Surprise Yourself
Some of my longtime and dearest friends shared the following quotations with me. I, in turn, would like to share their wisdom with you. 
The first is from Jim Pearson. Its originator is Deepak Chopra:
“You must have a vision of the future in order for the future to surprise you, for without visions, life dwindles into ritual and reception. A future that merely repeats the present can never be surprising.”
The Buddhist teaching on karma tells us that we are creating our tomorrow today. So there really shouldn’t be any surprises. It’s still the beginning of a new year, although starting out rather dismal. Let’s hope we’re all surprised with an upturn in the economy and real progress in the Middle East.
Suffering by Any Origin Tastes the Same
Jean Parcher sent me this one by Mohandas K. Gandhi:
“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?”
Buddhism’s entire teachings concern suffering. The opposite of suffering is not happiness, it is non-suffering. Neither religion nor politics, neither governments nor any ism can eliminate suffering, for it is caused by ignorance. Ignorance can be eliminated, as can mad destruction and killing. Are we using the right weapons in our quest for ending global conflicts and suffering?
Wise up and Fly Right
Pam Gegan, co-pastor of Pleasant Valley’s Center for Spiritual Living in Camarillo, California, shared with me this one from Bob Dylan’s The Gift of Change: The Times They Are A-Changin:
“What the caterpillar calls death, the butterfly calls birth. Are you ready to give up what you think you are, for what you may become?”
Buddhism talks about buddhanature and that is the essence of who or what we are. In order to discover one’s buddhanature or true self, one needs to work toward the detachment to the delusion of separateness. With detachment we are born again, we come out of our cocoons and fly to heights we never could have imagined.
Guess What I Heard about Teresa
Lifestyle designer and relationship expert Lissa Coffey sent to me this one by Mother Teresa:
“Violence of the tongue is very real - sharper than any knife.”
That one reminds me of a longtime favorite of mine, “The tongue, like a sharp knife, kills without drawing blood”, which is credited to Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism. Reminds me of his precept on right speech, a part of his Eightfold Path or his plan to help us eliminate our dukkha or suffering. Right speech means no gossip and no spreading rumors among other things. It also means verbalizing one’s thoughts of lovingkindness and compassion when the opportunity arises.
The Whims beneath Our Wings
Another from Lissa Coffey is this by Saint Teresa of Avila:
“To wish to act like angels while we are still in this world is nothing but folly.”
Let’s face it, we’re no angels. But we don’t have to be devilish either. No need to try to appear as “goodie two-shoes” when we know that underneath each one of our facades is a being who is human and with some character traits needing improvement. Rather than wearing a mask, we can focus on improving rather than on pretending, while at the same time remembering that underneath those traits is our buddhanature . . . which one could say is angel-like, I guess.
Being in the Present Moment
This one is an original by and from Patrick Gegan, co-pastor of Pleasant Valley’s Center for Spiritual Living in Camarillo, California:
“Every January we cross the threshold of a new year. Every moment we cross the threshold of a different future. With each new thought, our consciousness crosses the threshold of our awareness. Staying in the moment is the key to creating the future of your dreams.”
Buddhism teaches the wisdom in being in the present moment, because in fact that is all there is. The past no longer exists; it is just a memory. The future is not yet here; it is being created from present moments. When we concentrate on the present moment we are experiencing life, not rehashing past events nor planning future activities. That’s why the Buddha taught the wisdom in right mindfulness and right concentration in his Eightfold Path. We experience the present moment when we concentrate on a book, a movie, a concert . . . and when we play an instrument, paint a picture, engage in a hobby. So we know how good it feels.
Tags: enlightenment
I quite enjoyed the piece about living in the moment.