Buddhist Meditation

In this great eon a thousand Buddhas will appear. The only difference between these Buddhas and us is that through their effort the Buddhas have attained great enlightenment, whereas we, through our laziness, remain in samsara. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Once living beings take a samsaric rebirth they have to experience suffering without any choice, just as a bucket in a well swings uncontrollably from side to side and is thereby dented, scratched and damaged. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

To remove the fears and sufferings of samsara we need to remove grasping at an inherently existent I by realizing that the inherently existent I does not exist. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

in the darkness of our ignorance we observe our aggregates and mistakenly conceive an inherently existent I, and because we grasp at this I we experience all the fears and sufferings of samsara. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

By realizing emptiness we can escape from samsara. Samsara is not an external prison; it is a prison made by our own mind. It will never end by itself, but by diligently practicing a pure spiritual path, we can bring our samsara to an end. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Although samsara resembles a prison, there is one door through which we can escape. That door is emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We have been trapped in samsara since beginningless time, wandering meaninglessly, without any freedom or control. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The six realms of samsara are actual places in which we can be reborn. They are brought into existence through the power of our actions, or karma. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The seeds of our actions that ripen when we die are very important because they determine what kind of rebirth we will take in our next life. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Our mind is like a treasure chest and our virtuous actions are like jewels. If we do not safeguard them through dedication, whenever we become angry it is as if we had put a thief among our treasures. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Unfortunately, it is easier to destroy our positive potentialities, for if we fail to dedicate our virtuous actions they can be made completely powerless by just one moment of anger. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The only way to destroy negative potentialities before they ripen as suffering is to purify them. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Although the momentary mental intentions that initiated our past actions have ceased, the potentialities they have created in our mind do not cease until their results have ripened. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Actions cannot simply vanish, and we cannot give them away to someone else and thus avoid our responsibility. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The actions of living beings are never wasted, even though a long time may pass before their effects are experienced. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

If we do not perform an action, we cannot experience its effect. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Buddha gave eighty-four thousand different instructions to cure these inner diseases, and, unlike other living beings, human beings have the opportunity to receive these instructions and put them into practice. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Even though we have been suffering from these inner diseases of delusions since time without beginning, we now have an opportunity to eradicate them completely. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

A human life has almost limitless potential, but we will be able to realize this potential only if we first learn to appreciate it. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Compared to an animal life, a human life generally provides many advantages, such as good food and shelter; but the greatest advantage of being human is the special opportunity we have to develop our mind and to free ourself and others from suffering. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso