So I was first exposed to this guy Tim McCarthy, and he's talking about Zen, but deeper than that he was a genuine person. I thought maybe he's someone I can trust and follow this thing he's talking about all the time. Brad Warner More Quotes by Brad Warner More Quotes From Brad Warner Morality is a personal matter. Brad Warner personal-matter morality matter Buddhism is all about finding your own way, not imitating the ways of others or even the ways of Buddha himself. Brad Warner findings buddhism way Buddhism doesn't promise to fulfill our desires. Instead it says, 'You feel unfulfilled? That's okay. That's normal. Everybody feels unfulfilled. You will always feel unfulfilled. There is no problem with feeling unfulfilled. In fact, if you learn to see it the right way, that very lack of fulfillment is the greatest thing you can ever experience.' This is the realistic outlook. Brad Warner buddhism learning feelings The state of ambiguity - that messy, greasy, mixed-up, confused, and awful situation you're living through right now - is enlightenment itself. Brad Warner enlightenment confused awful Leaving home' to me means adopting the attitude that the pursuit of the truth is more vital than the pursuit of what society — your home — tells you is important. Brad Warner truth attitude mean The real goal of Zen is to find a way of life that's easy and undramatic. Strong attachments lead to upset and drama. Brad Warner strong real drama True nonattachment is understanding that you are fundamentally attached to everything and, through that understanding, dropping your attachment to the view that you are detached from that which you encounter. At the same time, real nonattachment means not clinging to things or people. It means dropping the idea that if you don't have this or if you can't get that, your life will be a catastrophe. Brad Warner real time life Real morality is based on a single criterion: right action, appropriate action, in the present moment and present situation. Brad Warner morality real action The thinking brain influences the body’s responses and it makes a neat little loop. Brad Warner body brain thinking Everything you have, whether it's money or stuff, is an obligation. It is as much your duty to care for and nurture any object you own as it would be if that object were your child. All possessions come with responsibilities. More possessions equals greater responsibility. Brad Warner money responsibility children You can't live in paradise—but you are living right here. Make this your paradise or make this your hell. The choice is entirely yours. Really. Brad Warner living-right paradise choices How many Zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb? The plum tree in the garden! Brad Warner garden light tree As for enlightenment, that's just for people who can't face reality. Brad Warner enlightenment reality people Consider this: 1. Would you ride in a car whose driver was on the consciousness-expanding "entheogenic" drug LSD? And here's a bonus question: 2. Why does an "expanded consciousness" include the inability to operate a motor vehicle? Brad Warner motor-vehicles car drug True mindfulness is the awareness that everything you encounter Brad Warner encounters meditation expression No matter what we predict for our futures, we're always wrong anyway. The only sensible thing to do is to live this life as it is right now. Leave what happens after you die till after you die. Brad Warner our-future this-life matter Just know that your expectations are only thoughts in your head, and keep on doing what you do. Brad Warner thoughts-in-your-head expectations knows Much of the hatred and fear of sexuality found in religions stems from the idea that sex is a thing of the body and that the body must be denied so that the spirit may be elevated. In Buddhism there is no notion that the body is made of inferior matter while the spirit flies free within. Brad Warner buddhism sex ideas It may look like we're doing nothing when we sit zazen. But actually we are exposing ourselves to ourselves. Brad Warner doing-nothing may looks If a tree falls in the forest and it hits a mime, would he make a noise? Brad Warner noise tree fall
