It's
the birthday of jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzy Gillespie, born in
Niels
Bohr said, "A physicist is just an atom's way of looking at itself."
He walked
down
Two men look out through the same bars: One
sees the mud, and one sees the stars."
( Frederick Langbridge )
"Light
can not be understood by regarding it merely as a stream of particles moving in
accordance with the laws of classical mechanics." -Rene
Dubos"
"It
is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon
his not understanding it." - Upton
Sinclair.
Ray
Bradbury who said, "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them."
Sophie
Kerr, who said, "An industrious sinner I much prefer to a lazy
saint."
"I
tell kids to read like a wolf. Read when they tell you
not to read; read what they tell you not to read. That
gets me in trouble sometimes. A lot of people are
upset by the Goosebumps series and all that stuff,
but anything that gets kids to read is fine." ~Gary Paulsen, young adult novelist
Katharine
Hepburn said, "If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun."
““We can live without religion and
meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.”
~the
Dalai Lama
“Remember that not getting what you want is
sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
~the
Dalai Lama
Once,
having been asked by the Pharisees when the
Jesus replied, "The
will people say "Here it is," or "There it
is," because the
[Luke 17:20-21]
the truth is that life is delicious, horrible,
charming, frightful, sweet, bitter, and that is everything. ~ Anatole France
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
"Why struggle
to open a door between us when the whole wall is an illusion?"
-the poet Rumi, speaking of his longing for the Divine
"To serve the Beloved is to admire the ones before us, to see them as
Buddha, to welcome them as Christ."
-Buddhist teacher and meditation master,, Jack Kornfield
Youth would be an
ideal state if it came a little
later in life. ~Herbert Henry Asquith
The Way is near,
but men seek it afar.
It is in easy
things,
but men seek for it in difficult things
To be interested
in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in
love with spring. --george santayana
Grace isn't a
little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's
a way to live. --jackie windspear
Some people are
always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have
roses. --alphonse karr
"We don't
stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
--George Bernard
Shaw
"When life hands
you lemons, ask for a bottle of tequila and the salt."
"Sweet is war
to those who know it not."
- Pindar
I wish our clever
young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose
and poetry; that is, prose, - words in their best order; poetry, - the best
words in their best order. -Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), poet, critic
Nothing that
grieves us can be called little: by the eternal laws of
proportion a child's loss of a doll and a king's loss of a crown are events
of the same size. -Mark Twain, author and humorist
(1835-1910)
You can discover
more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of
discussion. -Plato, philosopher (427-347 BCE)
"Peace is a
daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding
old barriers, quietly building new structures."
- John F. Kennedy
"There are
two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots.
The other is wings."
~ Hodding Carter, Jr.
To the mind that
is still, the whole universe surrenders. -Lao-Tzu,
philosopher (6th century BCE)
A censor is
someone who knows more than he thinks you ought to – Granville Hicks
To be well
informed, one must read quickly a great number of merely
instructive books. To be cultivated, one must read
slowly and with a
lingering appreciation the comparatively few books that have been written
by men who lived, thought, and felt with style. -Aldous
Huxley, writer
(1894-1963)
It is easy enough
to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the
one
who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The
other is mere business. -Mohandas
K. Gandhi (1869-1948)
We are so fond of
being out among nature, because it has no opinions about
us. -Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, philosopher (1844-1900)
We
cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.
-
Joseph Campbell
"My
country is the world, and my religion is to do good."
- Thomas Paine
Non-violence leads
to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all
evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings,
we are still
savages. -Thomas Edison, inventor (1847-1931)
A morning-glory at
my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of
books. -Walt Whitman, poet (1819-1892)
A society grows
great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they
shall never sit in. -Greek proverb
People
are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
"The more I live, the more I think that
humor is the saving sense. "
- Jacob August Riis
The measure of a
man's real character is what he would do if he knew he
would never be found out. -Thomas Babington Macaulay, author and statesman
(1800-1859)
A free society is
a place where it's safe to be unpopular. -Adlai
Stevenson, statesman (1900-1965)
One can be
instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude. -Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)
Humility like
darkness reveals the heavenly lights. -Henry David
Thoreau,
naturalist and author (1817-1862)
I believe that the
first test of a truly great man is his humility. I do
not mean by humility, doubt of his own powers. But
really great men have a
curious feeling that the greatness is not in them, but through them. And
they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly,
incredibly merciful. -John Ruskin, author, art critic,
and social reformer
(1819-1900)
A man does not
show his greatness by being at one extremity, but rather by touching both at
once. -Blaise Pascal, philosopher and mathematician
(1623-1662)
God has no
religion. -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)
The bamboo that
bends is stronger than the oak that resists. -Japanese
proverb
The believer is
happy; the doubter is wise. -Hungarian proverb
"The
bonds of matrimony are like any other bonds - they mature slowly. "
- Peter De Vries
There is a word
sweeter than mother, home or heaven -- That word is
liberty. -Epitaph on the grave of Matilda Joslyn Gage,
suffragist,
abolitionist (1826-1898)
Life consists not
in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.
