If you're born in the higher realms, then it's too pleasant, and you don't have any incentive to practice. If you're born in the lower realms, you don't have any opportunity to practice.

I sometimes feel tremendous compassion and helplessness.

For so many centuries women have been suppressed and regarded as inferior. And that of course is not right at all, that we all have buddha-nature - so what's the difference?

I've often said that the seventh paramita should be a sense of humor, so we don't take ourselves too seriously.

Different people are different.

Some students went to Milarepa and said, we should stop living in caves and meditating because we should go out and help beings as bodhisattvas. And Milarepa said that as long as space exists, so long will there be beings for you to help.

At the age of 21 I was so sensible and became a nun. I am very grateful to myself for that.