Whenever we strive to make progress in our meditations, contemplations and so forth we are practicing effort.

One of the most common ways of not acknowledging our faults is to blame others.

We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds.

There is no situation so bad that it cannot be accepted patiently, with an open, accommodating, and peaceful heart.

Pure happiness can only be attained through developing our mind.

We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent, self-sufficient individual, bears no relation to reality. It is closer to the truth to picture ourself as a cell in the vast body of life, distinct yet intimately bound up with all living beings. We cannot exist without others, and they in turn are affected by everything we do. The idea that it is possible to secure our own welfare while neglecting the welfare of others, or even at the expense of others, is completely unrealistic.

When a fully qualified Mahayana disciple relies completely upon a fully qualified Mahayana Spiritual Guide the attainment of enlightenment is easy.