My life is uncomfortable only when I am not capable of controlling my mind. If I am in charge of my mind, then I can live comfortably even in hell. Do not try to find happiness or comfort outside yourself; instead, you should try to become the commander of your own mind and utilize it at will. The entire universe is in your possession, as is your mind. The richest individuals are those who can lead their minds to their full universal capacity. Happiness or sorrow, wealth or poverty, are all dependent on the mind. Anyone incapable of fully controlling her own mind will experience unfulfilled desires even if she possesses everything in the universe.
♦
From Reflections of a Zen Buddhist Nun, by Kim Iryop. Reprinted with permission of the Korean Classics Library.
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