The Buddha Quotes

Indian philosopher and the founder of Buddhism (623 or 563 BCE – 543 or 483 BCE)

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Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit/Devanagari: सिद्धार्थ गौतम Siddhārtha Gautama, c. 563/624 – c. 483/544 BCE) or Siddhattha Gotama in Pali,; also called the Gautama Buddha, the Shakyamuni Buddha ("Buddha, Sage of the Shakyas") or simply the Buddha, after the title of Buddha, was a monk (śramaṇa), mendicant, sage, philosopher, teacher and religious leader on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in the northeastern part of ancient India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Alternative Names: Buddha • Bhagwan Buddha • Prabudha • Munish • Lord Buddha • Sakya-muni • Shakyasimha • Devarajalu • Buddhadeva • Sakyasinha • Tathagata Buddha • Trigyesh • Siddhartha Gautama • Shakyamuni • Sakyamuni • Sugata • Fo • Shakyamuni Buddha • Khajit • Trigya • Mahatma Buddha • Gotama Buddha • Padmayani • Lokapradīpa • Gautama Buddha • Gautam Buddha

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If a person has faith, Bhāradvāja, he preserves truth when he says: 'My faith is thus'; but he does not yet come to the conclusion: 'Only this is true, anything else is wrong.' In this way, Bhāradvāja, there is the preservation of truth; in this way he preserves truth; in this way we describe the preservation of truth. But as yet there is no discovery of truth.

Many do not realize that
We here must die
For those who realize this
Quarrels end.

To life in the consciousness of the inevitability of suffering, of becoming enfeebled, of old age and of death, is impossible — we must free ourselves from life, from all possible life.

Oneself, indeed, is one's own protector.
One does, indeed [make] one's own destiny.
Therefore, control yourself
As a merchant does a fine horse.

Sometimes it's better to be kind than to be right. We do not need an intelligent mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens. You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.

You don't gather the beauty of a flower by plucking her petals.

Better it is to live alone; there is no fellowship with a fool. Live alone and do no evil; be carefree like an elephant in the elephant forest.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

"Suppose a man threw into the sea a yoke with one hole in it, and the east wind carried it to the west, and the west wind carried it to the east, and the north wind carried it to the south, and the south wind carried it to the north. Suppose there were a blind turtle that came up once at the end of each century. What do you think, bhikkhus? Would that blind turtle put his neck into that yoke with one hole in it?"
"He might, venerable sir, sometime or other at the end of a long period."
"Bhikkhus, the blind turtle would sooner put his neck into that yoke with a single hole in it than a fool, once gone to perdition, would take to regain the human state, I say. Why is that? Because there is no practising of the Dhamma there, no practising of what is righteous, no doing of what is wholesome, no performance of merit. There mutual devouring prevails, and the slaughter of the weak."

In life we cannot avoid change, we cannot avoid loss. Freedom and happiness are found in the flexibility and ease with which we move through change.

Ambition is like love, impatient of both delays and rivals

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.

He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

Delightful are forests
Where the public does not delight.
There the passion-free delight,
Not seeking sensual pleasure.

Be your own lamp.