Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche quotes
@geshe-la-quotes.bsky.social
I post quotes from the writings of Kadampa Buddhist master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche (1931-2022)
When we practice patience we are wearing the supreme inner armour that directly protects us from physical sufferings, mental pain and other problems.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
When we practice patience we are wearing the supreme inner armour that directly protects us from physical sufferings, mental pain and other problems.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
If we waste the precious opportunities afforded by this human life by not engaging in virtuous actions we are as if already dead...Death is nowhere near as unpleasant as the long-term effects of our non-virtue.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM
If we waste the precious opportunities afforded by this human life by not engaging in virtuous actions we are as if already dead...Death is nowhere near as unpleasant as the long-term effects of our non-virtue.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
No matter how carefully we search among the mental and physical aggregates we will never find the I. The I is just a label that is imputed in dependence upon the five aggregates.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 7, 2025 at 3:52 PM
No matter how carefully we search among the mental and physical aggregates we will never find the I. The I is just a label that is imputed in dependence upon the five aggregates.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
External problems do not have the power to disturb our mind unless we respond to them by developing delusions. If we have no delusions, even our enemies cannot destroy our peace of mind.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
External problems do not have the power to disturb our mind unless we respond to them by developing delusions. If we have no delusions, even our enemies cannot destroy our peace of mind.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
The only way to attain the permanent peace of liberation is to cultivate and increase our present peaceful minds.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 5, 2025 at 2:11 PM
The only way to attain the permanent peace of liberation is to cultivate and increase our present peaceful minds.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
Normally we regard other people who harm us as our enemies, but our real enemies are the delusions such as hatred and attachment that dwell within our mind.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 5, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Normally we regard other people who harm us as our enemies, but our real enemies are the delusions such as hatred and attachment that dwell within our mind.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
An ordinary, deluded mind will naturally perceive a world filled with ordinary, deluded people.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
September 4, 2025 at 3:19 PM
An ordinary, deluded mind will naturally perceive a world filled with ordinary, deluded people.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
For the most part we should practise with steady effort, like a broad river flowing constantly. We should adjust our expectations and not hope for quick results, but practise steadily and constantly over a long period.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For the most part we should practise with steady effort, like a broad river flowing constantly. We should adjust our expectations and not hope for quick results, but practise steadily and constantly over a long period.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
By gaining experience of virtuous minds such as love, compassion, patience and wisdom we will overcome these negative minds. These virtuous minds are our real refuge. Thus, by training in Dharma we build a refuge within our own mind. Eventually we will become a refuge for all beings, a Buddha Jewel.
September 4, 2025 at 3:03 PM
By gaining experience of virtuous minds such as love, compassion, patience and wisdom we will overcome these negative minds. These virtuous minds are our real refuge. Thus, by training in Dharma we build a refuge within our own mind. Eventually we will become a refuge for all beings, a Buddha Jewel.
Anger is like fire. If we detect a fire as soon as it starts it will be easy to extinguish, but if we wait until it has taken hold it will be very difficult to control.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 3, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Anger is like fire. If we detect a fire as soon as it starts it will be easy to extinguish, but if we wait until it has taken hold it will be very difficult to control.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
Whereas ordinary beings look for faults in others, Bodhisattvas look solely for good qualities.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
September 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Whereas ordinary beings look for faults in others, Bodhisattvas look solely for good qualities.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
Whenever we listen to Dharma teachings, contemplate Dharma or meditate on Dharma, we are accumulating virtuous mental karma.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
September 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Whenever we listen to Dharma teachings, contemplate Dharma or meditate on Dharma, we are accumulating virtuous mental karma.
(How to Understand the Mind)
(How to Understand the Mind)
It would be a great shame if we were to use our human life only to achieve what animals can also achieve, and thereby waste this unique opportunity to become a source of benefit for all living beings.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
September 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
It would be a great shame if we were to use our human life only to achieve what animals can also achieve, and thereby waste this unique opportunity to become a source of benefit for all living beings.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
Just as peacocks are said to thrive on plants that are poisonous to other birds, sincere spiritual practitioners can make good use of whatever circumstances arise in their daily life.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 31, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Just as peacocks are said to thrive on plants that are poisonous to other birds, sincere spiritual practitioners can make good use of whatever circumstances arise in their daily life.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
The moment we let go of our obsessive concern for our own welfare, our mind naturally relaxes and becomes lighter.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 29, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The moment we let go of our obsessive concern for our own welfare, our mind naturally relaxes and becomes lighter.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
At the beginning, even if our meditation does not seem to be going well, we should remember that simply by applying effort to training in meditation, we are creating the mental karma to experience inner peace in the future.
August 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
At the beginning, even if our meditation does not seem to be going well, we should remember that simply by applying effort to training in meditation, we are creating the mental karma to experience inner peace in the future.
Whenever we meditate, we are performing a mental action that will cause us to experience inner peace in the future.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Whenever we meditate, we are performing a mental action that will cause us to experience inner peace in the future.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
Delusions are just bad mental habits, and like all habits they can be broken
August 27, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Delusions are just bad mental habits, and like all habits they can be broken
A person without great spiritual knowledge who nevertheless applies effort consistently will gradually attain all virtuous qualities.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
A person without great spiritual knowledge who nevertheless applies effort consistently will gradually attain all virtuous qualities.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
Pure unconditional love never causes any pain or worry but only peace and joy.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 27, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Pure unconditional love never causes any pain or worry but only peace and joy.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
Activities such as cooking, working, talking and relaxing are not intrinsically mundane; they are mundane only if done by a mundane mind. By doing exactly the same actions with a spiritual motivation, they become pure spiritual practices.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)
August 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Activities such as cooking, working, talking and relaxing are not intrinsically mundane; they are mundane only if done by a mundane mind. By doing exactly the same actions with a spiritual motivation, they become pure spiritual practices.
(How to Transform Your Life)
(How to Transform Your Life)