One of the best writers who write about Buddhist principles is Pema Chodron. Several of her books include notes she collected from her talks. She took a year sabbatical to go through the large boxes of notes she had saved.
1) From Shambhala: “Pema is the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery for Westerners and has authored several books, including:
- Always Maintain a Joyful Mind
(lojong teachings)
- Practicing Peace in Times of War
- No Time to Lose
- The Pema Chodron Collection (audio)
- Getting Unstuck:
Patterns & Encountering Naked Reality (audio)
2) Quotations by Pema Chodron at the Gaiam Life site include this one:
“You’re the only one who knows when you’re using things to protect yourself and keep your ego together and when you’re opening and letting things fall apart, letting the world come as it is – working with it rather than struggling against it. You’re the only one who knows.”
The most important quality I notice in those studying Buddhism is the aura of non-judgment. We in the Western religions seem to have a need to tell others how to live and who to be. Buddhists, whose faith has principles and guidances, focus more on what is going on inside them rather than evaluating others. Compassion is rooted in non-judgment. I am reminded of how many times I’ve seen a Christian preacher looking very stern and preaching fear and screaming at us.
Emotional Sobriety Means Healing Mind, Body, and Soul 