-Josh Billings, columnist and humorist ((1818-1885)
All
the delightful things of the world--sweet sounds, lovely forms, all the
pleasant tastes and touches and thoughts--these are all agreed to bring
happiness if they are not grasped and possessed.
But if you regard them merely as pleasures for your own use and satisfaction
and do not see them as passing wonders, they will bring suffering.
-Sutta Nipata
"If you
slacken the string too loosely, it will not sound and if you pull it too tight,
it will snap." - Siddhartha
Gautama -
"All the
world's a stage, / And the men and women merely players: / They
have their exits and their entrances; / And one man in his time plays
many parts." So wrote our friend Bill Shakespeare
some 400 years ago in
one of his most profound observations on human condition. Yet,
we often
treat this life as if we really are the people we're playing.
Imagine how
few troubles we might have if we remember it's only a role we are playing.
All we need to do is to play it as best we can and then gracefully exit
the stage. -Anu
So
don't be in a hurry and try to push or rush your practice. Do
your meditation gently and gradually step by step. In
regard to peacefulness, if you become peaceful, then accept it; if you don't
become peaceful, then accept that also. That's the
nature of the mind. We must find our our own practice and persistently keep at it.
-Ajahn Chah, "Bodhinyana"
To do nothing is
sometimes a good remedy. - Hippocrates
To love oneself is
the beginning of a lifelong romance. -Oscar Wilde,
writer (1854-1900)
Never be haughty
to the humble; never be humble to the haughty. -Jefferson
Davis, confederate president (1808-1889)
The first problem for all of us, men and women, is
not to learn, but to
unlearn. -Gloria Steinem,
women's rights activist, editor (1934- )
"People
are so busy lengthening their lives with exercise they don't have time to live
them."
- Jonathan Miller
Our
houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather
than housed in them. -Henry David Thoreau, naturalist
and author
(1817-1862)
Kutadanta accused the Buddha: "I am told
that you teach the law of life and the way, yet you tear down religion. Your followers despise rituals and abandon sacrifices. But reverence for the gods can only be shown through
sacrifices. The very nature of religion is that of
worship and sacrifice."
The Buddha replied: "Greater than the massacring of bullocks is the
sacrifice of self. He who offers up his evil desires
will see the uselessness of slaughtering animals at the altar.
Blood has no power to cleanse, but the giving up of harmful actions will
make the heart whole. Better than worshiping gods is
following the ways of goodness."
-Digha Nikaya
Let me
tell you about the middle path. Dressing in rough and
dirty garments, letting your hair grow matted, abstaining from eating any meat
or fish, does not cleanse the one who is deluded. Mortifying
the flesh through excessive hardship does not lead to a triumph over the senses. All self-inflicted suffering is useless as long as the
feeling of self is dominant.
You should lose your involvement with yourself and then eat and drink
naturally, according to the needs of your body. Attachment
to your appetites--whether you deprive or indulge them--can lead to slavery,
but satisfying the needs of daily life is not wrong. Indeed,
to keep a body in good health is a duty, for otherwise the mind will not stay
strong and clear.
This is the middle path.
-Discourse II
From "Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala
Publications,
Drinking the nourishment,
the flavor,
of seclusion & calm,
one is freed from evil, devoid
of distress,
refreshed with the nourishment
of rapture in the Dhamma.
Keep
me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does
not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children. -Kahlil
Gibran, mystic, poet and artist (1883-1931)
If we
have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us
than a golden slipper on a gouty foot. -John Bunyan,
preacher and author
(1628-1688)
In
everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It
is then burst
into flame by an encounter with another human being. We
should all be
thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. -Albert
Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, and musician (1875-1965)
"The
true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be
perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying
to set people right."
- Hannah Whitall Smith
It is
not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.
-Aristotle, philosopher (384-322 BCE)
I
believe in God, only I spell it Nature. -Frank Lloyd
Wright, architect
(1867-1959)
"Perhaps
this is the most important thing for me to take back from
beach-living: simply the memory that each cycle of the tide is valid,
each cycle of the wave is valid, each cycle of a relationship is valid."
|
Greater in battle |
Every man is a damned fool for at least five minutes every day. Wisdom
consists in not exceeding the limit. -Elbert Hubbard,
author, editor,
printer (1856-1915)
A good laugh and a long sleep are
the best cures in the doctor's book.
