“Wandering uncontrollably in the cycles of existence are caused by our ego clinging to seeing it as real. This ignorant attitude is the precursor to the demon of selfish concern that looks out only for our well-being. We seek security for our own egos; we want only pleasure and avoid any pain. But now we must banish all selfishness and gladly take hardship for the good of all others.”

- Dharmarakshita

The Blessed One said, "Monks, if those who have gone forth in other sects ask you, 'In what are all phenomena rooted? What is their coming into play? What is their origination? What is their meeting place? What is their presiding state? What is their governing principle? What is their surpassing state? What is their heartwood? Where do they gain a footing? What is their final end?': On being asked this by those who have gone forth in other sects, this is how you should answer them:

"'All phenomena are rooted in desire.[1]

"'All phenomena come into play through attention.

"'All phenomena have contact as their origination.

"'All phenomena have feeling as their meeting place.

"'All phenomena have concentration as their presiding state.

"'All phenomena have mindfulness as their governing principle.

"'All phenomena have discernment as their surpassing state.

"'All phenomena have release as their heartwood.

"'All phenomena gain their footing in the deathless.

"'All phenomena have Unbinding as their final end.'

"On being asked this by those who have gone forth in other sects, this is how you should answer."

- AN 10.58 Mula Sutta

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.058.than.html

"Nihilism is a form of ignorance, it is an ignorance of the true nature of reality. This ignorance can only be dispelled by wisdom and understanding." (The Samyutta Nikaya 22.95)

"Nihilism is a form of suffering, it is a suffering that comes from the belief that life is meaningless. This suffering can only be ended by finding meaning in life." (The Dhammapada 122)

"Nihilism is a form of violence, it is a violence that is done to oneself and to others. This violence can only be stopped by compassion and love." (The Lotus Sutra)

"Nihilism is a form of death, it is a death of the spirit. This death can only be avoided by living a life of truth and meaning." (The Dhammapada)

Assumptions of a Self
"To what extent, Ananda, does one assume when assuming a self? Assuming feeling to be the self, one assumes that 'Feeling is my self' [or] 'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling]' [or] 'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious to feeling, but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling.'
"Now, one who says, 'Feeling is my self,' should be addressed as follows: 'There are these three feelings, my friend — feelings of pleasure, feelings of pain, and feelings of neither pleasure nor pain. Which of these three feelings do you assume to be the self?' At a moment when a feeling of pleasure is sensed, no feeling of pain or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pleasure is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling of pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed. Only a feeling of pain is sensed at that moment. At a moment when a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed, no feeling of pleasure or of pain is sensed. Only a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is sensed at that moment.
"Now, a feeling of pleasure is inconstant, fabricated, dependent on conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution, fading, and cessation. A feeling of pain is inconstant, fabricated, dependent on conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution, fading, and cessation. A feeling of neither pleasure nor pain is inconstant, fabricated, dependent on conditions, subject to passing away, dissolution, fading, and cessation. Having sensed a feeling of pleasure as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own feeling of pleasure, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling of pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own feeling of pain, 'my self' has perished. Having sensed a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain as 'my self,' then with the cessation of one's very own feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, 'my self' has perished.
"Thus he assumes, assuming in the immediate present a self inconstant, entangled in pleasure and pain, subject to arising and passing away, he who says, 'Feeling is my self.' Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume feeling to be the self.
"As for the person who says, 'Feeling is not the self: My self is oblivious [to feeling],' he should be addressed as follows: 'My friend, where nothing whatsoever is sensed (experienced) at all, would there be the thought, "I am"?'"
"No, lord."
"Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume that 'Feeling is not my self: My self is oblivious [to feeling].'
"As for the person who says, 'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious [to feeling], but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling,' he should be addressed as follows: 'My friend, should feelings altogether and every way stop without remainder, then with feeling completely not existing, owing to the cessation of feeling, would there be the thought, "I am"?'"
"No, lord."
"Thus in this manner, Ananda, one does not see fit to assume that 'Neither is feeling my self, nor is my self oblivious [to feeling], but rather my self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling.'
"Now, Ananda, in as far as a monk does not assume feeling to be the self, nor the self as oblivious, nor that 'My self feels, in that my self is subject to feeling,' then, not assuming in this way, he is not sustained by anything (does not cling to anything) in the world. Unsustained, he is not agitated. Unagitated, he is totally unbound right within. He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is thus released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view, that would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after death'... that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death'... that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death' is his view, that would be mistaken.

