One needs to keep some distance from bad friends, regardless of whoever they are. One needs to maintain one’s views in regards to religious belief and practices even when dealing with one’s parents, relatives and friends. It’s best to influence them to undertake dharma study; if not, one needs to keep some distance from them. The primary principle of Buddhism is dependent arising, one can create causes and conditions, there doesn’t exist a creator of omnipotent god to make all causes and conditions, or fate predestined, just like the programming of computer, as though nobody can change it.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

In our daily life, we tend to avoid difficulty and suffering. Shakyamuni Buddha did not let us avoid this; rather he taught us various methods to face up with them. The best method to train our mind is to realise emptiness, then we will become so strong that we’ll not be affected by external factors. After that, we need to think: despite the fact I’m courageous now, so many sentient beings have no understanding of the principle of emptiness, and their mind is not trained, thus I need to benefit them.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

If some people are endowed with the wisdom of the Buddha, and some are not, then am I endowed with the buddha nature or not? It’s difficult to answer. Will I succeed with my diligent practice? Everyone possesses buddha nature; this is definitely so. Everyone has great potential because we possess the wisdom of the Buddha innately. It’s up to us to discover its existence. Once we succeed, all defilements will be gone; it’s that simple.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

Countless buddhas in the past, including Shakyamuni Buddha, vowed to liberate all sentient beings when giving rise to bodhicitta, vowing to attain buddhahood after all sentient beings attain buddhahood. We haven’t attained buddhahood yet, but they have. Why? Buddhas make such aspirations out of vast compassion. Due to the greatest and sublimity of their aspirations, they attained buddhahood swiftly. Whereas we are preoccupied with our own interest, thus we are still struggling in the samsara.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The Vajrayana not only expounds many practices which have swift and useful effects, but also imparts various elaborate and concise practices, some of which are rather simple. This doesn’t mean their content is incomplete, rather, its method is quite simple. Through practicing with such simple methods, one can obtain ideal effects, this is referred to as pith instruction in the Vajrayana.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

All of us fear suffering and try to avoid it, and we take it as something harmful like flood or ferocious animals. However, if we are able to utilize it skilfully, we can transform misfortune into auspiciousness and favourable conditions of bodhicitta; this is skilful means in the Mahayana.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

As a practitioner, one needs to have a certain assurance of facing death. Otherwise, even if one practices dharma well in this life, but after passing through the bardo state, due to difference of this life and the next, one will forget all one has learned in this life. Besides, if not acknowledging of bardo practices, one will miss many great opportunities to attain liberation. Thus, bardo practices are vital.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

We need to come to a clear understanding of what do we need? Is it money or happiness? Desiring both is difficult to achieve. Even endowed with some merit, one can make some profit through exertion, yet one might not be able to live an easeful life. Other than attaining a high level of spiritual achievement, how can one maintain a calm mind while being preoccupied with various engagements? Thus as an ordinary being, we have to choose one between these two.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES

The more socially competitive one is, the less happiness one attains. For instance, someone who has a fancy car but likes comparing with other people. When others surpass him, he cannot remain calm, and tries to exert himself to be competitive. Such pursuits are rather tiring. Being competitive is not a necessity of life. Lots of suffering stems from being competitive.

~Depicted from LUMINOUS WISDOM BOOK SERIES