Gil Fronsdal Quotes

One of the things that kills Buddhist spiritual life is excessive seriousness.

We can in fact remove from our hearts the toxic forces of greed, hate, and delusion.

The intentions to be kind, compassionate, helpful, happy, and liberated are among the most beautiful qualities we have as humans.

He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy. But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sunrise.

Oneself, indeed, is one’s own protector. One does, indeed, [make] one’s own destiny.

Better than a thousand meaningless statements Is one meaningful word, Which, having been heard, Brings peace.

Hatred never ends through hatred. By non-hate alone does it end. This is an ancient truth.

A loving heart does not need to be loved. Being loving is more important than being loved.

do not turn anything Into something longed for, For then it’s dreadful to lose.

Greater in combat Than a person who conquers A thousand times a thousand people Is the person who conquers herself.

Evil is done by oneself alone; By oneself is one defiled. Evil is avoided by oneself; By oneself alone is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; No one can purify another.

Buddhist teachings suggest that when we find the thing that keeps us from appreciating the present, the thing that keeps us from trusting, the very thing that causes us suffering, it is a gate to freedom, to awakening.

Hatred never ends through hatred. By non-hatred alone does it end. This is eternal truth. Victory gives birth to hate; The defeated sleep tormented. Giving up both victory and defeat, The peaceful sleep delighted. All tremble at violence: All fear death. Having likened others to yourself, Don’t kill or cause others to kill. If you surveyed the entire world You’d find no one more dear than yourself. Since each person is most dear to themselves, May those who love themselves not bring harm to anyone. The person who day and night Delights in harmlessness, And has loving-kindness toward all beings, Is the one who has no hate for anyone.

the tradition discourages attachments to any particular ideas of enlightenment as well as to pointless philosophical or metaphysical speculation.

Not doing evil is happiness.

It’s easy to do what is not good And things that harm oneself. It’s very difficult to do Things beneficial and good.

Listening A young woman from another country moved with her family to live for one year in a town near the monastery. When, in the course of the year she discovered the monastery, she would periodically visit to have discussions with the Abbess. The Abbess introduced her to meditation, which became very meaningful for the young woman. When the family's year-long stay was drawing to an end, the young woman asked the Abbess, "In my country there is no Buddhism and no one has even heard about meditation. How can I continue to learn and deepen the practice you have started me on?" The Abbess said, "When you return home ask far and wide for who, among the wise people, is recognized as having the greatest ability to listen. Ask that person to instruct you in the art of listening. What you learn about listening from such a person will teach you how to further your meditation practice.

The gift of Dharma surpasses all gifts. The taste of Dharma surpasses all tastes. The delight in Dharma surpasses all delights. The destruction of craving conquers all suffering.

Giving a brief sermon, the Abbess once said, 'A hot furnace does not need to be heated. A loving heart does not need to be loved. Being loving is more important than being loved.

Many of us have hearts that are encrusted with anxieties, fears, aversions, sorrows, and an array of defensive armor. The non-reactive and accepting awareness of mindfulness will help to dissolve these crusts. The practice has a cyclic quality; it is self-reinforcing. At first, the practice will allow us to let go of a small amount of defensiveness. That release allows a corresponding amount of openness and tender- heartedness to show itself. This process encourages us to drop even more armor. Slowly, a greater sense of heartfeltness supports the further development of mindfulness. As our neurotic thought patterns drop away, layers of judgment and resistance atrophy, and the need to define our selves through hard-held identities relaxes. As this happens, the natural goodness of the heart shines by itself. The impulses to be aware, happy, compassionate, and free, all come from the goodness of our hearts. As we connect to these intentions and allow them to motivate our mindfulness practice, the practice becomes heartfelt.

And I have known meditators filled with doubt and self-condemnation when the practice has been stormy. Practicing with our best effort during periods of crisis and personal struggle may not bring about spiritual highs. It may, however, bring something more important: a strengthening of the inner qualities that sustain a spiritual life for the long term: mindfulness, persistence, courage, compassion, humility, renunciation, discipline, concentration, faith*, acceptance, and kindness.

Whoever endures abuse, assault, and imprisonment Without animosity, And who has forbearance as one’s strength, As one’s mighty army, I call a brahmin.

Ancient is this [saying], O Atula, It is not just of today: They find fault in one sitting silently, They find fault in one speaking much, They find fault in one speaking moderately. No one in this world is not found at fault.

Doing no evil, Engaging in what’s skillful, And purifying one’s mind: This is the teaching of the buddhas.

Patient endurance is the supreme austerity.

One who delights in the ending of craving Is a disciple of the Fully Awakened One.

Victory gives birth to hate; The defeated sleep in anguish. Giving up both victory and defeat, Those who have attained peace sleep happily.

Without longing or dislike, No bonds exist.

One who makes merit rejoices in this life, Rejoices in the next, Rejoices in both worlds. Seeing one’s own pure acts brings joy and delight.

One who does evil is tormented in this life, Tormented in the next, Is tormented in both worlds. Here he is tormented, knowing, “I have done evil.” Reborn in realms of woe, he is tormented all the more.

The wise Protect vigilance as the greatest treasure.

Vigilant and absorbed in meditation One attains abundant happiness.

In this text, reality is not divided into a conditioned, worldly realm and an unconditioned, transcendent realm far removed from the contingent world of ordinary human life. Instead, the teachings point to a peace that can be found in this life in this world.

what might the Buddha have taught after his awakening but before he and others organized and systematized his teachings into what is now identified as Buddhism?

The Book of Eights’ emphasis is on overcoming any longing for any form of future rebirth. In contrast to later Buddhist teachings that are predicated on the belief in rebirth, the Book of Eights presents a path of practice—attainable in this lifetime—that appears free from concern with multiple lives.

The Book of Eights’ emphasis is on overcoming any longing for any form of future rebirth.

the Book of Eights does not espouse a religious doctrine that exists in opposition to other doctrines. Nor does it put forth a teaching that is meant to be seen as superior to other teachings.

the text explicitly denies the role of ultimate religious “truth” and “knowledge” in attaining personal peace.