Do not become fixated on your past negative actions
“Do not become fixated on your past negative actions, by continuously thinking about them, over and over again, to the point that it debilitates your mind with worry, guilt, anxiety and depression. It will get you nowhere, other than pulling you off the path.
Instead, bring them to the path, by acknowledging them, regretting them, remedying them, and then doing your very best never to repeat them. This is the way that you will keep your peace of mind and progress on the path to the enlightened state of a Buddha.” 
~ Chamtrul Rinpoche
𝐈 𝐀 𝐌 𝐁 𝐔 𝐃 𝐃 𝐇 𝐈 𝐒 𝐓
Interpretation of the mind
Buddhism also explains that the fundamental nature of human consciousness is pure and clear; that the nuclear essence of human beings is their mind, not this body of flesh and blood. Furthermore, we believe that recognizing our lives as pleasurable or miserable depends largely on how our mind interprets them. If you think your life is miserable, it becomes miserable.
– Lama Yeshe
There is no hard work that is more worthwhile than destroying the inner enemy
There is no hard work that is more worthwhile than destroying the inner enemy, the unsubdued mind. The external enemy can be destroyed by weapons, whereas the inner enemy cannot. It has caused us great harm from beginningless lifetimes and will continue to give us great harm unless we subdue it. We must find the remedy to destroy it, and that remedy must come from our own mind, by developing minds such as patience, compassion, and especially the loving compassionate thought of bodhicitta.
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche
With thanks to Tubten Kunga Center for Wisdom
Obscurations and negative karma
Sentient beings fixate on thoughts, the true Yogi does not. Sentient beings’ thoughts are like carving on stones; whatever is thought stays, leaving a trace. Whatever the mental act, a trace remains. This is why we must accept that there is karma, there are disturbing emotions and there are habitual patterns. But, on the other hand, the thoughts occurring in a true Yogi’s mind are like drawings in the air. There is an apparent movement, but it is only seeming because he perceives the nature of his mind. There is no clinging to perceiver and perceived and, hence, no karma accumulation whatsoever. This is the meaning of unceasing, self-occurring self-liberation.
It is not possible to be enlightened while still having obscurations and negative karma. They need to be interrupted and purified, and that is why one does the purification practices and apologizes for any negative deeds one has done. There is also another way to thoroughly and perpetually bring an end to negative karma and obscuration. The moment of recognizing mind’s essence totally interrupts the karma and obscurations, for that moment. It purifies the negative karma that has been continued from the past and it interrupts any creation henceforth. As long as this recognition lasts, karma and obscurations are completely ended. Complete stability in the recognition of empty cognizance, therefore, involves the total elimination of all obscurations and negative karma.
– Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
from the book “Vajra Speech: A Commentary on The Quintessence of Spiritual Practice”
With thanks to Just Dharma Quotes
Becoming the slave of illusions and distractions
Our mind is the basis of everything, and from our mind everything arises, Samsara and nirvana, ordinary sentient beings and enlightened ones. Consider the way beings transmigrate in the impure vision of samsara: even though the essence of the mind, the true nature of our mind, is totally pure right from the beginning, nevertheless, because pure mind is temporarily obscured by the impurity of ignorance, there is no self-recognition of our own state. Through this lack of self-recognition arise illusory thoughts and actions created by the passions. Thus various negative karmic causes are accumulated and since their maturation as effects is inevitable, one suffers bitterly, transmigrating in the six states of existence. Thus, not recognizing one’s own state is the cause of transmigration, and through this cause one becomes the slave of illusions and distractions.
– Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
With thanks to Just Dharma Quotes
Your life is running out
Your mind, the primordial Buddha,
Searches elsewhere due to the power of desire.
Doesn’t it notice that it is wandering in samsara?
Now that you have obtained the precious human body,
You continuously get carried away by mundane actions.
Don’t you notice that your life is running out?
