Quotes
Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners
People who have not awakened to the mind live enslaved by the environment; they dream not only when they sleep, but even with their eyes open they are living in a dream. Ku San Sunim
Our true nature is the nature of no birth and no death. Only when we touch our true nature can we transcend the fear of non-being, the fear of annihilation. Thich Nhat Hanh
Most religions start with God. Buddhism starts with suffering. Priyadarshi Tenzin Legphel Shukla
Peace in the world depends on peace of mind, and peace of mind depends on an awareness that all human beings are members of a single family, despite the variety of beliefs, ideologies, and political and economic systems. These are mere details compared to what brings us together. The most important thing is that we are all human beings, living on the same small planet. We all need to cooperate with each other, both individually and between states, if only to ensure our survival. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
Great is the matter of birth and death. All is impermanent, quickly passing. Awake! Awake each one. Don't waste this life. Dogen
Detachment is a profound sense of intimate connection to those around us. Lama John Makransky, Ph.D.
How can you claim to be aware of other teachers or people's suffering, issues of peace and justice when you are not yourself aware of a simple process of breathing. S. N. Goenka
Just as a fleeting cloud forms and disappears, our body too is ephemeral. Ji-kwang Sunim
Suffering is this constant need to keep feeding on things for the sake of your happiness. And learning how to overcome the craving that impels that cycle is the end of suffering. That's what the noble path is all about. Thanissaro Bhikkhu
There is perfection in whatever arises. Betty Holmes
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few. Shunryu Suzuki
How each of us behaves in daily life is the real test of compassion. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
Great doubt will eventually lead to great awakening. Manhae (Han Yongun)
Back to topThe Pali Canon
As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. Sutta Nipata I, 8
Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame. Dhammapada 81
If a man going down into a river, swollen and swiftly flowing, is carried away by the current - how can he help others across? Sutta Nipata II, 8
One should do what one teaches others to do; if one would train others, one should be well controlled oneself. Difficult, indeed, is self-control. Dhammapada 159
Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial. Dhammapada 163
One truly is the protector of oneself; who else could the protector be? With oneself fully controlled, one gains a mastery that is hard to gain. Dhammapada 160
With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart: Above, below, and all around, unobstructed, without hostility or hate. Sutta Nipata I 8
Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels. Dhammapada 6
The friend who is a helpmate, the friend in happiness and woe, the friend who gives good counsel, the friend who sympathizes too - these four as friends the wise behold and cherish them devotedly as does a mother her own child. Digha Nikaya 31
Crushing out of the conceit "I am" - this is the highest happiness. Udana 10
Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, until the craving that lies dormant is rooted out, suffering springs up again and again. Dhammapada 338
Wonderful it is to train the mind so swiftly moving, seizing whatever it wants. Good is it to have a well-trained mind, for a well-trained mind brings happiness. Dhammapada 35
Winning gives birth to hostility. Losing, one lies down in pain. The calmed lie down with ease, having set winning and losing aside. Samyutta Nikaya III 14
Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through anger or irritation wish for another to suffer. Khuddakapatha 9
Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself. Dhammapada 103
"As I am, so are others; as others are, so am I." Having thus identified self and others, harm no one nor have them harmed. Sutta Nipata 705
Were there a mountain all made of gold, doubled that would not be enough to satisfy a single man: know this and live accordingly. Samyutta Nikaya I, 117
Look not to the faults of others, nor to their omissions and commissions. But rather look to your own acts, to what you have done and left undone. Dhammapada 50
Knowing that the other person is angry, one who remains mindful and calm acts for his own best interest and for the other's interest, too. Samyutta Nikaya I 162
By doing evil, one defiles oneself; by avoiding evil, one purifies oneself. Purity and impurity depend upon oneself: no one can purify another. Dhammapada 165
One is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy. Sutta Nipata 136
Even when obstacles crowd in, the path to Nibbana can be won by those who establish mindfulness and bring to perfection equipoise. Samyutta Nikaya I 48
Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy, or a foe to a foe, the ill-directed mind can do to you even worse. Udana IV 3
Think not lightly of evil, saying, "It will not come to me." Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the fool, gathering it little by little, fills himself with evil. Dhammapada 121
I have love for the footless, for the bipeds too I have love; I have love for those with four feet, for the many-footed I have love. Anguttara Nikaya II 72
Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live as hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things. Dhammapada 113
Learn this from the waters: in mountain clefts and chasms, loud gush the streamlets, but great rivers flow silently. Sutta Nipata 720
Life is swept along, next-to-nothing its span. For one swept to old age no shelters exist. Perceiving this danger in death, one should drop the world's bait and look for peace. Samyutta Nikaya II 19
The past should not be followed after and the future not desired; what is past is dead and gone and the future is yet to come. Majjhima Nikaya III 131
Make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge; there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge. Digha Nikaya 16
"Impermanent are all compounded things." When one perceives this with true insight, then one becomes detached from suffering; this is the path of purification. Dhammapada 277
By love they will quench the fire of hate, by wisdom the fire of delusion. Those supreme ones extinguish delusion with wisdom that breaks through to truth. Itivuttaka 93
Wisdom springs from meditation; without meditation wisdom wanes. Having known these two paths of progress and decline, let a man so conduct himself that his wisdom may increase. Dhammapada 282
One by one, little by little, moment by moment, a wise man should remove his own impurities, as a smith removes his dross from silver. Dhammapada 239
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