“We all want to have something that benefits us. We like to think that we worry about what is beneficial or not. But I think that by and large we are after what makes us happy. This is what we want, but what we actually need is the truth. We want to be happy, but we need to realize, to actualize, the truth. Similarly, we want to be happy, but it is also important that we pursue what is beneficial, not just for ourselves but for everyone.

After all this time and contemplation, the words of the Buddha, that is it. This is the only way. Buddhadharma is the only thing that brings us what is beneficial to self and others. Buddhadharma is the only thing that will bring us closer to the truth. Therefore, one way or another, Buddhadharma is the only source of happiness.”

“It’s such a joy to work with all of you to preserve, propagate, and support this dharma. We have done quite well. More than we dared to imagine and dream. Of course, we are all human beings, so when things are working, we wish to do more, we have more greed. In this case, our aim and our objective are not just philanthropic but something that is beneficial and actually the only source of happiness. We should be greedy and be thinking more farsightedly. We should not have poverty mentality — if someone is offering billions, we should be ready to accept it and plan according to it.”

“Modernity, of course, is just a term, it’s really just another way of saying that all compounded things are impermanent. This needs to be practiced. It’s funny that some of us lamas talk about how all compounded things are impermanent and yet everything we do is like we have no clue about this. We seem to want to go back to the old way of doing things. Of course, we don’t want to modify the core teachings, then the whole point would be lost, but the way it is taught, how it is taught, to whom it is taught — this is something that KF can do. We need to explore this area, how to incorporate modernity.”

“When we think about retreat, many of us think of mountains and caves, something solitary. But it doesn’t have to be, it can be in a New York penthouse, or in a Ginza street. I’m thinking about who will teach people and guide them. Not necessarily someone who looks like me, like a religions person who has been tarnished or stigmatized as a religious person. We are not really talking about choosing a guru or a spiritual master, but kalayanamitra, a spiritual friend or companion. A businessman, a businesswoman, an architect, a doctor, a lawyer, all talking about nonduality, mindfulness, all that. This is something I think we can brainstorm about in the coming year.”