I think, for East and West, the first thing we need is a good grounding in basic Buddhadharma. Tenzin Palmo More Quotes by Tenzin Palmo More Quotes From Tenzin Palmo The point with Buddhism is that it doesn't just tell you to be good, it tells you how. It doesn't just say, "Don't be angry," it shows us the methods to help us not to be angry. It gives techniques for everything that it advises us to cultivate, and all the negative qualities we need to overcome and transform. Tenzin Palmo buddhismqualitygiving I'd say look at the teacher's students. Do you want to be like them? If you see a good and harmonious sangha, and if they're practicing well and are good people with good hearts, then you have a cause for trust. Tenzin Palmo heartteacherpeople In the texts, and as His Holiness the Dalai Lama reminds us, we should check the person's behavior not when they're sitting on a big throne, but behind the scenes. How do they treat ordinary people - not the big sponsors - but just ordinary people who are of no particular importance to them. Tenzin Palmo thronesordinarypeople Let's consider: at the time of the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, according to the old texts, in the first watch of the night, he went through all of his past lifetimes. Then in the second watch of the night, his mind opened still further and encompassed the coming into being and dying and re-coming into being of all beings, everywhere. The third watch of the night, he realized interdependent origination. He realized interdependent origination because he saw it. It wasn't some theory he thought up. He saw it. That was his enlightenment experience. That was why he was a Buddha. Tenzin Palmo mindnightpast Our relative being is what rules our relative world. Tenzin Palmo relativeworld Whether we're in retreat or out in the world, we should try to develop the quality of awareness as much as possible. Tenzin Palmo qualitytryingworld A lot of people with the purest motivation end up getting completely burned out. And that's because they lack the wisdom and the skill and the inner space. Tenzin Palmo motivationspaceskills Many people are benefiting beings, but from a dharma point of view, if you are a dharma practitioner, then the first priority is to get yourself together. Tenzin Palmo prioritiesviewspeople From a Buddhist point of view, the first thing to help is yourself, to get your own mind together. And to really understand how to benefit beings, not just on the physical level, but on all levels. Then there are endless beings you can benefit. Tenzin Palmo buddhistviewsmind If you take the time to study how to be a doctor and how to use your scalpel and your medicine, then there are endless beings out there to help. Tenzin Palmo doctorsmedicineuse If you want to be a doctor, you may say, There are all these beings, they're sick, they're dying, I've got to go out and help them. And so you grab a bag full of scalpels and medicine and rush off. Even though your motivation is very pure, you end up harming beings because you don't know what you're doing. Tenzin Palmo doctorsmedicinemotivation The problem is that our inherent ignorance keeps us in samsara and unable to benefit ourselves and others on a really deep level. Tenzin Palmo benefitslevelsignorance In fact there are beautiful people in this world doing incredibly selfless acts over and over and over. Dedicating their lives completely for the welfare and happiness of others. Tenzin Palmo selflessbeautifulpeople We need to be sincere in our practice, but at the same time we can't take ourselves too seriously. Tenzin Palmo sincerepracticeneeds For so many centuries women have been suppressed and regarded as inferior. And that of course is not right at all, that we all have buddha-nature - so what's the difference? Tenzin Palmo buddha-naturecenturydifferences Women are fully capable of doing everything. Tenzin Palmo capable The future of Dharma is in women's hands now because they have this energy which was never really tapped. Tenzin Palmo dharmaenergyhands One thing in the Buddhadharma is that we are not our body, we are not our gender. Tenzin Palmo genderone-thingbody We have the pure nature of the mind. Tenzin Palmo puremind As women become more educated and confident, they can start adding their voice. Tenzin Palmo educatedvoice
