Let wisdom arise within you, and learn to see the world as a kind of illusion; in doing so, your attachment to pleasant things will diminish, for all things are impermanent, ultimately empty, and devoid of self. If this is difficult for you to accept, look back upon your own life: how long did each moment of happiness truly last? And throughout your lifetime, how many great and wealthy men have lost their power and fortune? Where are the great ones who once walked this earth? Guide your mind toward such reflections, and you will understand the true meaning of impermanence. Then detachment will be easier to practise.
15-Feb-1984 (1)

Nothing on earth is truly ugly; all that exists is, in its essence, beautiful. Forms can be deceiving, and only those who have impure minds will see things as they seem to be. Only those who have developed their inner natures will understand that within what seems ugly lies the beauty of existence.
All existence is Truth, and Truth cannot be ugly. Learn, then, not to be put off by what appears ugly at first glance, for once you take the trouble to seek what is within such forms, you will find the true beauty. It is good then for you to associate with persons and things that seem unpleasant, for they become lessons for you to learn. Only when you can find the beauty within do you uncover the treasure. This is the reason for chanting the Mani Prayer.
8-Aug-1982 (3)

It is to be expected that all who come will one day reach a full understanding of what compassion truly is. Such understanding is both a form of mental development and a kind of spiritual awakening for anyone who makes effort to seek Me. To seek Me is not merely to pray to Me; it is something far deeper. It requires one to realise their pure nature, their true self—the essence that which has been within them since the beginning. It is love. It is all.
8-Aug-1982 (1)

Change your view of the act of praying. Drop all ideas of expectation, and you will find that the mind relaxes easily. You will then naturally enter a state of quiet satisfaction, for your prayers will no longer be selfish in nature, no longer testing in nature, and no longer impure in nature. To arrive at a clean and pure state of mind should be the goal of your worship. (D-820719-3)

There is every need to practise chanting devotional prayers so that all wandering thoughts may be removed. A pure and calm mind will arise when you apply such prayers whenever you find yourself battling with all kinds of wandering thoughts.
Cultivate the habit of using your idle time for devotional prayers, which are pure in nature. Pure in nature means that your thought becomes a true prayer—one directed towards the well‑being of others. To understand the bliss of devotional prayers, you must be able to feel deeply, so that both happiness and sadness are felt. When you pray, pray wholeheartedly and mindfully to the Divine, to the depth that you feel all the senses. That is how it should be. (D-820712-2)

Devotional prayers are necessary to inspire faith and to bring forth the feeling of love and mercy. Devotional prayers are also a means to help the mind develop concentration, achieve one-pointedness, and attain a state of samadhi.
Dedicate this life of yours to devotional prayers, for it is one of the foremost Dharma Doors. It is through this Path that you have come into contact with Me, and it will be through this same means that you will attain much more. (D-820712-1)

When you are physically tired, you can find easy solutions. When you are mentally tired, that is where problems will arise. If this is understood, then be sure to maintain your daily sitting with a calm mind, no matter how busy you may be. You have to be firm with yourself and gentle with your mind, and in the end, you will find that all efforts have not been in vain. (D-820421-1)

Spiritual development must be a natural response from within. If one who is not pure of heart seeks to go too deeply into it, there are many dangers that can turn such a mind towards a wayward path. One must not be full of desire while hoping to derive much from worship; this allows the mind to avoid craving spiritual powers. To possess spiritual powers is not the most blessed development; to have them is to subject yourself to a host of disciplines. Failing these will mean regression and falling into temptations to abuse such powers, which will destroy all that you have cultivated. (D-820224-1)

Your mind is like murky water hiding the pearl that lies within. This filthy water is like a mind filled with wants, greed, lust, and hatred; because your passing thoughts are bound to such cravings, your righteous thoughts remain obscured. Yet you must find the pearl within these waters, for that pearl is your true nature—the Buddha nature. Seek it with patience and unwavering determination. You can only do so by replacing undesirable thoughts with thoughts that are pure—thoughts of love and compassion, of understanding and of friendship—to reduce the impurities of your mind.
With patient effort, your mind will become calmer and clearer. In such a state, if you continue your pursuit, you will find your pearl—your true nature, your Buddha nature. (D-820222-4)

