In my life, I have had some mixed experiences when it comes to placing my trust in others. On various occasions, the kind of treatment or behavior that I expected from others was not forthcoming, and this has led me to think a good deal about what trust means to me. What I have come to feel is that, first of all, I do not want to make my trust of others contingent on their meeting my expectations of them. I do not want trust to become a bargain or exchange, like two parties entering into a contract: “You place your trust in me, and so I will place my trust in you. As long as you behave this way, I will continue to trust you.” Instead, my trust is a gift that I wish to offer freely.

17th Karmapa

from the book The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out

Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.

Further quotes from the book The Heart Is Noble:

• Distinguishing between wants and needs
• Breaking barriers
• Boxing Love with Our Expectations
• Facing Impermanence Wisely
• Greed is a recipe for dissatisfaction
• Balanced Life
• The intention to work for others
• True Wealth
• Life in Balance
• Expanding our sense of ourselves
• The Wealth of Contentment
• Reality is your teacher
• Protective Inner Wisdom
• Authentic love toward others
• Healthy relationships
• There are no fixed starting points
• A noble vision
• Open-minded
• Capacity for Change
• Finding our nobility of heart