To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.

National discord is, like religion, a standardized form of revolt; and the moment a revolt is standardized, it is no longer a revolt.

It is utterly and irrevocably possible to empty all hurts and therefore to love, to have compassion. To have compassion means to have passion for all things, not just between two people, but for all human beings, for all things of the earth, the animals, the trees - everything the earth contains. When we have such compassion we will not despoil the earth as we are doing now and we will have no wars.

If I do not know reality, the unknown, how can I search for it? Surely it must come but I cannot go after it. If I go after it I am going after something which is the known, projected by me; by my own mind.

Compassion being action without motive, without self-interest, without any sense of fear, without any sense of pleasure.

And the idea of ourselves is our escape from the fact what we really are.

If there is no order in your relationship with your wife, with your husband, with your children, with your neighbour - whether that neighbour is near or very far away - forget about meditation.