Those teachings inspired Buddhism, a practice and spiritual development that uses things like meditation to change yourself and become more aware, kind, and wise. Buddhism is seen as the path to enlightenment, which is the ultimate goal. Buddha himself was someone who embodied that. That said, it’s no surprise that people enjoy reading and following Buddha’s quotes and sayings, which have also given birth to Buddha-inspired quotes. Here are some of the most inspirational quotes from Buddha, along with Buddha-inspired quotes:
Buddha Quotes
- “Radiate boundless love towards the entire world.”
- “A disciplined mind brings happiness.”
- “Give, even if you only have a little.”
- “Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer badness with goodness. Conquer meanness with generosity. Conquer dishonesty with truth.”
- “Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people.”
- “Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.”
- “I will not look at another’s bowl intent on finding fault: a training to be observed.”
- “Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one’s own acts, done and undone.”
- “Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.”
- “May all beings have happy minds.”
- “Delight in heedfulness! Guard well your thoughts!”
- “Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him as you would a guide to hidden treasure.”
- “Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let them resolutely pursue a solitary course.”
- “In whom there is no sympathy for living beings: know him as an outcast.”
- “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.”
- “Live with no sense of ‘mine,’ not forming attachment to experiences.”
- “Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.”
- “One is not called noble who harms living beings. By not harming living beings one is called noble.”
- “If a man going down into a river, swollen and swiftly flowing, is carried away by the current — how can he help others across?”
- “All conditioned things are impermanent—when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.”
- “Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.”
- “The world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world.”
- “Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.”
- “To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing.”
- “All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.”
- “They blame those who remain silent, they blame those who speak much, they blame those who speak in moderation. There is none in the world who is not blamed.”
- “Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this teaching and discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation.”
- “If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow.”
- “As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse.”
- “The one in whom no longer exist the craving and thirst that perpetuate becoming; how could you track that Awakened one, trackless, and of limitless range.”
- “The root of suffering is attachment.”
- “Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is Awakened.”
- “As a water bead on a lotus leaf, as water on a red lily, does not adhere, so the sage does not adhere to the seen, the heard, or the sensed.”
- “It is in the nature of things that joy arises in a person free from remorse.”
- “All experiences are preceded by mind, having mind as their master, created by mind.”
- “Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.”
- “All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.”
- “Ceasing to do evil, Cultivating the good, Purifying the heart: This is the teaching of the Buddhas.”
- “Understanding is the heartwood of well-spoken words.”
- “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.”
- “As I am, so are these. As are these, so am I. Drawing the parallel to yourself, neither kill nor get others to kill.”
- “Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.”
- “We will develop love, we will practice it, we will make it both a way and a basis…”
- “There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.”
- “Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness & benefit.”
- “The one in whom no longer exist the craving and thirst that perpetuate becoming; how could you track that Awakened one, trackless, and of limitless range?”
- “Meditate … do not delay, lest you later regret it.”
- “Whatever has the nature of arising has the nature of ceasing.”
- “Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.”
- “Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet.”
- “Whatever living beings there may be — feeble or strong, long, stout, or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those yet to be born — may all beings have happy minds.”
- “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.”
- “Let him not deceive another nor despise anyone anywhere. In anger or ill will let him not wish another ill.”
- “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follow a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.”
- “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.”
- “Good people keep on walking whatever happens. They do not speak vain words and are the same in good fortune and bad. If one desires neither children nor wealth nor power nor success by unfair means, know such a one to be good, wise, and virtuous.”
- “One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield. Be victorious over yourself and not over others.”
- “Your own self is your master; who else could be? With yourself well controlled, you gain a master very hard to find.”
- “Not by rituals and resolutions, nor by much learning, nor by celibacy, nor even by meditation can you find the supreme, immortal joy of nirvana until you extinguish your self-will.”
- “It seems that although we thought ourselves permanent, we are not. Although we thought ourselves settled, we are not. Although we thought we would last forever, we will not.”
- “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.”
- “Conquer anger through gentleness, unkindness through kindness, greed through generosity, and falsehood by truth.”
- “Train your eyes and ears; train your nose and tongue. The senses are good friends when they are trained. Train your body in deeds, train your tongue in words, train your mind in thoughts. This training will take you beyond sorrow.”
- “Like someone pointing to treasure is the wise person who sees your faults and points them out. Associate with such a sage.”
- “All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?”
- “Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness & benefit.”
- “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” 68. “I do not dispute with the world; rather it is the world that disputes with me.”
- “You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”
- “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
- “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”
- “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
- “Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.”
- “Be truthful; do not yield to anger. Give freely, even if you have but little. The gods will bless you.”
- “The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”
Quotes Inspired by Buddha and Buddhism
There are many quotes out there attributed to Buddha, but not all of them are legitimate. Below are popular quotes, but there’s little evidence Buddha actually said or wrote them, even if they are inspired by or similar to his teachings. 76. “If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.” 77. “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.” 78. “Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance.” 79. “When you attain victory over yourself, not even the gods can turn it into defeat.” 80. “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.” 81. “What we think, we become.” 82. “Silence the angry man with love. Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. Silence the liar with truth.” 83. “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” 84. “Health is the best gift, contentment the best wealth, trust the best kinsman, nirvana the greatest joy. Drink the nectar of the dharma in the depths of meditation, and become free from fear and sin.” 85.“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.” 86. “Nothing remains without change.” 87. “One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.” 88. “Faith and prayer both are invisible, but they make impossible things possible.” 89. “Leave behind confused reactions and become patient as the earth; unmoved by anger, unshaken as a pillar, unperturbed as a clear and quiet pool.” 90. “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.” 91. “With mindfulness, strive on.” 92. “Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.” 93. “If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.” 94. “Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.” 95. “You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” 96. “Life is suffering.” 97. “Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.” 98. “Everything that happens to us is the result of what we ourselves have thought, said, or done. We alone are responsible for our lives.” 99. “Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child.” 100. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth.” 101. “It is better to do nothing, than to do what is wrong. For whatever you do, you do to yourself.” Story by Jessica Booth. Want more great quotes? Check out… 150 Life Quotes101 Best Friend Quotes50 Thankful Quotes101 Funny Quotes50Quotes About Sisters50 Thinking of You Quotes100 Wedding and Marriage Quotes 50 Monday Motivation Quotes101 Anxiety Quotes to Help
