“Giving up doubt, we look intently at each aspect of the preciousness of the individual human life we have obtained this time. We work to increase and sustain our joy and appreciation. These are the best fuels for our path. Now that we understand the inexorable nature of death, we realize that there is no more time to waste. We have made a plan for our spiritual lives moving forward, and we should aim the full power of our minds and hearts in that direction.

 

It is clear that our own actions, virtuous or non-virtuous, have gotten us where we are now. It’s also clear that our current actions are setting the course for our future travels. Therefore, we now start to pay close attention to which actions of body, speech, and mind we adopt. Mindfulness, alertness, and conscientiousness are the three powerful tools we need. All great practitioners strive, with every passing day, to increase their positive actions and decrease their negative actions.

 

Having been shown that there is no safe haven in samsara, let’s start being truly kind to ourselves. Let’s start working to leave samsaric existence behind. Now that we know how many other beings there are, and the depth and variety of their sufferings, let’s strive to develop compassion for all of them. We must form the aspiration of a bodhisattva, one who vows to work with equanimity for the complete liberation of every single sentient being.”

 

Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind From Samsara (pg 36)

www.padmasambhava.org/chiso/books-by-khenpo-rinpoches/four-thoughts-that-turn-the-mind-from-samsara