If I ever become a saint, I will surely be one of darkness. I will continue to be absent from heaven to light the light of those in darkness on earth.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“I like this quote because, in our Buddhist tradition, we have what we call the Bodhisattva. The greatest fear of the Bodhisattva is to find peace for oneself and be separate from the suffering of others. To me it would be a horrible existence to live in a peaceful world knowing that others are suffering. For myself, I always want to be a part of serving, caring, and loving others. Actually, I think if you’re separated from the suffering of others, you can’t really find true peace. You can’t lead a meaningful life. We need others to wake up. So, I love this idea that the greatest fear is to be separate from other’s suffering.”
Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel is retreat master of Tibetan Buddhism
and author of The Logic of Faith: A Buddhist Approach
to Finding Certainty Beyond Belief and Doubt
