The mind is the source of joy and misery, the source of positive and negative experiences. Taking care of the mind is the smartest thing to do.
Imagine that you have the task of cleaning your room. We can imagine this in a series of steps. A) It’s important to first admit that your room is messy, and then; B) you must have the motivation to clean it; and C) you must have the willingness and determination to follow the conventional steps for cleaning it, one at a time, with the confidence that these steps give a good result.
Our practice is very similar to this, in a sense. A) We must admit that the mind needs to be worked on; and B) we must clearly and deeply recognize the necessity of taking care of it; and finally, C) we have to follow the teachings, develop the skills, and be persistent in integrating what we have learned into our own practice, with the full confidence that these teachings bring about the best result. The mind is the source of joy and misery, the source of positive and negative experiences. Taking care of the mind is the smartest thing to do. For anything in this world, if we don’t invest time and energy in it, we cannot expect results. It is the same with the mind.
Rinpoché adapted this note from an essay he wrote for the 40th anniversary of Karma Kagyu Dharma Society Kuala Lumpur, February 1, 2016.