The Yogacara School asserts that everyone has a mental continuum from beginningless time until the attainment of enlightenment. This mental continuum is sometimes comprised of the five consciousnesses of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, but sometimes not.  No matter how it manifests itself, the permanent existence of what is called the alaya consciousness is present at all times. Whenever actions are committed, a karmic seed will be planted in the alaya consciousness.

There is an analogy for this. When ink is poured on snow, the snow will take on the color of the ink.  After the snow melts, the ink’s color can still be seen on the ground.   Similarly, if karma is born of defilements, a karmic mark will be left in the alaya consciousness after the defilements are gone.

~ Luminous Wisdom 1 : On Cause and Effect

In Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend, it said that, according to the Buddha’s advice, being content with fewer desires is the greatest asset that one can have. Those who are able to maintain such a disposition are truly rich people even if they do not own a single asset, because only they can attain the ultimate, perfect happiness.

~ Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View : A Buddhist's Mode Way of Life

If the purpose of doing something was to satisfy worldly pursuits such as health and longevity, it would be deemed an unwholesome motivation. All the activities done on this premise, whether they are meditation or reciting sutras, are considered just mundane phenomena that do not lead to enlightenment. Patrul Rinpoche had said that absent genuine renunciation and bodhicitta, if one were to do a nine-year retreat and cut off all associations with others to practice the Great Perfection full-time, one would not even sow the seed of liberation, let alone other achievements. How terrible having not generated renunciation and bodhicitta! What use is there for other practices when not even the Great Perfection can sow the seed of liberation? Therefore, making the choice of motivation should never be taken lightly.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View ~ The Three Supreme Methods

Many people think that Buddhism is negative and pessimistic. Such a biased assessment is used by those who do not understand the teachings of Buddhism and their meaning. In fact, Buddhism is neither too pessimistic nor too optimistic. The Buddha taught us that we should see the world and our life in the right perspective. There’s no need to be doggedly pessimistic about it or to excessively glamorize it. If we are too idealistic about our life, there will be no inner preparation for times of crisis. Once any unpredictable incident occurs, it will be difficult for us to accept it and we will sink into intense suffering.

~ Luminous Wisdom, 8

The practice of the Four Noble Truths begins with the cultivation of renunciation and bodhicitta. Renunciation enables us to transcend samsara while bodhicitta inspires us to remain in samsara without being bound by it.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View ~ The Four Noble Truths

The word “religion” came from the West. If defining Buddhism by way of the meaning of religion, Buddhism cannot be deemed exactly a religion as the word “religion” comprises in itself the recognition of a supernatural power or powers as the creator and governor of the universe, which Buddhism dissents. Some in the West do not see Buddhism as religion because of this. Those learned and respectable Buddhist practitioners in the past also held the same opinion. I too do not see Buddhism fit the Western definition of “religion” as Buddhism has never acknowledged the existence of the Creator.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series : The Right View ~ Buddhism – The Definition

The Zen tradition often talks about letting go, but how to let go? If one tries letting go of living a boring and pessimistic life, by escaping into the mountains to practice, this is not letting go but just a temporary escape.  The real letting go is knowing from the very foundation that everything is a dream, an illusion, and for this reason there is no attachment or obsession.

~ Luminous Wisdom, 4

Ignorance is translated in Chinese as "wu ming." The word "ming", refers to wisdom that comes from realization; "wu" is a negation. Thus, wu ming means the absence of wisdom and the absence of realization. Although the innate clarity of the mind is always there, we have never recognized or experienced it because we have not attained realization. This is why it is called ignorance.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series: The Paper Tiger ~ Suffering is just a Paper Tiger

Mahayana Buddhism calls for transcendence, not desertion, of samsara. The bodhisattvas practice emptiness, not-self, or great compassion not to escape from the suffering of samsara but to benefit sentient beings more thoroughly and effectively, and to serve the needs of others more generously. Ordinary people, unable to break loose from samsara, have no choice but to remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth. Whereas the bodhisattvas, no longer being bound by samsara, choose to remain because sentient beings only exist in samsara, not in nirvana. In order to deliver sentient beings from all suffering, the bodhisattvas must work from within, not out of, samsara. The key to understand this dichotomy lies in distinguishing between the relative truth and the absolute truth.

Excerpt from Luminous Wisdom Book Series: The Right View ~ The Four Noble Truths