Lama Atisha
Dipamkara
(982–1054)
“Know that those who by whatever means
Seek for themselves no more
Than the pleasures of cyclic existence
Are persons of the least capacity.
Those who seek peace for themselves alone,
Turning away from worldly pleasures
And avoiding destructive actions
Are said to be of middling capacity.
Those who, through their personal suffering,
Truly want to end completely
All the suffering of others
Are persons of supreme capacity.”
Verse 3-5 from The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment by Atisha Dipamkarashrijnana, translated by Ruth Sonam, as published in Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment by Tenzin Gyatso His Holines the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa. PDF available from Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.