-Irish proverb
One
should not imagine oneself to be one with the eye or independent of it or the
owner of it. The same with the ear and all the other
senses, including the mind. Nor should one imagine oneself
to be identical with the world or contained in it or independent of it or the
owner of it.
In this way, free from imagining, one no longer clings to the things of the
world. When one no longer clings, there is no more
agitation, insecurity, and worry. Being no longer
worried, one can reach into the depths of oneself and understand that where
there has been loss there is now fulfillment.
Senator Smoot (Republican,
Is planning a ban on smut.
Oh rooti-ti-toot for Smoot of
And his reverend occiput.
Smite, Smoot, smite for
Grit your molars and do your dut.,
Gird up your l--ns,
Smite h-p and th-gh,
We'll all be
By and by.
Opening para of
anti-porn stance led to a newspaper headline "Smoot Smites Smut".
Accept
my words only when you have examined them for yourselves; do not accept them
simply because of the reverence you have for me. Those
who only have faith in me and affection for me will not find the final freedom. But those who have faith in the truth and are determined
on the path, they will find awakening.
-Majjhima
O
monks, even if you have insight that is pure and clear but you cling to it,
fondle it and treasure it, depend on it and are attached to it, then you do not
understand that the teaching is like a raft that carries you across the water
to the farther shore but is then to be put down and not clung to.
-Majjhima
Meditate on that which is
beyond words and symbols. Forsake the demands of the
self. By such forsaking you will live serenely.
-Sutta Nipata
The
truth indeed has never been preached by the Buddha, seeing that one has to
realize it within oneself.
Lamkara Sutra
Time
is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you
have, and only you
can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest
you let other people
spend it for you. -Carl Sandburg,
poet (1878-1967)
Few
things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him,
and to let him know that you trust him. -Booker T.
Washington, reformer,
educator, and author (1856-1915)
If you
wish to make an apple pie truly from scratch, you must first invent
the universe. -Carl Sagan, astronomer and writer
(1934-1996)
No man
has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can
dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to
redress. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher
(1803-1882)
The
terrorist attacks were "an attack on people of all faiths and on
people of none"
--British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 10//7/01
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Ghandi
My
affections are first for my own country,
and then, generally, for all mankind.
--Thomas Jefferson, 1811
By
Andy Rooney:
I've
learned....
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an
elderly
person.
I've learned....
That when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned....
That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes
my day.
I've learned....
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most
peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned....
That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned....
That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned....
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the
strength
to help him in some other way.
I've learned....
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone
needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned....
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to
understand.
I've learned....
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer
nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned....
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer
it gets to the
end, the faster it goes.
I've learned....
That money doesn't buy class.
I've learned....
That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned...
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be
appreciated and loved.
I've learned....
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I've learned....
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only
letting
that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned....
That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned....
That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to
surround
myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned....
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned....
That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies
and
feeling their breath on your cheeks.
I've learned....
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned....
That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned....
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take
the ones you
miss.
I've learned....
That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned....
That I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time
before he passed away.
I've learned....
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because
tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned....
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned....
That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
I've learned....
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little
finger in his
little fist, that you're hooked for life.
If you
can’t be kind, at least be vague.
I've learned....
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the
happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned ...
That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is
requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
I've learned....
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get
done.
Courage
is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--
not absence of fear.
-- Mark Twain
Be
master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big,
worthwhile things. It isn't the mountain ahead that
wears you out - it's
the grain of sand in your shoe. -Robert Service,
writer (1874-1958)
Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold
weather becomes frozen, even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.
-Leonardo Da Vinci, painter, engineer, mmusician, and scientist (1452-1519)
Often
you must turn your stylus to erase, if you hope to write anything
worth a second reading. -Horace, poet and satirist
(65-8 BCE)
There
is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity
that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to
trees and plants. -Michel de Montaigne,
essayist (1533-1592)
Many
people hear voices when no-one is there. Some of them
are called mad
and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are
called writers and they do pretty much the same thing. -Margaret
Chittenden, writer
The
moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it
becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
-Henry Miller, novelist (1891-1980)
Just
as sharp-bladed grass,
if wrongly held,
wounds the very hand that holds it--
the contemplative life, if wrongly grasped,
drags you down to hell.
-Dhammapada, 222, translated by Thanissaro
Bhikkhu.
So
many gods, so many creeds, So many paths that wind and wind, While just the art
of being kind is all the sad world needs. -Ella
Wheeler Wilcox,
poet (1850-1919)
"I believe
that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final
word in reality. This is why right, temporarily
defeated, is stronger than
evil triumphant."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.