Domino-effect

Wanneer we oefenen vriendelijkheid, liefde en openhartigheid te ontwikkelen, moeten we niet het domino-effect vergeten: wat we vandaag doorgeven aan de ander, kan in een week iemand aan de andere klant van de wereld bereikt hebben.

Culture as medicine

Just as in every country the food and kitchen should be learnt about, because they have a specific value for that climate and way of life in that country, in the same way, the customs and traditions in every country may serve as means for the inhabitants to deal with the environment, the climate and other local issues. In a way both food and other traditions and customs can be like medicines appropriate for a particular region. Unfortunately, when climate, environment and other local issues change, the creativity in which people adjust their customs and traditions, or invent new customs and traditions, as a response to such changes, seems often to be sadly limited.

Splinter

We have to develop a sensitivity to doing wrong as to a splinter in the feet. Even very small, we feel straight away it isn't right.

Mc Mindfulness?

Nothing is lost when you use mindfulness only for productivity--rather, some things aren't fully gained yet.

Good and bad

Doing good is always, in a way,  correcting or going against something bad.

Sit down

The moment you find a place to sit down within yourself,  nothing else matters.

Throwing at life

A layperson mostly learns from life by what life throws at him. A monastic mostly learns from life by what he throws at life.

Conditions

As soon as other people's goodness becomes a condition for our own goodness, we have lost all our responsibility for our own humanity.

Cynism

Cynism lies at the root of all evil.

Pulling off labels

Quitting bad habits is just like pulling off a sticky old label. You got to pull at the edges first, then go around, and only then can you pull off the center of the sticker. Similarly,  we have to find methods to gradually pull off our bad habits.

Differences in spirituality

Wherever you go, you will find that people build the same kind of shopping centers, similar kind of aiports, same kind of pump stations and similar kind of libraries. That makes it quite strange that we build our religious buildings so quite different - and often intentionally so.

Sincerity

Sincerity is more powerful than anything else. A man with power or money still needs to show a lot to prove his influence, but a man of sincerity only needs to look a person in the eyes.

Intestines

People can be quite like intestines. When they don't work, they make most noise.

Dhamma is progress

The way of the world is to maintain and keep things. The way of the Dhamma is to let go and make progress.

faith in humanity

The essence of the faith in Buddhism, and right view as well, is an an unwavering faith in humanity -- in its loyalty and freedom.

The golden rule of cultural adaptation

The more you know and understand about a culture you're living in, the more you can be yourself in that culture. The more you understand the other, the more you can be yourself.

Life

The biggest choices in life we often do not chose.