Dalai Lama Quote from Snow Lion Publications
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Dalai Lama Quote of the WeekOur sense of self In a similar manner, our aversion to someone we dislike arises as a result of attributing inherent negative qualities to the person. When we relate this process to how we experience our own sense of existence–how the thought “I” or “I am” arises–we notice that it invariably does so in relation to some aspect of our physical or mental aggregates. Our notion of ourselves is based upon a sense of our physical and emotional selves. What’s more, we feel that these physical and mental aspects of ourselves exist inherently. My body is not something of which I doubt the specificity. There is a body-ness as well as a me-ness about it that very evidently exists. It seems to be a natural basis for my identifying my body as “me.” Our emotions such as fear are similarly experienced as having a valid existence and as being natural bases for our identifying ourselves as “me.” Both our loves and our hates serve to deepen the self sense. Even the mere feeling “I’m cold” contributes to our sense of being a solid and legitimate “I.”(p.61) –from A Profound Mind: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday Life by The Dalai Lama, edited by Nicholas Vreeland, afterword by Richard Gere A Profound Mind • Now at 4O% off! |
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