Siddhartha
Gautama was a great spiritual leader from a kingdom that is now called Nepal.
He founded Buddhism. In most Buddhist traditions, he is considered the Supreme
Buddha. “Buddha” is interpreted to mean “awakened one” or “the enlightened
one.”
Siddhartha is the
primary figure in Buddhism, and the accounts of his life, teachings, and
monastic rules were recapitulated after his death and memorized by his
followers.
Today I want to
discuss some very important life lessons which I’ve derived from the teachings
of Buddha.
10 Must Read Life
Lessons from Buddha:
1. Its Okay to
Start Small
“A jug fills drop
by drop.”
Ralph Waldo
Emerson said, “Every artist was once an amateur.”
We all start
small, do not despise small beginnings. If you’re consistent, and if you’re
patient, you will succeed! No one succeeds over night; success belongs to those
who are willing to start small and patiently work until their jug is filled.
2. Thoughts
Become Things
“All that we are
is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil
thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought,
happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.”
Buddha said, “The
mind is everything. What you think you become.” James Allen said, “Man is
mind.”
In order to live
rightly, you must fill your mind with “right” thoughts.
Your thinking
determines your actions; your actions determine your outcome. Right thinking
will grant you everything you desire; wrong thinking is a vice that will
eventually destroy you.
If you change
your thinking you will change your life. Buddha said, “All wrong-doing arises
because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?”
3. Forgive
“Holding on to
anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone
else; you are the one who gets burned.”
When you release
those who you are holding captive in the prison of un-forgiveness, it is you
who is released from prison. You can’t keep someone down, without staying down
with them. Learn to forgive, learn to forgive quickly.
4. It’s Your
Actions That Count
“However many holy
words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do
not act on upon them?”
They say “Talk is
cheap,” because it is. To progress you must act; to progress quickly, you must
act daily. Greatness will not fall upon you!
Greatness is for
everyone, but only those who are willing to act consistently will experience
it. There’s a proverb that goes, “God gives every bird a worm, but he doesn’t
throw it into their nest.” To be great you must act great. Buddha said, “I do
not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a
fate that falls on them unless they act.”
5. Seek to
Understand
“In a controversy
the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and
have begun striving for ourselves.”
Stephen Covey
said, “Seek to understand first, then to be understood.” Easily said, very
difficult to do; you must labor to understand the “other” person’s perspective.
When you feel anger rising, let it cease. Listen to others, understand their perspective,
and you will have more peace. Be more concerned with being happy, than being
right
6. Conquer
Yourself
“It is better to
conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It
cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
He who can
conquer himself is greater than the mighty. To conquer yourself you must
conquer your mind. You must control your thinking. Your thoughts cannot be
tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. You may be thinking, “I can’t
control my thoughts, if a thought comes, it comes.” To that I say, you may not
be able to stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can certainly stop
him from building a nest in your hair. Dismiss thoughts that are contrary to
the life you desire to live. Buddha said, “It is a man’s own mind, not his
enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways.”
7. Live in Peace
“Peace comes from
within. Do not seek it without.”
Don’t look
without for something that can only be found within. Many times we may look
without only to distract ourselves from the reality we know is true. That
reality is that peace can only be found within. Peace is not a new job, peace
is not a new car, or a new spouse….peace is a new perspective, and that new
perspective begins with you.
8. Be Thankful
“Let us rise up
and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a
little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we
got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
There’s always
something to be thankful for. Don’t be so pessimistic that for a moment, even a
split moment, you fail to realize the thousands of things you have to be thankful
for. Everyone didn’t wake up this morning; some people went to sleep last night
for the last time. There’s always something to be grateful for, recognize it,
and give thanks. A grateful heart will make you great!
9. Be True to
What You Know
“The only real
failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
We know a lot,
but we don’t always do what we know. If you fail, it won’t be because you
didn’t know; it will be because you didn’t do what you knew to do. Work to do
what you know to do. Don’t just consume information, but ponder on thoughts
that are conducive to what you desire to become until you have a burning desire
to manifest it.
10. Travel Well
“It is better to
travel well than to arrive.”
Life is about the
journey! I’m not trying to arrive, I’m already there. I am happy, and content,
and satisfied where I am today. I may experience nicer places, and finer wines,
but I am traveling well. Don’t put off your happiness into some nebulous time
in the future based on some goal that you think will bring you happiness.
Travel well today, enjoy the journey.
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