“People Are Often Self-Centred”
One of my heroes since the 80’s from when I was in Los Angeles is Mother Teresa. I saw a documentary film in LA on her in the cinema and cried throughout most of the film. She still is one of my heroes…I went again and again and took friends to see the documentary and cried just as much as the first time. When I was in India (Gaden), I use to visit her centre in Bombay to donate money. I didn’t have much to give, but I gave what I could happily. I wanted to leave South India for a while and go to Calcutta (N. India) to join her Charities as a Buddhist monk. But I was sent abroad to teach by Kyabje Lati Rinpoche and couldn’t go. I wanted very much to wear my robes and work with her people in calcutta to help the poor on the streets so much…. To help the hungry. I have a huge place in my heart for those who are hungry…both physical and spiritual hunger. I don’t like anyone and or anything hungry….it bothers me into action….
I fold my hands to you Mother Teresa. I love you so much. I miss your presence in the world. When you passed away, I was stricken with grief… we need people like you in this world so much. It’s amazing I lived during a time you walked the earth… I love your heart, your honesty, your spiritualism, your put into action attitude, your open-ness and acceptance of all religious faiths, your respect of all religions, your pure devotion to others, your no excuse brand of using your life for others… I love all of that… you are so missed… how can I put into words my heart that burst with admiration/love/total respect for you…May you manifest your Bodhisattva actions again soon. May your next incarnation manifest just as brightly again… Please take rebirth again in our world again… come back soon… Om Taree Tu-Taree Turee Soha… Homage to the Extraordinary Mother…
Tsem Rinpoche
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
…Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.”~ Mother Teresa
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Mother Mary Teresa , known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary who had dedicated to life in helping the destitute and dying in the slums of Calcutta,now known as Kolkata. During her lifetime Mother Teresa was well known for all her humanitarian efforts, her motivations. She set up soup kitchens, a leper colony, orphanages, and a home for the dying destitute. Inspiring indeed she educated the poorest of the poor, and fed the homeless. Considered as one of the 20th Century’s greatest humanitarians, she was canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. For more than 50 years she had comforted the poor, the dying, and the unwanted around the world. From Calcutta to New York, Albania ,Yemen and many more around the world. She built a global network of nuns and lay volunteers, who today operate hospitals, health clinics, homeless shelters till to this days. She was such an enormous inspiration to many. Meaningful poems by Mother Teresa tells us a thousand words , so true indeed.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this Great Saint.
Mother Teresa a Roman Catholic nun had devoted her whole life to serving the poor and destitute around the world. She spent many years in Calcutta, India where she founded the Missionaries of Charity. She devoted her time to helping those in great need, the homeless and the poor in the slums of Kolkata, India. She was proclaimed a saint by the Catholic Church due to her commitment and devotion to help the poorest of the poor. Admired by many around the world and was one of Rinpoche’s heroes since the 80’s. Nice sharing of the inspiration words by Mother Teresa which is so true .
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing of a Saint.
The poem by Mother Teresa epitomises her boundless compassion and unconditional love for others,as well as a heart that is ready to forgive and let go. I find these lines particularly touching and inspiring and i feel ever so moved to emulate her in every way.
” If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.”
“The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.”
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.”
“Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.”
She definitely has the last word to say on Integrity!
“If you are honest, people may cheat you.
…Be honest anyway.” !
Thank you Rinpoche for this beautiful sharing on Mother Teresa whom I see as one with Rinpoche in love and compassion for others.
Rinpoche’s admiration for Mother Teresa and her untiring compassionate work is beyond words. I have heard it from Rinpoche’s youtube teachings and read it from Rinpoche’s blog many times. Mother Teresa was raised as a Cathoilic but she discovered her life purpose as young as 12 years old. Her devotion to help the poorest of the poor during the 1930s through out to 1950s in India must be sheer hardship. Her success because of her extraodrinary faith and devotion is truly an inspiration. Thank you, Rinpoche, for this sharing.
Mother Theresa is definitely a walking Saint, an angel that has been sent down to serve and benefit others. She is always so kind and compassionate towards all that is around her. Never once she will look down on them because they are dirty, they are poor, or for any reason. She never once given up on them.
