Tricycle Daily Dharma August 7, 2013

Genuine Discernment The fundamental aim of Buddhist practice is not belief; it’s enlightenment, the awakening that takes place when illusion has been overcome. It may sound simple, but it’s probably the most difficult thing of all to achieve. It isn’t some kind of magical reward that someone can give you or that a strong belief will enable you to acquire. The true path to awakening is genuine discernment; it’s the very opposite of belief. - Trinlay Tulku Rinpoche, “The Seeds of Life”

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 6, 2013

Don't Make Your Suffering Worse In a classic sutra, the Buddha had said that if someone shoots you in the foot, don’t pick up the bow and shoot yourself in the foot again. Don’t make your suffering worse by arguing with what’s so. That’s a second arrow. Accept pain. Don’t criticize yourself, or others, for feeling pain: that is a second arrow. Don’t regret what cannot be changed, or try to predict what cannot be known. - Katy Butler, "A Life Too Long"

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 5, 2013

Every Single Moment In truth, every single moment of our lives presents us with a choice: either awaken to the reality of the present moment, or stay sleepy and push aspects of that reality away. - Will Johnson, “Full Body, Empty Mind”

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 4, 2013

The Real Enemy When your mind is trained in self-discipline, even if you are surrounded by hostile forces, your peace of mind will hardly be disturbed. On the other hand, your mental peace and calm can easily be disrupted by your own negative thoughts and emotions. The real enemy is within, not outside. - The Dalai Lama, "The Enemy Within"

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 3, 2013

Gaining Insight from Obstacles Using meditation or therapy to try to shut down parts of our experience is ultimately counterproductive. We do not have to be afraid of entering unfamiliar territory once we have learned how to hold experience within the gentleness of our own minds. Learning to transform obstacles into objects of meditation provides a much needed bridge between the stillness of the concentrated mind and the movement of real life. - Mark Epstein, "Stopping the Wind"

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 2, 2013

Expansive Peace Whether we’re seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two, the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional openness to all that arises. Peace isn’t an experience free of challenges, free of rough and smooth—it’s an experience that’s expansive enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened. - Pema Chödrön, "Unlimited Friendliness"

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 1, 2013

The Meditative Mind in Daily Life It is essential that you cultivate the twin elements of concentration and inquiry in your meditation. Concentration will bring stability, stillness, and spaciousness; inquiry will bring alertness, vividness, brightness, and clarity. Combined, they will help you to develop creative awareness, an ability to bring a meditative mind to all aspects of your daily life. - Martine Batchelor, "A Refuge into Being"