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| Poetry and Writings Index Spiritual Quotes 1 |
| "I would like to
explain the meaning of compassion, which is often misunderstood. Genuine compassion is based not on our own projections and expectations, but rather on the rights of the other: irrespective of whether another person is a close friend or an enemy, as long as that person wishes for peace and happiness and wishes to overcome suffering, then on that basis we develop genuine concern for his or her problem. This is genuine compassion. Usually when , we are concerned about a close friend, we call this compassion. This is not compassion; it is attachment. Even in marriage, those marriages that last only a short time do so because of attachment - although it is generally present - but because there is also compassion. Marriages that last only a short time do so because of a lack of compassion; there is only emotional attachment based on projection and expectation. When the only bond between close friends is attachment, then even a minor issue may cause one's projections to change. As soon as our projections change, the attachment disappears - because that attachment was based solely on projection and expectation. It is possible to have compassion without attachment - and similarly, to have anger without hatred. Therefore we need to clarify the distinctions between compassion and attachment, and between anger and hatred. Such clarity is useful in our daily life and in our efforts toward world peace. I consider these to be basic spiritual values for the happiness of all human beings, regardless of whether one is a believer or a nonbeliever." HH The Dalai Lama |
| "Do not believe
in anything (simply) because you have heard it Do not believe in tradition because they have been handed down for many generations Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumored by many Do not believe in anything (simply) because it is found written in your religious books Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it" -The Buddha |
| The Philosophy of Non
Violence The philosophy of nonviolence can be defined as the opposition to the use of violent force in solving conflicts. Almost all traditions in the world have taught nonviolence in one way or another. From the simple statement of : "Thou shalt not kill" in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament to the more complex philosophy of "Ahimsa" (the absence of the desire to destroy) propounded by the Buddha twenty-five hundred years ago, nonviolence has been a basic spiritual and moral teaching for centuries. Violence is not necessarily restricted to crime, wars, and conflicts between people. It also includes environmental violence, corporate violence, and the violent attitudes that are perpetuated in the media. In looking at violence, we must address something far more complex than just the raising of an arm or the pulling of a trigger. "Never in this world is hate appeased by hatred; it is only appeased by love. This is the eternal law." --From the Dhammapada (Buddhist scriptures) |
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