Geshe Chekawa Quotes

Pride is a mental factor causing us to feel higher or superior to others. Even our study of dharma can be the occasion for the delusion of pride to arise if we think our understanding is superior to that of everyone else. Pride is harmful because it prevents us from accepting fresh knowledge from a qualified teacher. Just as a pool of water cannot collect on the tip of a mountain, so too a reservoir of understanding cannot be established in a mind falsely elevated by pride. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The perfection of joyful determination is defined as taking delight or feeling joy in doing something positive or virtuous. If you are very joyful about doing negative things or about being busy with meaningless activities, this is not called joyful exertion from a Buddhist point of view. This kind of attitude is actually a form of laziness, an attachment to frivolous activities. Such a person would not be considered diligent at all. But if you are JOYFUL and DETERMINED TO PERFORM POSITIVE ACTIONS, then as a result, you discover and learn many new things that you didn't know about before. ~ Geshe Gyeltsen

Since inner peace is the source of all happiness, we can see how important meditation is. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

When we look at external things, we can usually distinguish those that are useful and valuable from those that are not. We must learn to look at our mind in the same way. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Nothing can be accomplished just by reading words.
A sick man will never be cured of his illness through merely reading medical instructions! ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Today we can see many different forms of Buddhism, such as Zen and Theravada Buddhism. All these different aspects are practices of Buddha's teachings, and all are equally precious; they are just different presentations. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

When we want a cup of tea our main wish is to drink tea, but to fulfill this wish we naturally develop the secondary wish to find a cup. In a similar way, the main wish of those who have great compassion is to protect all living beings from their suffering, but to fulfill this wish they know they must first attain Buddhahood themselves and so they naturally develop the secondary wish to attain enlightenment. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

In general, 'Buddha' means 'Awakened One', someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. There are many people who have become Buddhas in the past, and many people will become Buddhas in the future. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent, self-sufficient individual, bears no relation to reality. It is closer to the truth to picture ourself as a cell in the vast body of life, distinct yet intimately bound up with all living beings. We cannot exist without others, and they in turn are affected by everything we do. The idea that it is possible to secure our own welfare while neglecting the welfare of others, or even at the expense of others, is completely unrealistic. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Our mental attitude transforms a situation into either a problem or an opportunity. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

When we learn to accept difficult circumstances patiently, the real problem disappears. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Love is the great protector, protecting us from anger and jealousy. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We should realize that our deadliest enemies are anger and other delusions. Since these delusions are deeply ingrained mental habits, working to overcome them is not always easy. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

I have not met one living being that has not been the mother of all the rest. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We underestimate the value of patience. It is possible that people might sometimes interrupt our meditation sessions or Dharma study, but they can never take away our opportunity to train in inner virtues such as patience. It is this mental training, rather than outer virtuous activities, that is the essence of Dharma practice. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We do not need to become unhappy just because things don't go our way. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Faith is like pure eyes that enable us to see a pure and perfect world beyond the suffering world of samsara. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

In reality, our mind is the creator of all the things we experience. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Whenever anyone, Buddhist or not, sees a Temple or an image of Buddha they receive blessings. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Our mind is like a field, and performing actions is like sowing seeds in that field. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Patience is a strength, not a weakness; and if by practicing patience we stop retaliating to harm and criticism, people will gradually come to understand that our real nature is very special ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

When a jealous person sees signs of other people's success and good fortune, his heart is pierced with envy. But someone who has learned to rejoice in the good fortune of others experiences only happiness. Seeing another person's beautiful house or attractive partner immediately makes him happy - the fact that they are not his own is irrelevant. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Just as eagles soar through the vast expanse of the sky without meeting any obstructions, needing only minimal effort to maintain their flight, so advanced meditators concentrating on emptiness can meditate on emptiness for a long time with little effort. Their minds soar through space-like emptiness, undistracted by any other phenomenon. When we meditate on emptiness we should try to emulate these meditators. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Anger is one of the most common and destructive delusions, and it afflicts our mind almost every day. To solve the problem of anger, we first need to recognize the anger within our mind, acknowledge how it harms both ourself and others, and appreciate the benefits of being patient in the face of difficulties. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Happiness is a state of mind, so the real source of happiness must lie within the mind, not in external conditions. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Enlightenment is the inner light of wisdom that is permanently free from all mistaken appearance, and whose function is to bestow mental peace upon each and every living being every day. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Since the real purpose of meditation is to increase our capacity to help others, taking time each day to meditate is not selfish. We have to manage our time and energy in such a way that we can be of maximum benefit to others, and to do this we need time alone to recover our strength, collect our thoughts, and see things in perspective ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We are all interconnected in a web of kindness from which it is impossible to separate ourself. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Pure happiness can only be attained through developing our mind. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Developing compassion and wisdom and helping those in need is the true meaning of life. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Patient acceptance is often considered a weak and passive response to problems that we do not have the power or courage to solve. In reality, however, being patient is far from being passive. There is nothing strong or courageous in reacting to hardship or insults with anger - all we are doing is being defeated by our delusions. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Everything we have and everything we enjoy, including our very life, is due to the kindness of others. In fact, every happiness there is in the world arises as a result of others' kindness. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Whenever we strive to make progress in our meditations, contemplations and so forth we are practicing effort. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

The more we control our mind, the more our inner peace increases and the happier we become ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

We need modern ideas, but we also need ancient wisdom. If we deny ancient wisdom we are making a big mistake. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Buddha's teachings are scientific methods to solve the problems of all living beings permanently. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Listening is a lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

There is no greater method for experiencing peace of mind and happiness than to understand and meditate on Emptiness. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

If we transform our ordinary mind into love and compassion we will naturally act in a positive way. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Right now we have obtained a human rebirth and have the opportunity to attain enlightenment through Dharma practice, so if we waste this precious opportunity in meaningless activities there is no greater loss and no greater foolishness. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Being patient means to welcome wholeheartedly whatever arises, ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

When a fully qualified Mahayana disciple relies completely upon a fully qualified Mahayana Spiritual Guide the attainment of enlightenment is easy. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

According to this system, if one understands the mechanism through which all things are merely posited on the strength of conceptual thought, then one will easily recognize that any apprehension of an intrinsically existent reality is made in contradiction with this mechanism." This is actually very correct. If you memorize and repeat it, others will think you are very intelligent! They ~ Domo Geshe Rinpoche

A Temple is one of the best ways of benefiting other living beings - it is the best form of public service. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

All the happiness there is in the world arises from wishing others to be happy. ~ Geshe Kelsang Gyatso