Quotations

"Mars has long exerted a pull on the human imagination. The erratically moving red star in the sky was seen as sinister or violent by the ancients: The Greeks identified it with Ares, the god of war; the Babylonians named it after Nergal, god of the underworld. To the ancient Chinese, it was Ying-huo, the fire planet."

— John Updike, American novelist, born 1932

"Existence itself does not feel horrible; it feels like an ecstasy, rather, which we have only to be still to experience."

— John Updike, American novelist, born 1932

"Gods don't answer letters."

— John Updike, American novelist, born 1932

"You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it."

— John Updike, American novelist, born 1932

"The cinema has done more for my spiritual life than the church. My ideas of fame, success and beauty all originate from the big screen. Whereas Christian religion is retreating everywhere and losing more and more influence; film has filled the vacuum and supports us with myths and action-controlling images."

— John Updike, American novelist, born 1932

"Try to imagine what it’s like when this moment of empty cognizance suffused with awareness starts to last for a full hour, unbroken. The very first moment of empty cognizance already has the potential for full omniscience, as well as the potential for compassion and loving kindness – the potential ability to protect and help."

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"If you believe there is a thing called mind, it is just a thought. If you believe there is no mind, it's just another thought. Your natural state, free of any kind of thought about it—that is Buddha nature. Mind is similar to space, in that it is insubstantial, not material; isn't quite amazing that something that is insubstantial is also able to experience?"

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"Samsara is mind turned outwardly, lost in its projections. Nirvana is mind turned inwardly, recognizing its nature."

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"It is said that the difference between buddhas and sentient beings is like the difference between the narrowness and the openness of space. Sentient beings are like the space held within a tightly closed fist, while buddhas are fully open, all-encompassing."

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"There are signs of accomplishment, such as having good health and long life or becoming famous and influential, but these belong to the superficial type of accomplishment. The true, unmistaken signs of accomplishment as established by the masters of the lineage, are to possess compassion, devotion and an acute sense of impermanence."

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"If our nature wasn’t already enlightened, we couldn’t awaken to it no matter how hard we tried. Buddha nature cannot be fabricated. Our nature is primordially enlightened, but at present our ordinary body, speech and discursive thinking obscures it."

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Buddhist master, born 1920

"All you have the right to ask of life is to choose a battle in this war, make the best you can, and leave the field with honor."

— Leon Uris, American author, born 1924

"Who here wants to be a writer? I asked. Everyone in the room raised his hand. Why the hell aren't you home writing? I said, and left the stage."

— Leon Uris, American author, born 1924

"Anything to declare? the customs inspector said. Two pound of uncut heroin and a manual of pornographic art, Mark answered, looking about for Kity. All Americans are comedians, the inspector thought, as he passed Parker through."

— Leon Uris, American author, born 1924