More people in this world should be like her. Inspire and work towards that. We should not just enjoy and let others suffer, we would definitely want a helping hand when we are down. So why not we do it for those that are down now?
I love Mother Teresa since I knew about her when I was young, I thought she was actually an emanation of Mother Marry 🙂 Then when Rinpoche introduced me to Buddha Tara, I thought someone like her could be an emanation of Tara in worldly form. Basically Mother Teresa to be equals Compassion, Kuan Yin, Tara, Chenrezig etc in action. She lives the Dharma, she does the Dharma and she definitely is like a Bodhisattva.
This quote or teaching from her is so profound and universal, any one can use it as an inspirational quote, as a additional prayer, as a daily reminder for someone on their spiritual path or as a daily dose of positive thinking. Thank you for sharing this Rinpoche… it makes a lot of sense how and why we do Dharma or do good because it is not about the other person but between you and your spiritual being or yidam or Buddha or higher being.
i remember Diane, Rinpoche’s friend when Rinpoche was a teenager in L.A., telling us a story about one day Rinpoche told her let’s go to the movies. She was so excited and when she got to the cinema, she asked Rinpoche what are we watching? And Rinpoche replied, oh the life of Mother Teresa! She was so surprised!
I relate this because it shows Rinpoche’s consistent altruistic heart from young. Even though Mother Teresa is from a different religion, instead of looking at the differences in the religions, Rinpoche looks at the great qualities of compassion, kindness, selflessness, openness, respect etc which shine through. These are the very same qualities we aspire to, no matter what faith we follow.
Do good anyway, is such a grounded advice. Do good no matter who says what. Just do your best lar.
Before I knew Buddhism I knew Gandhi, his bio was just as inspirational, before I Rinpoche I knew Mother Teresa from a Catholic upbringing.
Yes I believe compassion is universal, no matter what language you speak, kindness needs no words, and a smile traverses all barriers. Once we get past the labels of what religion we will begin to see we are want the same things in life.
Hi Rinpoche,
This poem was made by Kent M. Keith originally, not Mother Teresa.
The source is The Paradoxical Commandments.
You can check it at wikipedia or many other sources.
Thanks
The lovely lines above touch one’s heart core in every part.They reflect the great and unconditional love and compassion that Mother Teresa has for all who come under her care and protection.The face of her God is a face of the care and compassion that she mirrors.
The words appear simple but are profound.They are utterances that come direct from her heart.
There is pure selfless motive in every action, free of the eight worldly concerns, and filled with bodhicitta.They are the actions of body, speech and mind of a Bodhisattva.
I love every line, but I think I love the last four lines best of all:
“Give the world the best you have and it may not be enough;
Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never you and them anyway.”
Only for us, it’s between ‘us and our karma’.
Mother Theresa has a big heart and is generous with it. Her poetry that she wrote will definitely open a lot of people’s heart and mind to contemplate and learn from her. Although she is a Catholic Christian her portrayal of her activities does not confined to religion only but for sufferings of mankind in the world. She has chosen the worst part of the world to be in for her activities. And that is the “Black Hole of Calcutta” which is very commonly known. She has clearly shown us generosity and to eradicate the self centredness in us by giving her love, care and compassion and proving herself as a person who cares for all irrespective of what or who you are.
Mother Teresa is certainly a real living Christian Saint and through her great charitable works, we can see that she is far from ordinary and definitely a living Bodhisattva. Perhaps, even a living emanation of a Bodhisattva although she may not know it herself. However, her activities in India speaks volumes of who she is. I guess in this way, she spreads spirituality through her great deeds. It is also because of someone like her that the true Christian ideal is exemplified.
i am so inspired by the compassion and Bodhisattva-deeds of Mother – and it is wonderful that she continues(even after passing on), to help people who pray for her help!
Thank you so much Rinpoche for your presence with us in this world, for all your teaching and writing and your infinite help! This blog about You and Mother Theresa goes right to my heart and I sincerely wish to always remember this blog and this wonderful prayer of Mother Theresa. Deeply in gratitude.
Very pure and touching expressions, thank you.