When the time comes for a change, you will find it occurring without having created it yourself. You may think that you are the doer and that you are creating the change. That's nonsense.

Learn to be happy in any and all circumstances, whether you're experiencing pleasure or pain, whether there's loss or gain, whether the world loves you or hates you. Learn to be happy.

You have to become a master or mistress of your mind.

There is no fanaticism in any of this. There is intensity. You have to make it happen. You have to put your will into perfecting your daily life, into monitoring your thoughts.

In this world we see nothing but diversity. Everyone thinks separate ideas and wants to develop a separate identity. They fight wars with each other. They destroy each other's identities.

There is wisdom in not letting anyone really know who you are or what you are like. If you define yourself, people hold you in their mind a certain way making it difficult to change.

Buddhism suggests there are no elect. Everything rests upon your own self-effort, which is the good news because that means you don't have to wait around for some nebulous God to help you.