“Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble-Proverbs” ~Susan Albers, Psy.D.

I hold my face in my two hands.
No, I am not crying.
I hold my face in my two hands
to keep the loneliness warm –
two hands protecting,
two hands nourishing,
two hands preventing
my soul from leaving me
in anger. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” ~ Confucius

It is hard to live in the world
And hard to live out of it.
It is hard to be one among many.

And for the wanderer, how long is the road
Wandering though many lives!

From: The Buddha – Dhammapada
Rendered by Thomas Byrom
Shambhala Press, 1976

Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity. ~ Dalai Lama

“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” ~Buddha

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer. ~William S. Burroughs

Even as a mother
protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish
all living beings.
Sutta Nipata

What do the teachings of Buddhism say about animal rights?

In Buddhism the highest and universal ideal is to continually work for a permanent end to the suffering of all creatures, not just the human animal, but all animals, all living beings without exception.

In Buddhism there are five precepts, codes of moral conduct, the first of which is an injunction against destroying life. Buddha laid great emphasis on the fact that the restriction on casing harm applied not only to human beings but to all creatures all “living beings.” Continue reading →