When prayer, rituals and ascetic life are just a means of self-indulgence, they are harmful rather than beneficial. This is quite obvious… — Idries Shah Copy Share Image
“13. A Buddha In Tokyo in th Meiji era there lived two prominent teachers of opposite characteristics. One, Unsho, an instructor in… — Nyogen Senzaki and Paul Reps Copy Share Image
First of all, Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If anything at all, it is realistic, for it takes a realistic view… — Walpola Rahula Copy Share Image
“Is it by chance that the 18th century of France, the century of the "philosophy of enlightenment," did not produce any poets… — Benjamin Péret Copy Share Image
“It is the same principle as washing dirty clothes - the more you clean the dirt away, the more it goes back… — Woo Myung Copy Share Image
Those who read books cannot understand the teachings and, what's more, may even go astray. But those who try to observe the… — Buddhadasa Bhikkhu Copy Share Image
“Darwin caused controversy, not merely because his ideas contradicted Genesis, but because they fell foul of the way in which Genesis had… — Andrew Louth Copy Share Image
“More and more obstacles seem to be other people's issues that form in the way of a hand to block one, to… — Tom Althouse Copy Share Image
The way of presentation is different according to each religion. In theistic religions like Buddhism, Buddhist values are incorporated. In nontheistic religions,… — Dalai Lama Copy Share Image
“For me, Buddhism is like a living organism. If it is to flourish outside self-enclosed ghettos of believers, it will have to… — Stephen Batchelor Copy Share Image
I sometimes call my new system 'Italian pagan Catholicism,' but it could more accurately be called 'pragmatic liberalism,' with roots in Enlightenment… — Camille Paglia Copy Share Image
“The contemporary Enlightenment world prides itself on its commitment to equality and justice, its open-mindedness, its making opportunity available to all, and… — Stephen R.C. Hicks Copy Share Image
“What do people think spiritual development is? It's not lights and trumpets. It's very simple. It's right here and now. People have… — Vicki Mackenzie Cave in the Snow Copy Share Image
It is related that Sakyamuni [the historical Buddha] once dismissed as of small consequence a feat of levitation on the part of… — Peter Matthiessen Copy Share Image
“Become the person of no rank. Become the noble soul, and live in this awakened way, not imitating anyone. Whatever the circumstances… — Maurine Stuart Copy Share Image
I don't believe in hell and heaven anymore. Or angels. I think Islam is a superstition like every other superstition. But now… — Ayaan Hirsi Ali Copy Share Image
So I think the Guru can be a delusion. But everything can be deluding. The thing central about the Guru in the… — Joseph Campbell Copy Share Image
“If complete enlightenment demands relinquishing the self, then complete enlightenment implies the acceptance of mortality. Not that there isn't more to being… — Kathryn Harrison Copy Share Image
Climbing is the lazy man's way to enlightenment. It forces you to pay attention, because if you don't, you won't succeed, which… — Duncan Ferguson Copy Share Image
“We are all Masters. Every thought, word, and action creates our individual reality from one moment to the next. Each individual’s creation,… — Gary Hopkins Copy Share Image
“Once upon a time, a woman moved to a cave in the mountains to study with a guru. She wanted, she said,… — Melody Beattie Copy Share Image
“Everything depends upon your readiness and willingness to let go into the Unknown and live from that mysterious and precious condition. The… — Adyashanti Copy Share Image
In very clear and available language, this book details how to recognize the inner critic and how to deal effectively with it.… — A. H. Almaas Copy Share Image
“I am afraid I am going to drift into fiction, truthful but incomplete, for lack of some details which I cannot conjure… — Leonora Carrington Copy Share Image
“To comprehend yourself truly, which is also to comprehend the world truly, you needn’t look any farther than at what abounds with… — Mitch Cullin Copy Share Image
For the dharma to become firsthand knowledge-to feel the ‘ouch’ of it-you have to live intimately with it, hold it up to… — Larry Rosenberg Copy Share Image
It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become… — Anthony Bourdain Copy Share Image
The sangha is a community where there should be harmony and peace and understanding. That is something created by our daily life… — Nhat Hanh Copy Share Image
The Spirit bears witness. Ecstasy and enlightenment, inspiration and intuition are not necessary. Happy is the man who is worthy of these;… — Karl Barth Copy Share Image
“God as preached and lived by Jesus, the Enlightenment writers put human non-exclusionary justice ahead of the law. This rational philosophy did… — Frank Schaeffer Copy Share Image
In a few Zen monasteries, every monk has to start his morning with laughter, and has to end his night with laughter… — Rajneesh Copy Share Image
How can one become enlightened in one single moment? One can, because one is enlightened -- one just has to recognize the… — Rajneesh Copy Share Image
I think it would help if, when people are first ordained, they underwent a period of strict training, maybe for several years.… — Tenzin Palmo Copy Share Image
My friends, my enemies, good people, bad people, favorable circumstances, unfavorable circumstances - all together they are creating the context in which… — Bibeka Copy Share Image
“THE DIRECT EXPLANATION OF THE REAL ORIGIN[FN#376] 5. The Ekayana Doctrine that Teaches the Ultimate Reality. This doctrine teaches us that all… — Kaiten Nukariya Copy Share Image
“We are all tested during our lives. I truly believe that there is a master design and that everything happens for a… — Martin Niewood Copy Share Image
“The only barrier to Self-realization or enlightenment is the ego. The ego is the false identification with names and forms. Once this… — Akshay Kulkarni Copy Share Image
“The Buddhist teachings move along a graduated path: first the stages of calm abiding and then the stages of deep insight. Through… — Ogyen Trinley Dorje Copy Share Image
“The aspirant would do well to avoid those ‘spiritual teachers’ who delight in pointing out the evils of the world. These are… — Prem Prakash Copy Share Image
“The age of empire and the rise of the west were built on the capacity to inflict violence on a major scale.… — Peter Frankopan Copy Share Image