[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Exertion Is a Sense of Joy

[Carolyn Gimian]

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

April 19, 2008

EXERTION IS A SENSE OF JOY

Student: Could you explain the distinction between exertion and struggle?

Chogyam Trungpa: Struggle involves a sense of speed, a sense of 
distrusting oneself, and a sense of no joy; and exertion is a sense 
of joy. It is said by one of the great teachers, Atisha or 
Shantarakshita, that exertion is a source of joy. You are working 
hard, but at the same time there is joy. That is the difference 
between the two. Ordinary working hard, or struggle, comes out of 
pain. But exertion is a sense of joy. It's like eating food, in some 
sense. When you're hungry, there is no need to struggle to eat food, 
because you enjoy eating it. Whereas struggle is like being made to 
eat food, although you don't feel hungry.

 From Vajra Assemblies Sourcebook, Volume Two, Page 143.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used 
by permission.

OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES OF THE WEEK now has 5,520 subscribers.

Please send comments on and contributions to OCEAN OF DHARMA QUOTES 
OF THE WEEK to the list moderator, Carolyn Gimian at: carolyn at shambhala.com.

Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications,  the Archive of 
his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the Chogyam Trungpa website by clicking on the 
following link: http://OceanofDharma.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.shambhala.com/pipermail/dharmaocean/attachments/20080419/16ae8e7c/attachment.html