On Repetition

"Sometimes, it became boring to repeat these forms again and again, but we did it because this was our master's instruction, even if we didn't understand the effect it had on us. Now I understand that it was not only the knowledge of the form that we were perfecting, but, in essence, ourselves. Everyday, through the repetition and drill work, we were training and focusing the mind to become sharp and precise. We were integrating our mind and body into one, and before we knew it, an inner strength developed within us like an unseen muscle. This integration and unity is the supreme achievement of a martial artist, and is at the source of all his or her strength."

-Richard Chun, Taekwondo Spirit and Practice: Beyond Self-Defense

Money and Happiness

"Generally speaking, even if money brings us happiness, it tends to be the kind that money can buy: material things and sensory experiences. And these, we discover, become a source of suffering themselves. As far as actual possessions are concerned, we must admit that they often cause us more, not less, difficulty in life. The car breaks down, we lose our money, our most precious belongings are stolen, our house is damaged by fire. Or we worry about these things happening.

"The problem is not materialism as such. Rather it is the underlying assumption that full satisfaction can arise from gratifying the senses alone. Unlike animals whose quest for happiness is restricted to survival and to the immediate gratification of sensory desires, we human beings have the capacity to experience happiness at a deeper level, which, when achieved, can overwhelm unhappy experiences."

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Pocket Dalai Lama

Cherished Beliefs

"From a Taoist point of view, it is our [modern society’s] cherished beliefs — that we exist as separate beings, that we can exercise a willful control over all situations, and that our role is to conquer our environment — that lead to a state of disharmony and imbalance."

—Brandon Toropov and Chad Hansen, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Taoism

Benefiting Others

"It is the general Buddhist procedure that one’s own pleasure and pain are acheived by oneself and not from the outside, and that, therefore, sentient beings themselves must understand and implement practices to bring about their own happiness. Thus, the most efficacious way to help others is through teaching what should be adopted in practice and what should be discarded from among current behavior. There is no way to do this unless you come to know all of the topics involved in what should be adopted in practice and what should be discarded—you must become omniscient. As mentioned earlier, there is no way to accomplish this except by removing the obstructions to omniscience, and one who has overcome, utterly and forever, the obstructions to omniscience is a Buddha."

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Dalai Lama at Harvard: Lectures on the Buddhist Path to Peace

Intense Emotions

"Sometimes the natural human emotion associated with a major event (even when it is a “good” event) is so intense that we are afraid to experience it."

-Eve Adamson and Gary R. McClain, Ph.D., The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living

On Humility

"One of the principal qualities of an enlightened being is humility. It would be out of character for buddhas to boast about their attainments and to egotistically gather disciples. By their genuine respect for all beings and their willingness to learn from everyone, great spiritual masters set a good example for us. We ordinary beings tend to show off our qualities and even brag about talents and achievements that we do not have. Advanced practitioners are the opposite: they remain humble."

-Thubten Chodron, Buddhism for Beginners