– Padmasambhava
Like a knot that is untied
There is only one mind; it is not that there are two minds, one recognizing the other. In the very moment of recognizing, it is like a knot that is untied. We don’t have to do anything further than that, leave it untied. In the moment of looking, it is already seen. It is not that later on we come to see. Why? Because mind and mind essence are very close. The second reason is that it is not that mind essence is something that we have to get our sights on; it’s not like that. It is not that we need to hold the awareness on it for a while, like one or two minutes and slowly it will appear within our experience. Since there is only one mind, the moment you recognize, it is simply a matter of letting go. The thinker or knower of that moment is just like a new knot, like a new thought. The moment you abandon it, it unties. We are already arrived at where we need to arrive at, we are already in the nature of mind.
– Tsoknyi Rinpoche
from the book “Carefree Dignity: Discourses on Training in the Nature of Mind”
Tsoknyi Rinpoche on the web:
The Sky Dragon’s Profound Roar
Up in the sky’s expanse, true being, unborn, forever pure
Beautiful is the world below me — how many colors do I see
But when I look I can’t find anything that’s born or has a root
So the time has come to meditate on true reality, of ego-clinging free
All my possessions, all that I enjoy, are like rainbows in the sky
Even their smallest parts have no essence — they don’t exist at all
So when I enjoy illusory pleasures, empty-appearing tea and beer
It’s time to rest in mind’s full moon — empty awareness, radiant clarity
The stages of practice of the Tathagata’s view and meditation
Are skillful methods that clear away ordinary thoughts
So I train in appearance and mind being without base or root —
When sickness and death suddenly strike, I’ll be ready, without regret
In the pattern that the world and life’s appearances weave
Visions of parents, relatives and friends are like illusions and dreams
Like morning mist, they are fleeting, and at the time they dissolve
That’s the time to search for unborn confused mind’s basic reality
In the baseless, rootless and empty confused appearances of life
We suffer from heat and from cold and from so many other things
But diligence in Secret Yana’s practices, so powerful
Makes fox-like cowardice be free all by itself — the time has come!
To what we beautify with hats and clothes — to this heap of elements
We offer tasty food and many other things — whatever we may find pleasing
But the carelessness and craziness of this life will end one day
So be ready to be fearless of the judgment of the mighty Lord of Death
From the country of great snow mountains — a realm of Dharma
Having crossed many hills and valleys and now flying through the sky
I purify illusory flesh and blood into empty-appearing deity
Paths and bhumis’ realizations self liberated — in this I train
Ha Ha! Dechen Rangdrol’s conduct that’s attachment-free
A Ho! It’s time to fly in the expanse of sky of spacious Mother
It is not you
The nature of mind has to be recognized by the nature of mind. It is not ‘you’ recognizing your nature of mind; it is your nature of mind recognizes your nature of mind. It is so easy therefore it is so difficult. It is there all the time. Our mind recognizes our nature of mind all the time. We are never separate. But somehow, as it is said in the mahamudra prayer, “self awareness, under the power of ignorance, is confused into a ‘self'”. So because of ignorance, the nature of mind that we recognize every moment, every moment we mistake it as ‘I’.
– Tai Situ Rinpoche
from the book “Shangpa Kagyu Teaching
We have incredible freedom to develop our minds in any way we desire
Since healing comes essentially from our mind, not from our body, it’s important to understand the nature of the mind. The intrinsic nature of the mind is pure, in the sense that it is not one with the defects of the mind, with disturbing thoughts and obscures. All the defects of our mind — selfishness, ignorance, anger, attachment, guilt, and other disturbing thoughts — are temporary, not permanent and eternal. And since the cause of our suffering, disturbing thoughts and obscures, is temporary, so is our suffering.
The mind is also empty of real existence, of existence on its own side. This quality of the mind, known as the Nature of the Buddha, gives us the potential to completely free ourselves from all suffering, including disease, and from the causes of suffering and to achieve whatever happiness we desire, including that of enlightenment. Because the mind has so much potential, we don’t have to be depressed or hopeless. It’s not like we have to experience problems forever. We have incredible freedom to develop our minds in any way we desire. It’s just a matter of finding the right way to harness the potential of our minds.”
Lama Zopa RinpocheGreat news
Don’t conclude that your mind is significantly different from anyone else’s. We all have this monkey mind. Once we put the monkey under the magnifying glass, the mind commonly appears crazier than ever. It’s not. You are just allowing yourself to become acquainted with how crazy it has always been. This is great news.
