For the practitioner who wishes to attain liberation, listening to, contemplating and practicing the Dharma should not be separated, nor should one be overemphasized at the expense of the others.

One of the first steps is to listen to and contemplate the Dharma. It is very easy for beginners to get on the wrong track since they lack knowledge and experience. Without listening to, contemplating, and knowing about the Dharma practices, we cannot attain true liberation only by offering incense, worshipping the Buddha and reciting sutras. As beginners, we should not practice until we have studied for a period of time. Then we need to practice. Hinayana precepts also stipulate that anyone who does not possesses a pith instruction is not allowed to practice because practice will not generate any result without the pith instructions.

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 9: The Principles of Liberation

Apparently, even non-Buddhist practitioners with some spiritual realization may still be confused about the workings of cause and effect, not to mention people without any right view or understanding. These non-Buddhist practitioners are usually well learned; some may even have acquired a certain clairvoyance regarding worldly matters. However, they jumped to conclusions based only upon what they were able to see—virtuous people taking rebirth in the lower realms—and from that formed the view that cause and effect could not exist. Then books were written and theories developed based on this conclusion, which gradually formed into a sect after attracting enough followers. This is how nihilism was established.

The Buddha instructed us to follow the middle way —to avoid extreme measures in any situation. We need not be resentful, disgusted, or pessimistic in life, but we should not see life as perfect either. Wealth and relationships are neither good nor bad on their own; whether they become good or bad depends on the mind. If we look upon wealth, relationships, and other worldly pursuits with equanimity, our life will be that much happier.

~Luminous Wisdom Book Series 9: The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today

If you want to apply the Dharma in daily life, first and foremost you must have Buddhadharma in your heart. If our hearts do not have any Dharma at all, what is there to integrate into our daily lives? Then, there’s nothing to be done. Therefore, the primary thing is to have the right understanding and view, and, in order to integrate Buddhism into our daily lives, we must also generate a sense of renunciation and bodhicitta.

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 7

When we are very attached to a person, however that person acts might cause us at times to be happy, while at other times it might make us sad. The possibility that we might experience pain is far greater than that of feeling happiness. After the relationship between two people breaks apart, and to the extent that they then become like strangers to one another, such attachment disappears and they are brought back to a state of peacefulness. On the other hand, there are many other things that we never seem to care about, and it is those very things that would probably bring us more happiness.

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 10

We never believe, however, that this world is arising and ceasing moment to moment, but assume that time runs through the past and the future. We always consider getting off work and going home to be two different things. We never think that the only time we have is one ten thousandth of a second, and neither do we believe that this world is only one ten thousandth of a second. The reason we are unable to observe this with our naked eyes is because objects arise and cease extremely quickly.

We also cannot gather the past, present and future into the same point in time and space. If the past, present and future happened in that way, our concept of time would be mistaken. Then yesterday, today and tomorrow could also be gathered into the same point in time and space.  If such were to happen, our concept of time again would be in error.  Therefore，we live in a dream-like world.

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 3: The Illusory World

We should also think, “When facing hurt and insult, if I can calm down and endure it, not only will this cause other people to look at me in a different light, but it will also contribute to my inner discipline. If everyone treated me well, how would I have the chance to practice patience? Since they have created such a good opportunity for me, and helped me accumulate this positive karma, how is it that I neglect to recognize their kindness and remember to express my gratitude, but rebuke them with harsh words instead?”

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 10

Buddhism should not be seen as an ordinary religion or a superstitious belief system, but rather as a culture. Described in modern language, a lot of Buddhist concepts are compatible with modern science, which itself is integral to our daily lives. Without these concepts, we will make various mistakes and act incorrectly. Because of a lack of understanding of the truth of the universe, our lives will unfold with all kinds of afflictions and suffering. It is therefore essential to introduce the Buddhist view of the world.

～ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 3: The Illusory World

People can never be fully satisfied with their lives if they do not know how to control their desires, since desires can grow and expand endlessly. No matter who you are, there will always be someone who is better than you. If your aim is to climb to the top social stratum, your whole life will be spent in the pursuit of such vanity. The consequence of chasing endless desires is never being happy. We can observe many such cases in daily life, either in our own experience or that of other people. It is therefore important to be content in our lives, harboring fewer desires.

~ Luminous Wisdom Book Series 6