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Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Books

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“Buddha’s teachings are scientific methods to solve the problems of all living beings permanently. ... For Buddhists, faith in Buddha Shakyamuni is their spiritual life; it is the root of all Dharma realizations. If we have deep faith in Buddha we shall naturally develop the strong wish to practise his teachings. With this wish we shall definitely apply effort in our Dharma practice, and with strong effort we shall accomplish permanent liberation from the suffering of this life and countless future lives.”

FaithBuddhismBuddhistBuddhaThe Buddha
Book:Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom
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“We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent, self-sufficient individual, bears no relation to reality. It is closer to the truth to picture ourself as a cell in the vast body of life, distinct yet intimately bound up with all living beings. We cannot exist without others, and they in turn are affected by everything we do. The idea that it is possible to secure our own welfare while neglecting the welfare of others, or even at the expense of others, is completely unrealistic.”

NeedsWellsIdeasSelfBodyRealitySpiritualTurnsIndividualEmotionalBearsRelationIndependentBoundsSecureCellsWell BeingWelfareIslandsSufficientNeglectExpensesAffectedSelf Sufficient
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“Right now we have obtained a human rebirth and have the opportunity to attain enlightenment through Dharma practice, so if we waste this precious opportunity in meaningless activities there is no greater loss and no greater foolishness.”

IfsHumansOpportunityLossPracticeGreaterRight NowActivityWasteEnlightenmentMeaninglessFoolishnessRebirthDharma
Book:Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom - Volume 1 Sutra
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“The great Tibetan meditator Gungtang Jampelyang once asked 'What is the difference between a wise man and a fool?' The difference lies in their intention. A wise person is someone who has a good intention, not someone who merely possesses knowledge.”

MenPersonsLyingDifferencesKnowledgeWiseFoolIntentionGood IntentionsTibetanWise Person
Book:Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment
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“Since the real purpose of meditation is to increase our capacity to help others, taking time each day to meditate is not selfish. We have to manage our time and energy in such a way that we can be of maximum benefit to others, and to do this we need time alone to recover our strength, collect our thoughts, and see things in perspective”

WayNeedsRealHelpingPurposeTimeEnergyMeditationStrengthPerspectiveOne DayBenefitsCapacityIncreaseSelfishHelping OthersManageOur TimeEach DayTake TimeOur ThoughtsMaximumMe AloneTime And EnergyTime Of NeedAlone TimeNot Selfish
Book:Eight Steps to Happiness: The Buddhist Way of Loving Kindness
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“As Shantideva says, suffering has many good qualities because it purifies our negative karma, increases our renunciation and compassion, reduces our pride, and helps us to overcome our bad mental habits. If we think in this way we will feel that difficult circumstances are our best friends. When our mind is balanced in this way it becomes as stable as Mount Meru, and nothing can cause it to shake.”

IfsThinkingWayFeelsMindHelpingSufferingCausesDifficultQualityCompassionPrideFriendsHabitBalanceCircumstancesNegativeOvercomingIncreaseKarmaShakesStableBalancedRenunciationGood QualityDifficult CircumstancesNegative Karma
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“In recent years our knowledge of modern technology has increased considerably, and as a result we have witnessed remarkable material progress, but there has not been a corresponding increase in human happiness. There is no less suffering in the world today, and there are no fewer problems. Indeed, it might be said that there are now more problems and greater dangers than ever before.”

WorldYearsHumansSaidProblemMightTodayHappinessSufferingResultsKnowledgeTechnologyGreaterProgressModernDangerMaterialsIncreaseRemarkableFewerWorld TodayCorrespondingHuman HappinessModern Technology
Book:Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom - Volume 1 Sutra
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“No matter how many possessions we acquire, they will not provide us with any lasting happiness and freedom. On the contrary, it is often our pursuit of material possessions that causes our problems. If we want ultimate happiness and freedom from suffering, we must engage in the supreme practices of training the mind. There is no other way.”

IfsWayWantMindMatterProblemHappinessSufferingCausesFreedomPracticeMaterialsTrainingUltimatePossessionContraryPursuitSupremeAcquireLastingWant UMaterial PossessionsLasting HappinessTraining The MindUltimate Happiness
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“We know that we are happy when our mind is peaceful, and unhappy when it is not. It is therefore clear that our happiness depends upon our having a peaceful mind and not on good external conditions. Even if our external conditions are poor, if we maintain a peaceful mind all the time we shall always be happy.”

