Week of

What Is Nonviolence?

If anyone gets too near the wall that ego has built, it feels insecure. It thinks that it is being attacked and then thinks that the only way to defend itself is to ward off the threat by showing an aggressive attitude. However, when one experiences a threat that seems to come from outside—whether it is illness, some undesirable experience in the world, or literal opponents— the only way to develop a balanced state of being is not to try to get rid of those things, but to understand them and make use of them. Thus, the development of egolessness—the opposite of ego’s game—leads one to the concept of ahimsa, or nonviolence. Ahimsa is a nonviolent way of dealing with a situation. It is the warrior’s way.

 

From “Nonviolence,” in Smile at Fear.

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The CTR Quote of the Week is coming to you from the Chogyam Trungpa Institute at Naropa University. The compiler of the quotes and the moderator of the list is Carolyn Gimian.

All material is used by permission of Diana J. Mukpo.

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