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141 " At first, as we undertake the cultivation of compassion, we may feel genuine empathy with others in pain or difficulty. This happens when we take the time to stop and feel what is really going on—even for just a few moments before rushing on with our lives. "
― Joseph Goldstein , One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism
142 " Munindra-ji, one of my first Dharma teachers, used to say that in spiritual practice, time is not a factor. Practice cannot be measured in time, so let go of the whole notion of when and how long. The practice is a process unfolding, and it unfolds in its own time. It is like the flowers that grow in the spring. Do you pull them up to make them grow faster? "
― Joseph Goldstein , Insight Meditation: A Psychology of Freedom
143 " Being contacted by painful feeling one seeks delight in sensual pleasure. For what reason? Because the uninstructed worldling does not know of any escape from painful feeling other than sensual pleasure . . . "
― Joseph Goldstein , Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening
144 " Why do we have this perception of solidity? Why is it so deeply conditioned as our view of reality? This hallucination of perception arises from the great rapidity of changing phenomena. When we go to the movies we cannot see the separate frames of film. They move too quickly to be noticed, and so we remain in the illusion of appearances, overlooking the reality of how the magic works. Of course, in a movie theater that is the whole idea; we go specifically for the illusion. However, when we overlook the reality of our life, it has more serious and far-reaching consequences. "
145 " For spiritual practice to develop, it is absolutely essential that we establish a basis of moral conduct in our lives. "
― Joseph Goldstein , Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation
146 " Through mindful attention in the moment, we see the impermanent nature of phenomena and understand the happiness of nongrasping. "
147 " Georgia O’Keeffe, the famous artist from the American Southwest, expressed this same courageous attitude toward fear in another way: “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life, and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do. "
148 " I traveled through the rounds of countless births,Seeking but not finding the builder of this house.Sorrowful is birth again and again.O Housebuilder, you have now been seen,You will build no house again.Your rafters [defilements] have been broken,Your ridgepole [ignorance] shattered.My mind has attained the unconditioned,Achieved is the end of craving. "
149 " For most of us, there may well be ethical lapses of one kind or another. But our willingness to see them and recommit to nonharming both others and ourselves keeps us moving forward. As the Buddha said, “It is growth in the Noble One’s discipline when one sees one’s transgressions as such and makes amends in accordance with the Dharma by undertaking restraint in the future.” This is a much healthier and more beneficial approach than being weighed down by guilt over past actions. "
150 " This one decision had striking implications. It has kept Buddhism relatively free of any centralized hierarchical structure and allowed a profusion of traditions to flourish under the umbrella of the great Bodhi Tree of awakening. "
151 " The third unskillful action, sexual misconduct, "
152 " Actions of Speech The next group of unskillful actions revolves around speech. "
153 " Lying is the first in this group of unskillful verbal actions. "
154 " The last in this list of unskillful speech actions is frivolous and useless talk. How often do we say things that really are of no use at all? "
155 " Actions of the Mind The last three unskillful actions the Buddha pointed out are actions of mind. These are subtler than actions of body or speech and take keen investigation to explore and understand. The first of them is covetousness, the wanting mind, the feeling that we never have enough. "
156 " There is a revealing phrase in English regarding this mind state: we say someone is “plagued by doubt.” Doubt is like a plague that weakens us. When doubt is strong, instead of making the experiment, whether in meditation or anything else, and engaging fully in the experience so that we can see for ourselves whether it is beneficial or not, the mind simply gets lost in endless speculation. "
157 " The next of the unwholesome actions of mind is ill will, with its many attendant variations: anger, hatred, impatience, and sorrow—all forms of aversion. We can notice the feelings of contraction and hardening of the heart when we get lost in or identified with mind states of ill will. These states of aversion arise when we don’t get what we want, or when we do get what we don’t want. They may come in response to present unpleasantness, such as pain, certain distressing emotions, or difficult life situations. Ill will of one kind or another can also arise when we remember certain past events or anticipate future ones. "
158 " The fourth of his insights that allowed him to triumph in his situation was the understanding that hatred, anger, and ill will never cease if we react with the same kind of feelings. "
159 " Whatever has the nature to arise will also pass away. "
― Joseph Goldstein , 7 Treasures of Awakening: The Benefits of Mindfulness
160 " In this very straightforward teaching, the Buddha helps us understand the practice of freedom with a mature and long-ranging vision. Freedom is not simply doing what we want when we want it. That is addiction. Freedom is the wisdom to choose wisely. "