It is often said that the Buddha's teaching is only a raft to help you cross the river, a finger pointing to the moon. Don't maistake the finger for the moon. The raft is not the shore. If we cling to the raft, if we cling to the finger, we miss everything. We cannot, in the name of the finger or the raft kill each other. Human life is more precious than any ideology, any doctrine.

You are me, and I am you. Isn't it obvious that we "inter-are"? You cultivate the flower in yourself, so that I will be beautiful. I transform the garbage in myself, so that you will not have to suffer.

To be free, first of all, is to be free from wrong views that are the foundation of all kinds of suffering and fear and violence.

The roots of war are in the way we live our daily lives -- the way we develop our industries, build up our society, and consume goods.

Today, you can decide to walk in freedom. You can choose to walk differently. You can walk as a free person, enjoying every step.

Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred.

To make peace, our hearts must be at peace with the world.