A Tibetan Buddhist View on Our Basic Goodness

“Discovering real goodness comes from appreciating very simple experiences. We are not talking about how good it feels to make a million dollars or finally graduate from college or buy a new house, but we are speaking here of the basic goodness of being alive — which does not depend on our accomplishments or fulfilling our desires. We experience glimpses of goodness all the time, but we often fail to acknowledge them. When we see a bright color, we are witnessing our own inherent goodness. When we hear a beautiful sound, we are hearing our own basic goodness.
“If we are willing to take an unbiased look, we will find that, in spite of all our problems and confusion, all our emotional and psychological ups and downs, there is something basically good about our existence as human beings. We have moments of basic non-aggression and freshness…it is worthwhile to take advantage of these moments. We have an actual connection to reality that can wake us up and make us feel basically, fundamentally good . . . When you relax more and appreciate your body and mind, you begin to contact the fundamental notion of basic goodness in yourself. So it is extremely important to be willing to open yourself to yourself."

Chogyam Trungpa
Tibetan Buddhist Rinpoche

Photos: Aspens, rocks, and The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya peeking through the trees; Red Feather Lakes, CO, October 13, 2015

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