Why? Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves: Having directly known that, the monk is released. [To say that,] 'The monk released, having directly known that, does not see, does not know is his opinion,' that would be mistaken. 

- Maha nidana sutta


https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.15.0.than.html

The reason you don't see tantrikas flying around in the sky is because they keep their samaya.

Better for a B man to be A and live for a single day, than to live as B for one hundred years.


B: dishonest, lazy, frightful, rude, angry, bitter, enslaved, lustfull, drunk, addicted, greedy, stingy...

I am not concerned with you and your profession I can only give you the secret of how to kindle a light within your being, and then it is up to you."

The thief said, "But whenever I have gone to any saints, they always say, 'First stop stealing, then only can you be initiated.'"

It is said that Nagarjuna laughed and said, "You must have gone to thieves, not to saints. They know nothing. You just watch your breath, the ancient method of Buddha, just watch your breath coming in, going out. Whenever you remember, watch your breath. Even when you go to steal, when you enter into somebody's house in the night, go on watching your breath. When you have opened the treasure and the diamonds are there, go on watching your breath, and do whatsoever you want to do, but don't forget watching the breath."

The thief said, "This seems to be simple. No morality? No character needed? No other requirement?"

Nagarjuna said, "Absolutely none, just watch your breath."

And after fifteen days the thief was back, but he was a totally different man. He fell at the feet of Nagarjuna and he said, "You trapped me, and you trapped me so beautifully that I was not even able to suspect. I tried for these fifteen days, it is impossible. If I watch my breath, I cannot steal. If I steal, I cannot watch my breath. Watching the breath, I become so silent, so alert, so aware, so conscious, that even diamonds look like pebbles. You have created a difficulty for me, a dilemma. Now what am I supposed to do?"

Nagarjuna said, "Get lost! Whatsoever you want to do. If you want that silence, that peace, that bliss, that arises in you when you watch your breath, then choose that. If you think all those diamonds and gold and silver is more valuable, then choose that. That is for you to choose! Who am I to interfere in your life?"

The man said, "I cannot choose to be unconscious again. I have never known such moments. Accept me as one of your disciples, initiate me."

Nagarjuna said, "I have initiated you already."

Ten ways to be pretty dumb

“I bow at the feet of Marpa Lotsawa.
Listen, you with faith who support the Dharma.

It is quite foolish to commit negative actions without thought
While the genuine Dharma is spreading everywhere.

It's pretty foolish to waste all this life
When you have what is so difficult to find, a human body with leisure and resources.

It's pretty silly to stay forever
In this cemetery of a city in ruins.

It's pretty silly to fight and fight
In this family, a mere passing crowd at the fair.

It's pretty silly to think that your bad attitude is important.
When these words of fame are nothing more than the sound of the illusion itself.

It's pretty foolish to risk your life fighting
When an enemy's anger will fade like a flower

It is quite foolish to grieve at the moment of death.
For deceitful relatives, false home of devious.

It's pretty foolish to let stinginess tie you in knots
When this wealth like dew is nothing more than a temporary loan.

It's pretty foolish to polish your image, wanting to look good
When this form skandha is just a bag of filth.

It's pretty foolish to trade for food and wealth. These oral instructions, supreme food of pure nectar.

In a gathering of many fools
If you are intelligent, you will practice the sublime Dharma and know your own way.
If you are brilliant, then do what I, the yogi, have done.”

- Milarepa

Read this out loud:
Om Jambhala Jalendraye Svaha

If you want willpower to keep going when you meditate you can consider this:

That which leads to your death is whatever succeeds in distracting you from the breath.