Friday, August 20, 2010

Dharma Quote - Employ the watchman that is mindfulness


ZURCHUNGPA'S TESTAMENT:
A Commentary on
Zurchung Sherab Trakpa's
'Eighty Chapters of Personal Advice'

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche,
based on Shechen Gyaltsap's
Annotated Edition, translated by
the Padmakara Translation Group

more...

Dharma Quote of the Week

"If you fear you are running after the objects of the six senses, hold yourself with the hook:"

'Employ the watchman that is mindfulness.'

Someone who has been captured with a hook has no option but to go wherever he is led. In the same way, if we catch hold of our mind--which risks being distracted by the objects of the six senses--with the hook of mindfulness, and with vigilance and carefulness, this will be of enormous benefit. We should use this watchman to constantly check how many positive or negative thoughts and actions we produce during the day. When we are able to control our minds through mindfulness, everything that appears in samsara and nirvana becomes an aid in our practice and serves to confirm the meaning of the teachings. All appearances are understood as being dharmakaya. We perceive everything in its natural purity, and there is nothing we can call impure.

--from Zurchungpa's Testament: A Commentary on Zurchung Sherab Trakpa's 'Eighty Chapters of Personal Advice' by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, based on Shechen Gyaltsap's Annotated Edition, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group, published by Snow Lion Publications

Zurchungpa's Testament • Now at 5O% off
(Good until August 27th).


1 comment:

Translation quotes said...

Like you, I'm not a Buddhist but have been influenced by it precisely because of its immensely practical nature. Christianity tells you to be good; Buddhism gives some thoughts and practices for how to go about it. Though not addressing the exact point of some of the questions posted; I feel that those similarly moved by them would probably find Jeannine Davies' work to be of interest. Davies' contemporary work handles tranditional topics in a really functional manner.