Buddhism is a statement of our intrinsic goodness; and the possibility of discovering
that intrinsic goodness. This is the simple answer, but complex questions can
arise from that. Giving a simple answer is not always that simple. When I use
the word goodness, I am not using it in the sense of nicey-nicey goodness, or
piety, or sanctity, or holiness – ‘goodness’ here relates to complete value.
This goodness is the goodness of freshly baked bread; the goodness of seeing a
field of sunflowers; the goodness of birth and death; the goodness of being
present. There is a basic goodness, a basic sanity with which we can connect.
We have that – we simply need to allow ourselves the non-referential space to
find it.Aro Encyclopaedia Index: Ah, but I was so much older then – I'm younger than that now. Ngak'chang Rinpoche interview 1993