A Continous Journey

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to solve all your doubts and problems. As the masters say: “Make haste slowly.”

I always tell my students not to have unreasonable expectations, because it takes time for spiritual growth. It takes years to learn Japanese properly or to become a doctor. Can we really expect to have all the answers, let alone become enlightened, in a few weeks?

The spiritual journey is one of continuous learning and purification. When you know this, you become humble. There is a famous Tibetan saying: “Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.”

And Milarepa said: “Do not entertain hopes for realization, but practice all your life.”

by Sogyal Rinpoche