We have to cultivate contentment with what we have. We really don't need much. When you know this, the mind settles down. Cultivate generosity. Delight in giving. Learn to live lightly. In this way, we can begin to transform what is negative into what is positive. This is how we start to grow up.

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

The problem is that our inherent ignorance keeps us in samsara and unable to benefit ourselves and others on a really deep level.

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 are educated. We can think. We have the freedom to think.

If we want to be musicians, dancers or sportspeople, we can download a certain amount and watch DVDs and read books, but in the end we need someone to assess us and give us personal instruction. The two go together.

To become effortless takes a lot of effort. It's good to compare it to learning an instrument or learning a sport.