– Mingyur Rinpoche
No roots, no home
The clouds that wander through the sky have no roots, no home,
Nor do the distinctive thoughts floating through the mind. Once the self-mind is seen,
Discrimination stops.
– Tilopa
Distinguishing between beneficial and harmful states of mind
Within the body there are billions of different particles. Similarly, there are many different thoughts and a variety of states of mind. It is wise to take a close look into the world of your mind and to make the distinction between beneficial and harmful states of mind. Once you can recognize the value of good states of mind, you can increase or foster them.
– 14th Dalai Lama
With thanks to Just Dharma Quotes
The greatest of all mistakes
The wise man strives to no goals
but the foolish man fetters himself.
There is one Dharma, not many;
distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant.
To seek Mind with discriminating mind
is the greatest of all mistakes.
– Sengcan
Who is your enemy?
“Who is your enemy? Mind is your enemy. No one can harm you more than your own untamed mind. And who is your friend? Mind is your friend. No one can help you more than your own mind, wisely trained.”
— Buddha
Just projections of the mind
A beautiful object has no intrinsic quality that is good for the mind, nor does an ugly object have any intrinsic power to harm it. Beautiful and ugly are just projections of the mind. The ability to cause happiness or suffering is not a property of the outer object itself. For example, the sight of a particular individual can cause happiness to one person and suffering to another. It is the mind that attributes such qualities to the perceived object.
– Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
With thanks to Just Dharma Quotes
Enlightenment mind
From loving kindness and compassion, enlightenment mind arises. Enlightenment mind, again, is defined as the resolution to attain ultimate enlightenment so that one may be of greatest benefit of all sentient beings, just like Shakyamuni Buddha himself. The Buddha also first generated enlightenment mind, then accumulated wisdom and merit, and eventually attained enlightenment, through which he benefited countless sentient beings.
We are followers of the Buddha, and particularly we are Mahayanists. We must cultivate not only the abandonment of non-virtuous deeds and defilements but also the accumulation of loving kindness, compassion, and enlightenment mind. In this way, we will be able to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.
– Sakya Trizin
To know that the mind is empty is to see the Buddha
To know that the mind is empty is to see the Buddha. To see no mind is to see the Buddha.
To give up yourself without regret is the greatest charity.
To transcend motion and stillness is the highest Meditation. Mortals keep moving while the Awakened stay still.
Yet, the highest meditation surpasses both that of Mortals and that of the Awakened.
Individuals who reach such understanding free themselves from all appearances and without effort cure illness without treatment. Such is the power of great Zen.
Using the mind to look for reality is delusion.
Not using the mind to look for reality is Awareness.
Freeing oneself from words is liberation. Remaining unblemished by the dust of sensation is guarding the Dharma.
Transcending life and death is leaving home.
Not suffering another existence is reaching the Way.
Not creating delusions is Enlightenment.
Not engaging in ignorance is Wisdom.
No affliction is Nirvana and no appearance of the Mind is the other Shore.
When you are deluded this shore exists. When you wake up it does not exist.
Mortals stay on this Shore but those who discover the greatest of all vehicles stay on neither this or nor the other Shore.
They are able to leave both Shores. Those who see the other Shore as different from this Shore don’t understand Zen.
Bodhidharma
First Patriarch of Zen
*Excerpt from the Wake Up Sermon
Thoughts are just displays of the mind
Thoughts are just displays of the mind. They may be waves stirring up the all-ground consciousness, but this is not a fault. If you just rest loosely in them, they will disappear right there. This is why when we meditate we should let the thoughts that occur in the sixth mental consciousness relax into the all-ground consciousness.
– Thrangu Rinpoche
Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble
Nothing comes from outside your mind. Usually, we think of our mind as receiving impressions and experiences from outside, but that is not a true understanding of our mind. The true understanding is that the mind includes everything; when you think something comes from outside it means only that something appears in your mind. Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm. This mind is called big mind.
– Shunryu Suzuki
from the book “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind”
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