It's an adversarial world outside of the safety of nirvana and enlightenment. In life, all beings need to feed on other beings just in order to exist. Some beings also like to cause others to needlessly suffer, just out of pure maliciousness

Tantric Zen is not being kinky; nor is it being conservative and austere. It is eclectic. It is a real mixture of all things.

You can measure your power in your ability to stop thought. The longer you can stop thought, the more powerful you are.

I don't think there is anyone in public life today who can escape the inevitable onslaught of the media. It seeks to pry into and often grossly distort aspects of one's personal and professional life. I guess it just comes with the territory.

Now, stopping thought is only the beginning. As Brahmananda, who was a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, once remarked: The inner life begins with samadhi. This is an awesome thought, I realize, for the average person who meditates, that it could begin with samadhi.

Sitting around idly contemplating doesn't produce much. In work you can discipline your attention, forget about your misery.

If you want to become enlightened, you've got to get all the bullshit out of your life. You have to clear up your mind completely.