Our mind is a treasure. But it’s very absorbent, so we must also be very discriminating in what we hear, read, and see. And in the spiritual life, our fence is our ethics. If we know we are living ethically to the best of our ability, the mind will become peaceful.
—Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
The thoughts are not the problem. Thoughts are the nature of the mind. The problem is that we identify with them.
—Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
It is really very impressive how many excuses we can invent for why we aren’t sitting. This idea we have that when things are perfect, then we’ll start practicing … things will never be perfect. This is samsara!
—Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
Our fundamental problems are our ignorance and ego-grasping. We grasp at our identity as being our personality, memories, opinions, judgments, hopes, fears, chattering away—all revolving around this me me me me.
—Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
The difference between love and attachment … Attachment is the very opposite of love. Love says, “I want you to be happy.” Attachment says, “I want you to make me happy.”
—Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Pema Chodron American Buddhist Nun
Richard Eyre British Director
The 14th Dalai Lama Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader
Lama Surya Das American Buddhist Scholar
Thubten Zopa Rinpoche Tibetan Buddhist Lama
John Major British Head of State
Stephen Batchelor British Buddhist Author, Teacher
Alan Watts British-American Philosopher
John Kerry American Politician
Charles Saatchi British Businessman, Art Collector