Gautama Buddha Quotes

The judgment: You are now before Yama, King of the Dead. In vain will you try to ... deny or conceal the evil deeds you have done ... the mirror in which Yama seems to read your past is your own memory, and also his judgment is your own. It is you yourself who pronounce your own judgment, ...

How can a troubled mind Understand the way? If a man is disturbed He will never be filled with knowledge. An untroubled mind, No longer seeking to consider What is right and what is wrong, A mind beyond judgements, Watches and understands. Know that the body is a fragile jar, And make a castle of your mind. In every trial Let understanding fight for you To defend what you have won.

All composite things pass away. Strive for your own liberation with diligence.

Not merely by rules of conduct and religious observances, nor by much learning either, nor even by attainment of concentration, nor by sleeping alone, do I reach the happiness of freedom, to which no worldlings attain. If you have not put an end to compulsions, nurse your faith

For the wakeful one whose mind is quiet, whose thoughts are undisturbed, who has relinquished judgement and blame, there is no fear.

There are those who discover they can leave behind destructive reactions and become patient as the earth, unmoved by fires of anger or fear, unshaken as a pillar, unperturbed as a clear and quiet pool.

Even as a solid rock is unshaken by the wind, so are the wise unshaken by praise or blame.

How long the night to the watchman, How long the road to the weary traveller, How long the wandering of many lives To the fool who misses the way.

One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you a teacher?" the student persisted. "No, I am not a teacher." "Then what are you?" asked the student exasperated. "I am awake," Buddha replied.

True and lasting inner peace can never be found in external things. It can only be found within in. And then, once we find and nurture it with ourselves, it radiates outward.

I will purify my bodily actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my verbal actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my mental actions through repeated reflection. That's how you should train yourself.

Peace comes from within; do not try to seek it without.

For he that is delighted by concord, And who abideth in the Law, Falleth not from Security.

'Wherefore, brethren, thus must ye train yourselves : Liberation of the will through love will develop, we will often practice it, we will make it vehicle and base, take our stand upon it, store it up, throughly set it going.'

There is no satisfying the senses, not even with a shower of money. "The senses are of slight pleasure and really suffering." When a wise man has realised this, he takes no pleasure, as a disciple of the Buddhas, even in the pleasures of heaven. Instead he takes pleasure in the elimination of craving.

The self of which you speak, whether it is the great self or the small self, is only a concept that does not correspond to any reality.

You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love & affection.

Better than a meaningless story of a thousand words is a single word of deep meaning which, when heard, produces peace.

Happy indeed are the arahants! No craving can be found in them. Cut off is the conceit 'I am,' Burst asunder is delusion's net.

Insignificant, is the loss of relatives, wealth and fame; The loss of wisdom is the greatest loss. Insignificant, is the increase of relatives, wealth and fame; The increase of wisdom is the highest gain. Therefore, you should train yourselves thus: "We will grow in the increase of wisdom" Thus you should train yourselves.

Look within, thou art the Buddha.

The darkest night is ignorance.

The greatest victory is the one over oneself.

One should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite another to kill. Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world.

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.

I manifested in a dreamlike way to dreamlike beings and gave a dreamlike Dharma, but in reality I never taught and never actually came.

Joy comes not through possession or ownership but through a wise and loving heart.

Those which are produced from causes are not produced. they do not have an inherent nature of production. those which depend on causes are said to be empty; those who know emptiness are aware.

There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.

If dresses would have qualified people, then whores would have ruled the world.

Therefore, be islands unto yourselves. Be your own refuge. Have recourse to none else for refuge. Hold fast to the Dharma as a refuge. Resort to no other refuge. Whosoever, either now or after I am gone, shall be islands unto themselves, shall seek no eternal refuge, it is they, among my disciples who shall reach the very topmost height! But they must be keen to progress.

No clouds gathered in the skies and the polluted streams became clear, whilst celestial music rang through the air and the angels rejoiced with gladness. With no selfish or partial joy but for the sake of the law they rejoiced, for creation engulfed in the ocean of pain was now to obtain release.

Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto.

Give the people - confidence. Give the people - delight. Give the people - hope. Give the people - the best.

It is better to do nothing Than to do what is wrong. For whatever you do, you do to yourself.

It's your road ... and yours alone ... Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. No matter what path you choose, really walk it.

To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.

Pain is the outcome of sin.

Much though he recites the sacred texts, but acts not accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the cows of others - he does not partake of the blessings of the holy life.

With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart: above, below, and all around, unobstructed, without hostility or hate.

Life at home is cramped and dirty, it is difficult to live a spiritual life completely, perfect and pure in all its parts while cabinned.

To have everything is to possess nothing.

Do not learn how to react. Learn how to respond.

When you come upon a path
that brings benefit
and happiness to all,
follow this course
as the moon
journeys through the stars.

Follow the way of virtue. Follow the way joyfully through this world and on beyond.

Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind.

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.

When an evil-doer, seeing you practise goodness, comes and maliciously insults you, you should patiently endure it and not feel angry with him, for the evil-doer is insulting himself by trying to insult you.

The world is a looking glass. It gives back to every man a true reflection of his own thoughts. Rule your mind or it will rule you.

If the mind be fixed on the acquirement of any object, that object will be attained.

Life is uncertain; death is certain.

The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain
as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass. But it is better to live a single day with honor than to live to 120 and die in disgrace.

