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