People get very deep experiences and they think they're enlightened. That's not enlightenment, that's just some realization.

To want not to want, you'll tie yourself in knots. So this is why the Tibetans always say, just relax the mind and open.

What I like about Tibetan Buddhism is it was taken to Tibet in the 7th century and then again in the 11th. It has everything that had been collected in India up until that time. And so on all levels, it's so vast.

We don't always need to be sitting at the foot of the teacher, but from time to time we need someone who can overview us and give us direction.

The dharma is the most precious thing in the world and we should put it at the center of our hearts and transform our whole lives into dharma practice. Otherwise, at the time of death, we will look back and say, now what was all that about? If we truly want to benefit others and ourselves, we have to do it. No excuses.

We only think about the difficult people and the horrible things that happen. That's what gets all the media attention.

The Tibetans have many teachings on how to die, consciously, and how to remain in the clear light, and it works. You can see it working, and they can stay in that state for hours, days, or weeks.