IfsKnowsMindHappinessTimePoorClearConditionsDependsHappyUnhappyPeacefulPeace Of MindAlways Be HappyPeaceful Mind
Book:Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom - Volume 1 Sutra
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“We underestimate the value of patience. It is possible that people might sometimes interrupt our meditation sessions or Dharma study, but they can never take away our opportunity to train in inner virtues such as patience. It is this mental training, rather than outer virtuous activities, that is the essence of Dharma practice.”

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Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“Pride is a mental factor causing us to feel higher or superior to others. Even our study of dharma can be the occasion for the delusion of pride to arise if we think our understanding is superior to that of everyone else. Pride is harmful because it prevents us from accepting fresh knowledge from a qualified teacher. Just as a pool of water cannot collect on the tip of a mountain, so too a reservoir of understanding cannot be established in a mind falsely elevated by pride.”

IfsThinkingFeelsMindUnderstandingWaterAcceptingStudyTeacherPrideHigherMountainAriseSuperiorsFactorsOccasionsDelusionPoolQualifiedDharmaReservoirs
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be acheived unless we first establish peace within our own minds. We can send so-called 'peacekeeping forces' into areas of conflict, but peace cannot be oppossed from the outside with guns. Only by creating peace within our own mind and helping others to do the same can we hope to achieve peace in this world.”

WorldMindFirstsHelpingForceWishPeaceImpossibleAchieveThis WorldConflictCreatingGunAreasHelping OthersInner PeacePeace WithinPeacekeepingCreating Peace
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“Normally we divide the external world into that which we consider to be good or valuable, bad or worthless, or neither. Most of the time these discriminations are incorrect or have little meaning. For example, our habitual way of categorizing people as friends, enemies, and strangers depending on how they make us feel is both incorrect and a great obstacle to developing impartial love for all living beings. Rather than holding so tightly to our discriminations of the external world, it would be much more beneficial if we learned to discriminate between valuable and worthless states of mind.”

PeopleIfsWorldWayFeelsMindLittlesStatesWould BeEnemyExampleObstaclesStrangerValuableBe GoodDiscriminationDevelopingDividesState Of MindWorthlessBeneficialHabitualFriend EnemyCategorizing
Book:Eight Steps to Happiness: The Buddhist Way of Loving Kindness
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“When things go wrong in our life and we encounter difficult situations, we tend to regard the situation itself as our problem, but in reality whatever problems we experience come from the side of the mind. If we were to respond to difficult situations with a positive or peaceful mind they would not be problems for us; indeed, we may even come to regard them as challenges or opportunities for growth and development. Problems arise only if we respond to difficulties with a negative state of mind. Therefore, if we want to be free from problems, we must transform our mind.”

IfsWantMindMayStatesProblemRealityOpportunityDifficultSidesGrowthChallengesAttitudeSituationOur LivesTroublePositiveDevelopmentNegativeDifficultyRegardArisePeacefulBuddhistPositive AttitudeEncountersState Of MindPredicamentsDifficult SituationsWhen Things Go WrongPeaceful Mind
Book:Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom - Volume 1 Sutra
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“Patient acceptance is often considered a weak and passive response to problems that we do not have the power or courage to solve. In reality, however, being patient is far from being passive. There is nothing strong or courageous in reacting to hardship or insults with anger - all we are doing is being defeated by our delusions.”

ProblemRealityStrongAcceptanceWeakResponsePatientSolveInsultDelusionCourageousHardshipPassiveDefeatedReacting
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“Many people are very intelligent in accomplishing worldly attainments. This intelligence is not wisdom because worldly attainments such as a high position, reputation, wealth and success in business are deceptive. If we die tomorrow they will disappear tomorrow, and nothing will be left for our future. Wisdom, however, will never deceive us.”

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Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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“When a jealous person sees signs of other people's success and good fortune, his heart is pierced with envy. But someone who has learned to rejoice in the good fortune of others experiences only happiness. Seeing another person's beautiful house or attractive partner immediately makes him happy - the fact that they are not his own is irrelevant.”

PeopleHeartPersonsFactsBeautifulHouseSeeingAdviceFortuneEnvyPartnersAttractiveJealousRejoiceIrrelevantGood FortuneGood Advice
Author:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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