Moved by their selfish desires, people seek after fame and glory. But when they have acquired it, they are already stricken in years. If you hanker after worldly fame and practise not the Way, your labors are wrongfully applied and your energy is wasted. It is like unto burning an incense stick. However much its pleasing odor be admired, the fire that consumes is steadily burning up the stick.

How blissful it is, for one who has nothing. Attainers-of-wisdom are people with nothing. See him suffering, one who has something, a person bound in mind with people.

The more completely we give of ourselves, the more completely the world gives back to us.

Little by little a person becomes evil, as a water pot is filled by drops of water ... Little by little a person becomes good, as a water pot is filled by drops of water.

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.

The Tathagatha ... is the originator of the path unarisen before, the producer of the path unproduced before, the declarer of the path undeclared before. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the one skilled in the path. And his disciplines now dwell following that path and become possessed of it afterwards.

Rising early and scorning laziness, remaining calm in time of strife, faultless in conduct and clever in actions. One like this will be praised.

The fool who thinks he is wise is just a fool. The fool who knows he is a fool is wise indeed.

How does one practice mindfulness? Sit in meditation. Be aware of only your breath.

One is not a great one because one defeats or harms other living beings. One is so called because one refrains from defeating or harming other living beings.

One who, while seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other living beings who also desire happinesss, will not find happiness hereafter.

A wise man, recognizing that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real, so he escapes the suffering.

It is impossible for a man who is bogged to extricate another who is bogged.

Like a beautiful flower that is colorful but has no fragrance, even well spoken words bear no fruit in one who does not put them into practice.

The fool thinks he has won a battle when he bullies with harsh speech, but knowing how to be forbearing alone makes one victorious.

Fools wait for a lucky day, but everyday is a lucky day for an industrious man.

It takes hundred of years sitting together in the same boat. It takes thousand of years sharing the same bed with. It calls : the predestined affinity.

Free from passion and desire, you have stripped the thorns from the stem.

We living beings, right down to crickets, ants, mosquitoes , and flies, all possess life that is without beginning or end.

In our interactions with others, gentleness, kindness, respectare the source of harmony

Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.

Do not underestimate what you specific conventional, nor covetousness others. He who envies others does not terra firma organization of intellect.

In the light of his vision that is the perspective that allows him to be grateful that things are not worse he has found his freedom and joy: his thoughts are peace, his words are peace and his work is peace.

If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.

Foolish, ignorant people indulge in careless lives, whereas a clever man guards his attention as his most precious possession.

It is ignorance that smothers, and it is carelessness that makes it invisible. The hunger of craving pollutes the world, and the pain of suffering causes the greatest fear.

A kind man who makes good use of wealth is rightly said to possess a great treasure; but the miser who hoards up his riches will have no profit.

I call wise man who, while he is innocent , endures insults and blows with a patience equal to its strength.

From eating meat arrogance is born, from arrogance erroneous imaginations issue, and from imagination is born greed; and for this reason refrain from eating meat.

Evil-doers who denounce the wise resemble a person who spits against the sky; the spittle will never reach the sky, but comes down on himself. Evil-doers again resemble a man who stirs the dust against the wind; the dust is never raised without doing him injury. Thus, the wise will never be hurt, but the curse is sure to destroy the evil-doers themselves.

Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let him resolutely pursue a solitary course; there is no fellowship with the fool.

If you don't see God in the next person you meet, look no further.

Before giving, the mind of the giver is happy; while giving, the mind of the giver is made peaceful; and having given, the mind of the giver is uplifted.

As a bee without harming the flower, its colour or scent, flies away, collecting only the honey, even so should the sage wander in the village.

Watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.

Don't believe a teaching just because you've heard it from a man who's supposed to be holy, or because it's contained in a book supposed to be holy, or because all your friends and neighbors believe it. But whatever you've observed and analyzed for yourself and found to be reasonable and good, then accept that and put it into practice.

The person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable.

Do not believe what you have heard Do not believe in tradition because it is handed down many generations Do not believe in anything that has been spoken of many times Do not believe because the written statements come from some old sage Do not believe in conjecture Do not believe in authority, or teachers, or elders But after careful observation and analysis, when it agrees with reason and it will benefit one and all, then accept it and live by it.

Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending each other. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness- the children, the aged, the unprotected- be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.

Remember, the greatest gift to give people your enlightenment, to share it. It has to be the greatest.

Your greatest weapon is your enemy's mind

You are as the yellow leaf.
The messengers of death are at hand.
You are to travel far away.
What will you take with you?
You are the lamp
To lighten the way.
Then hurry, hurry.
When your light shines
Without impurity or desire
You will come into the boundless country.
Your life is falling away.
Death is at hand.
Where will you rest on the way?
What have you taken with you?
You are the lamp
To lighten the way.
Then hurry, hurry.
When your light shines purely
You will not be born
And you will not die.

When one sees that everything exists as an illusion, one can live in a higher sphere than ordinary man.

Everything is changeable, everything appears and disappears; there is no blissful peace until one passes beyond the agony of life and death.

As a flower that is lovely and beautiful, but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well-spoken word of one who practices it not.

Master your words. Master your thoughts. Never allow your body to do harm. Follow these three roads with purity And you will find yourself upon the one way, The way of wisdom.

One should refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs.