When the mind is full of memories and preoccupied by the future, it misses the freshness of the present moment. In this way, we fail to recognize the luminous simplicity of mind that is always present behind the veils of thought.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of being present, as dwelling on the past or future can prevent us from experiencing the beauty of the current moment.
Matthieu Ricard highlights how our minds often become cluttered with past memories and future concerns, which detracts from our ability to appreciate the present. He suggests that by focusing too much on these distractions, we overlook the inherent clarity and simplicity of our mind that is always available to us if we choose to be mindful and present.
In practice
During a meditation retreat, I shared this quote to highlight the practice of mindfulness.
Happiness is the result of inner maturity. It depends on us alone, and requires patient work, carried out from day to day. Happiness must be built, and this requires time and effort. In the long term, happiness and unhappiness are therefore a way of being, or a life skill.
Happiness is the main object of our aspirations, whatever name we give to it: fulfilment, deep satisfaction, serenity, accomplishment, wisdom, fortune, joy or inner peace, and however we try to seek it: creativity, justice, altruism, striving, completion of a plan or a piece of work.
True freedom means freeing oneself from the dictates of the ego and its accompanying emotions.
We do all kinds of things to remain beautiful. Yet, we spend surprisingly little time taking care of what matters most - the way our mind functions.
Happiness is a state of inner fulfillment.
Knowledge does not mean mastering a great quantity of different information, but understanding the nature of mind. This knowledge can penetrate each one of our thoughts and illuminate each one of our perceptions.
It is better to hide ignorance, but it is hard to do this when we relax over wine.
I need silence, and to be alone and to go out, and to save one hour to consider what has happened to my world, what death has done to my world.
The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.
I drank at every vine, the last was like the first. I came upon no wine so wonderful as thirst.
If a statement is untrue, it is not the more respectable because it has been said in Latin.
Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea? Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more. March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less. Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.
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