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

In one way I would like to teach, but I have no qualifications to teach Westerners.

There are wars, there's pestilence, there are plagues, there is corruption in religious circles, corruption in the government, when was it not?

Either we're aware and present, or we're not. There is no half way.

If you put a little pin in the middle and you make a little space, a little circle, then the nature of the mirror shines through. So now you know the mind is not dust, that behind that dust there is this mirror-like nature of the mind, and if it's a big enough hole, you might be so transfixed by the hole you don't notice the rest of the dust.

If you don't find that people find you're easier to live with than you were before, if you don't find that your heart is feeling warmer toward others and if your negative emotions are not getting any better, then there's something wrong. That is always the touchstone of the Dharma practice.

We have produced many of our problems through our confused mental states.