Act to dissolve that which causes delusions in your mind. Act with right endeavour. Avoid being indolent; move forward and walk the Path by living it. Serve with true dedication—serve no matter how weary you are. Serve to understand the plight of human beings, and serve to understand pain. If you wish to walk My Path, cultivate such a mind! (D-820628-4)

Avoid being angry towards those who speak and act against you. Hatred must be removed, for it poisons the mind. Practise generosity in order to remove this poison and pray for those who seek to bring harm to you. With such an attitude, it will be easy to practise the Buddhist Path. (D-820628-2)

Set your mind towards achieving the Goal of this lifetime. Be confident that you will not waver. With earnestness, practice generosity, for it is one of the greatest virtues for man to cultivate. Be willing to provide, be happy to be in the position to give, and be sure to maintain a sympathetic mind towards all who need help. (D-820628-1)

To gain inner knowledge from reading the sutras, one must have a deeper understanding than merely grasping the literal meanings. It requires someone who has gained insight in order to discern the true meanings beneath the words. Therefore, many will find it very difficult to comprehend what is contained in the sutras. Thus, if one is truly sincere in seeking, one must seek assistance from the qualified ones. This is precisely why the Sangha was established—to provide guidance to all Buddhists.
Attend as many lectures given by the revered Sangha, and as often as you can, so that you will receive the correct interpretations and so that a firm foundation may be established within you. Then, through your own reading, you will gradually begin to understand the wisdom contained in the Teachings of the Lord Buddha. (D-820615-1,2)

If My presence is not felt strongly, it does not mean that I am far away from you. How could it be? When you have been calling on Me, honouring Me, and practising My Way of living by being a benevolent being in this world, I am pleased, and I am always near—like a mother who gently let go of Her hands so that the child may learn to walk on his own, so that in years to come, he may rely on his own ability, so that through the experiences of life, he may understand and he can find his own way to meet its challenges to solve life’s problems!
As you go forth, more and more difficult obstacles must be expected, but keep on; strengthen your mind by cultivation, by living in accord with the Dharma, and by accepting all the challenges that come your way. (D-820605-4,820803-2)

Learn to appreciate the teachings of the great religions, which teach all to live upright lives. Buddhism is a way of living that brings harmony to the self and to the world. If you should seek to embrace Buddhism as your religion, then your task is to attain a peaceful mind!
For you who are on the Buddhist path, learn restraint and practise patience. Try to be with fellow cultivators and avoid such company that will cause your mind to give rise to anger and argument with them. (D-820607-1,820610,820714-1)

When there is a place to give some donation to help the running of the temple, shrine, or whatever it is, give, and give without feeling generous. If there is a deity, pay your respect with clasped hands or closed palms and make a bow or three. This is giving respect. (D-820513-1)

You use the mantra to help your mind achieve one-pointed concentration. This is only for the beginning of the sitting, to help you concentrate and reach a calm state before you drop all other methods of concentration. After that, you will just sit and hold your mind. Each practitioner experiences calmness differently. Some may soon find their minds filling again with thoughts, visions of lights, or various reactions. This is part of mind training. As long as you remember that you are the observer of these phenomena, you will not be attracted or distracted by them, and you will remain calm! (D-820421-2)

To expect guidance out of prayers of requests at all times is to become over-dependent on Me, and that is the wrong attitude. Even when help is given all the time, would it increase one’s faith? When help is there at any time, what is there left to pray for? Where, then, is faith? It is not right thinking to expect your problems to be solved through mere praying. You will lose your interest in no time, and you will also become a helpless and hopeless being. (D-820109-4)