Who Was Gautama Buddha?
Buddha was a spiritual teacher who lived in India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BC.
His philosophy ended up creating the religion Buddhism, and tends to counter much of what we’re taught in the west.
After many years spent in deep meditation, he realized that attachment and desiring lead to unhappiness.
He believed that enlightenment, or “Nirvana”, was achieved when one’s
mind is compassionate, free of attachment and focused on the present
moment.
He spent his entire life teaching others how to free themselves from
suffering and live a life of compassion, fearlessness and joy.
So without further ado, here are the most inspiring 50 quotes from Gautama Buddha:
On Living In The Present Moment
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the
past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment
wisely and earnestly.”
“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
On Achieving Enlightenment
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is
peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”
“Purity or impurity depends on oneself, no one can purify another.”
“Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.”
“A man asked Gautama Buddha, ‘I want happiness.’ Buddha said, ‘First remove I, that’s Ego, then remove want, that’s Desire. See now you are left with only Happiness.’ ”
“What is evil? Killing is evil, lying is evil, slandering is evil, abuse
is evil, gossip is evil, envy is evil, hatred is evil, to cling to
false doctrine is evil; all these things are evil. And what is the root
of evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil.”
“To insist on a spiritual practice that served you in the past is to
carry the raft on your back after you have crossed the river.”
On Love
“True love is born from understanding.”
“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“You only lose what you cling to.”
On Your Mind
“There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.”
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on
our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an
evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of
the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good
thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.”
“Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking and pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.”
“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.”
“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create
distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering
follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that
draws it.”
“Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.”
On Anger
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”
“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.”
“Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind.”
On Compassion
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of
the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being
shared.”
“Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.”
“As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your
heart with judgement but rain your kindness equally on all.”
“A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
“If we fail to look after others when they need help, who will look after us?”
“Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to others.”
On Your Words
“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.”
“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.”
“The tongue like a sharp knife… Kills without drawing blood.”
“Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.”
On Doubt
“There
is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates
people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up
pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a
sword that kills.”
On Your Ideas
“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter
if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own
common sense.”
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
On Suffering
“Pain is certain, suffering is optional.”
“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.”
“The root of suffering is attachment.”
On Your Self
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
“Doubt everything. Find your own light.”
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter
if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own
common sense.”
“If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.”
“Do not look for a sanctuary in anyone except your self.”
“There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.”
“Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.”
“Most problems, if you give them enough time and space, will eventually wear themselves out”
On Gratitude
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot 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.”
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