a process of learning, training, and getting used to new viewpoints that enables you to deal with the difficulty.”
“In fact, the enemy is the necessary condition for practicing patience.
In that case you might become totally discouraged, helpless, and depressed, thinking that‘Oh, I can’t do anything, I’m worthless.’ So under such circumstances, it’s important to be able to uplift your mind by reflecting on your achievements, the progress that you have made so far, and your other positive qualities so that you can uplift your mind and get out of that discouraged or demoralized state of mind.
It is our suffering that is the most basic element that we share with others, the factor that unifies us with all living creatures.
Through constant familiarity, we can definitely establish new behavior patterns.
if I encounter some obstacles or problems, I find it helpful to stand back and take the long-term view rather than the short-term view.
There is no getting around these essential ingredients: determination, effort, and time. These are the real secrets to happiness.
This premise is based on the fact that our positive states of mind can act as antidotes to our negative tendencies and delusory states of mind. So, the second premise is that as you enhance the capacity of these antidotal factors, the greater their force, the more you will be able to reduce the force of the mental and emotional afflictions,
positive states of mind can act as direct antidotes to negative states of mind.
We need to actively cultivate the antidotes to hatred: patience and tolerance.
“The only factor that can give you refuge or protection from the destructive effects of anger and hatred is your practice of tolerance and patience.”
If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it.
It is more sensible to spend the energy focusing on the solution rather than worrying about the problem.
Alternatively, if there is no way out, no solution, no Possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you can’t do anything about it anyway.
So, I’ve found that sincere motivation acts as an antidote to reduce fear and anxiety.”
If there is a solution to the problem, there is no need to worry. If there is no solution, there is no sense in worrying either.
I think perhaps honesty and self-confidence are closely linked.”
“I think that, generally, being honest with oneself and others about what you are or are not capable of doing can counteract that feeling of lack of self-confidence.
Similarly, so long as we know and maintain an awareness that we have this marvelous gift of human intelligence and a capacity to develop determination and use it in positive ways, in some sense we have this underlying mental health. An underlying strength, that comes from realizing we have this great human potential.
the variety of people calls for a variety of religions.
This is a supporting statement from the Dalai Lama saying that having one religion for everyone around the globe is not advantageous. Each Person is different and have different moral compasses so he's saying that there is the right religion for every person.
If you are not happy with your religion or if does not make you compassionate, then it's time consider changing beliefs.
“I think prayer is, for the most part, a simple daily reminder of your deeply held principles and convictions.
True spirituality is a mental attitude that you can practice at any time.
