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The very first noble truth of the Buddha points out that suffering is inevitable for human beings as long as we believe that things last — that they don’t disintegrate, that they can be counted on to satisfy our hunger for security.

— Pema Chödrön When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (1997)

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Pain

More quotes by Pema Chödrön

You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.

We all need to be reminded and encouraged to relax with whatever arises and bring whatever we encounter to the path.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (1997)

Impermanence becomes vivid in the present moment; so do compassion and wonder and courage. And so does fear.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (1997)

The principle of nowness is very important to any effort to establish an enlightened society.

How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind (2008)

Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (1997)

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A portion of life, every moment gets torn out of me hurting, and flees away.

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Knowledge by suffering entereth,
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If everyone could feel everyone else’s pain, who would torture?

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Pema Chödrön (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.