[Related: 55 Life-changing Mahatma Gandhi Quotes]
The wisdom of Buddha has been passed down through the ages, and his teachings continue to inspire and guide people in their pursuit of inner peace and enlightenment. In this post, we'll explore some of the most powerful Buddha quotes that can help us cultivate mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion in our daily lives.
These quotes offer practical insights into the human condition, and provide a path towards spiritual growth and understanding. Whether you're new to Buddhism or have been practicing for years, these quotes are sure to inspire and uplift you on your journey.
1. "Meditate ... do not delay, lest you later regret it."
2. "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."
3. "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."
4. "To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."
5. "Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of death"
6. "With fools, there is no companionship. Rather than to live with men who are selfish, vain, quarrelsome, and obstinate, let a man walk alone."
7. “However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?”
8. "Radiate boundless love towards the entire world."
9. "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."
10. "Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill."
11. “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it”
12. "If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way."
13. "Your own self is your master; who else could be? With yourself well controlled, you gain a master very hard to find."
10. "Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill."
11. “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it”
12. "If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way."
13. "Your own self is your master; who else could be? With yourself well controlled, you gain a master very hard to find."
[Related: 40 of The Best Anxiety Quotes]
14. "Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people."
15. "He who gives away shall have real gain. He who subdues himself shall be free; he shall cease to be a slave of passions. The righteous man casts off evil, and by rooting out lust, bitterness, and illusion do we reach Nirvana."
16. "Don’t run after pleasure and neglect the practice of meditation. If you forget the goal of life and get caught in the pleasures of the world, you will come to envy those who put meditation first."
17. "If you meditate earnestly, pure in mind and kind in deeds, leading a disciplined life in harmony with the dharma, you will grow in glory. If you meditate earnestly, through spiritual disciplines you can make an island for yourself that no flood can overwhelm."
18. "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."
19. "Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal."
20. “An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”
21. "Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is Awakened."
22. “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.”
23. "Silence the angry man with love. Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. Silence the liar with truth."
24. "Everything that happens to us is the result of what we ourselves have thought, said, or done. We alone are responsible for our lives."
25. “Three things can not hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.”
26. "Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him as you would a guide to hidden treasure."
27. "A disciplined mind brings happiness."
28. "It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults. One shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in the wind, but one conceals one’s own faults as a cunning gambler conceals his dice."
29. "When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear."
30. "When you attain victory over yourself, not even the gods can turn it into defeat."
31. "Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame."
32. “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.”
33. "If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good."
34. "One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world."
35. "All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill."
36. "The way to happiness is: keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, give much. Fill your life with love. Do as you would be done by."
37. “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.”
38. “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change. ”
39. "Let my skin and sinews and bones dry up, together with all the flesh and blood of my body! I welcome it! But I will not move from this spot until I have attained the supreme and final wisdom."
40. "He who can curb his wrath as soon as it arises, as a timely antidote will check snake’s venom that so quickly spreads — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond, just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin."
