Siddhārtha Gautama

“I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of dust motes. I observe treasure of gold and gems as so many bricksand pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds offruit, and the greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the teachings of the world to be the illusion of,magicians. I discern the highest conception of emancipation as golden brocade in a dream, and view the holy path of theilluminated one as flowers appearing in one's eyes. I see meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a nightmare ofdaytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as the serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefsas but traces left by the four seasons.”

“Opinion, O disciples, is a disease; opinion is a tumour; opinion is a sore. He who has overcome all opinion, O disciples, is called a saint, one who knows.”

“It is better to travel, than to arrive”

“The virtuous man delights in this world and he delights in the next”

“If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone. There is no companionship with the immature.”

“Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live,giving up victory and defeat.”

“Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the oceans depth are calm.”

“Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.”

“It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”

“To become vegetarian is to step towards the stream which leads to nirvana.”

“What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.”

“Those who attempt to conquer hatred by hatred are like warriors who take weapons to overcome others who bear arms. This does not end hatred, but gives it room to grow. But, ancient wisdom has advocated a different timeless strategy to overcome hatred. This eternal wisdom is to meet hatred with non-hatred. The method of trying to conquer hatred through hatred never succeeds in overcoming hatred. But, the method of overcoming hatred through non-hatred is eternally effective. That is why that method is described as eternal wisdom. ”

“Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth.[Verse 223]”

“To force oneself to believe and to accept a thing without understanding is political, and not spiritual or intellectual.”

“Few among men are they who cross to the further shore. The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.”

“contentment is the greatest wealth”

“Subhuti, someone might fill innumerable worlds with the seven treasures and give all away in gifts of alms, but if any good man or any good woman awakens the thought of Enlightenment and takes even only four lines from this Discourse, reciting, using, receiving, retaining and spreading them abroad and explaining them for the benefit of others, it will be far more meritorious. Now in what manner may he explain them to others? By detachment from appearances-abiding in Real Truth. -So I tell you-Thus shall you think of all this fleeting world:A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;A flash of lightening in a summer cloud,A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.When Buddha finished this Discourse the venerable Subhuti, together with the bhikshus, bhikshunis, lay-brothers and sisters, and the whole realms of Gods, Men and Titans, were filled with joy by His teaching, and, taking it sincerely to heart they went their ways.”

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading”

“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.”

“those which arise dependently are free of inherent existence.”

“analyzing through special insight and realizing the lack of inherent existence constitute understanding of the signless.”

“if the selflessness of phenomena is analyzed and if this analysis is cultivated, it causes the effect of attaining nirvana. through no other cause does one come to peace.”

“Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.”

“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. ”

“Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”

“Just to say 'I believe' or 'I do not doubt' does not mean that you understand and see. To force oneself to see and accept a thing without understanding is political and not spiritual or intellectual.”

“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.”

“All descriptions of reality are temporary hypotheses.”

“Whoever sees me sees the teaching, and whoever sees the teaching sees me.”

“Through countless births in the cycle of existence I have run, not finding although seeking the builder of this house; and again and again I faced the suffering of new birth. Oh housebuilder! Now you are seen. You shall not build a house again for me. All your beams are broken, the ridgepole is shattered. The mind has become freed from conditioning: the end of craving has been reached.”

“Meditate.Live purely. Be quiet.Do your work with mastery.Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds!Shine”

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky”

“As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss most of your life.”

“You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.”

“Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking and pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.”

“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”

“Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without.”

“Words do not express thoughts very well; every thing immediately becomes a little different, a little distorted, a little foolish. And yet it also pleases me and seems right that what is of value and wisdom of one man seems nonsense to another.”

“Ennui has made more gamblers than avarice, more drunkards than thirst, and perhaps as many suicides as despair.”