Quotes from Joseph Goldstein

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.

Understanding "no-self" does not come from destroying something we call "self" or "ego." The great awakening or discovery of the Buddha revealed that there was no self, no permanent I, to begin with. So if there is nothing we have to get rid of, then understanding selflessness very simply comes from careful awareness of what actually is happening moment to moment.

It's always helpful to have a sense of humor about one's own mental foibles. By

The perception of solidity also comes from observing things from a distance. When we look at an ordinary object like a chair or a table, it appears quite solid. Yet if we put that same object under a powerful microscope, whole new worlds emerge. When we look at trees from a distance, we just see an undifferentiated mass of color. But as we get closer, we can distinguish individual leaves, and even the small distinct parts of the leaves.

Receiving joy is another way to say enjoyment, and sam?dhi is the act of refined enjoyment. It is based in skillfulness. It is the careful collecting of oneself into the joy of the present moment. Joyfulness means there's no fear, no tension, no "ought to." There isn't anything we have to do about it. It's just this.1

Covetousness keeps the mind agitated and unhappy, far from the peace of contentment.

And just as a path that goes to a mountain does not cause the mountain, the path of practice leads us to this highest freedom, but does not cause it.

Another aspect of wrong view that we will discuss in much greater detail in later chapters is the deeply conditioned sense of "I," of self. On the relative level, of course, we move and speak and act as individuals, as selves. Yet on a deeper level, and with close attention, we can see through this appearance and experience the place of nonseparation from others and from the world. This is the realization of selflessness.

Actions for the good accumulate what is called "merit"—one of the most commonly misunderstood concepts in Buddhism.

Merit" is the usual translation of the Pali word punna, which more literally means "virtue" or that which purifies and cleanses the life stream, bringing good results.

In the moment that we awaken from being lost in a thought or feeling or reaction, in that very moment we can recognize the empty, clear, skylike nature of awareness itself. In that moment of wakefulness, we get a glimpse of freedom. And instead of judging ourselves for all the times we do get lost, which happen again and again, we can delight in each moment of awakening.

Not Seeing Dukkha Is Dukkha

The meditative journey is not about always feeling good. Many times we may feel terrible. That's fine. What we want is to open to the entire range of what this mind and body are about. Sometimes we feel wonderful and happy and inspired, and at other times we deeply feel different aspects of suffering.

The heart qualities of faith, confidence, and trust are actual powers we can cultivate. In Buddhist texts they are likened to a magical gem that settles impurities in water. Faith in the possibility of awakening, confidence in the moment's experience and in the nature of awareness itself, trust in the direction of our lives—all of these settle doubt, confusion, and agitation. They create an inner environment of clarity, stillness, and beauty.

let the breath draw the mind down to its own level of subtlety. It is like listening to someone playing a flute as they walk off into the distance.

As a solid mass of rock Is not moved by the wind, So a sage is not moved by praise and blame.

The mind does not belong to you, but you are responsible for it.

In the second training, we develop energy, concentration, and mindfulness. These are the meditative and life tools that enable us to awaken. Without them we simply act out the patterns of our conditioning.

An interviewer once asked Mother Teresa what she says to God when she prays. "I don't say anything," she replied. "I just listen." Then the interviewer asked her what God says to her. "He doesn't say anything," said Mother Teresa. "He just listens. And if you don't understand that, I can't explain it to you.

When we have too much faith, we can become dogmatic, attached to our own views. And we can see all too often how this blind belief leads to so much conflict and suffering in the world.

It is the truth that liberates, not your efforts to be free.

All beings are the heirs of their own karma. Their happiness or unhappiness depends on their actions, not upon my wishes.

On a boat in the middle of a great storm, one wise, calm person can bring everyone to safety. The

and the liberating insight into how suffering in our lives is born from ignorance and ends through wisdom.