The Buddha said that samsara by its nature is painful. He didn't say it was a joyride.

A realized being would not be making any fresh karma because karma is very much connected to the ego but would still be receiving the results of past karma.

We make the commitment to stop for a moment and look at what the mind is doing, what mind state we are dwelling in. We don't judge it, we just know it. Gradually we'll become more and more accustomed to being conscious of what we're thinking and our various positive and negative states. We'll become more and more the masters of our mind, rather than the slaves.

It's very important to realize that every person that you meet, everything that you do, with the right attitude and a little awareness and skillful means - we can transform everything - all our joys and sorrows.

I never really wondered about getting from London to Lahaul. It all seemed such a natural progression. In London I felt I was in the wrong place and wanted to leave. I'd thought about going to Australia or New Zealand. It's nothing against England, but I knew I wasn't meant to be there.

We need to be sincere in our practice, but at the same time we can't take ourselves too seriously.

I think the problem with Western students is they're very ambitious.