Buddhism: A Path for Everyone.

Buddha said that different beings have different capacities for understanding, different ways of thinking, different personalities and mentalities and cultural attitudes; and that teachings should be in accordance with this. The essence of Buddhism is lovingkindness and compassion and understanding emptiness. And all these different approaches are just many ways of allowing these real, innate qualities to manifest.

When we teach, any example that is understood by the teacher and the student can be used. Also, sometimes with people in the West, when they try meditation, they try too hard. They become very tight, their bodies become tense. Everything becomes blocked and difficult. Then they need to learn to relax and to rest the mind - with awareness but not so much tightness.

-Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, "Trust through Reason" (Summer 2007)

James: This quote is courtesy of Philip Ryan at Tricycle Magazine.

~Peace to all beings~

Spontaneous Acquiescence.

The right attitude for studying the way is just complete spontaneous acquiescence. Who cares whether it takes twenty or thirty years; you'll be naturally at peace, without the slightest bit of doubt or confusion. How can there be any obstruction again after spontaneous acquiescence? How can anyone arrive by way of externals?

-Ming-pen

James: We make things so difficult for ourselves don't we? We can't seem to accept that liberation is easier than we think.

~Peace to all beings~