Not superstitious rites, but kindness to slaves and servants, reverence towards venerable persons, self-control with respect to living creatures, … these and similar virtuous actions are the rites which ought indeed to be performed.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
All sentient beings, whether young or old, foolish or wise, are to go to the power of death, which is their destination.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Death
This (prince) feels for the welfare of the multitude.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
He is not the same, nor is he another.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Spirituality, Spirit
Everything good and bad comes from your own mind. To find something beyond the mind is impossible.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Thoughts, Attitude
A wise man, having obtained wealth, usually helps his relatives. He is accordingly beloved here and will also rejoice in the hereafter.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Man
A misdirected mind causes a worse destruction than a robber or an enemy can do to each other.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: The Mind
Being afraid of suffering and loathing it, you should do no evil, both in the open and in the secret place.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Man
He insulted me, injured me, defeated me, robbed me. In those who harbour such thoughts hatred never ceases. “He insulted me, injured me, defeated me, robbed me”. In those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred does cease.
—Buddhist Teaching
Let a man with perseverance abstain from doing evil deeds, like person who, not being blind, avoids the uneven roads.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Effort
Faithful and trustworthy, he injures not his fellow-man by deceit.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
What is goodness? First and foremost the agreement of the will with the conscience.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
Clad in garments pure as the moonbeams, … her ornaments modesty and virtuous conduct.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
As a solid rock cannot be moved by the wind, the wise are not shaken by praise or blame.
—Buddhist Teaching
This life of separateness may be compared to a dream, a phantasm, a bubble, a shadow, a drop of dew, a flash of lightning.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Life
He who keeps bad company cannot enjoy the absolute happiness. He inflicts evil upon himself. He is the same us an iguana in a flock of chameleons.
—Buddhist Teaching
Never will a person of good conduct be blamed as long as he observes the eight precepts and keeps on making merits which is conducive to happiness. Such a person, equipped with morality, is sure to enter into the Realm of Bliss.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Morality
A well-directed mind makes a man better than his parents or relatives can do to him.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: The Mind
The song of birds, the voices of insects, are all means of conveying truth to the mind; in flowers and grasses we see messages of the Way. The scholar, pure and clear of mind, serene and open of heart, should find in everything what nourishes him.
—Buddhist Teaching
There are no mundane things outside of Buddhism, and there is no Buddhism outside of mundane things.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Spirituality, Buddhism, Zen
This is the work of those who are skilled and peaceful, who seek the good: May they be able and upright, straightforward, of gentle speech and not proud. May they be content and easily supported, unburdened, with their senses calmed. May they be wise, not arrogant and without desire for the possessions of others. May they do nothing mean or that the wise would reprove. May all things be happy. May they live in safety and joy.
—Buddhist Teaching
What you are is what you have been, and what you will be is what you do now.
—Buddhist Teaching
Those who are wise in the Dhamma and who revere their superiors are praised in their present lives and are also blessed with happy lives hereafter.
—Buddhist Teaching
Sprinkle water on the seeds of virtue.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Buddhism
Let him who hopes for real happiness keep away from had company. Let him associate with the virtuous persons, and respectfully follow their instructions.
—Buddhist Teaching
Sakka asked: “What is the cause of self-interest?” The Buddha answered: “It is perception of the world as one’s object.” “How does one overcome this perception of the world as apart from oneself?” “By acting for the increase of goodness and happiness. It is in this way that the world ceases to be one’s object.”
—Buddhist Teaching
Like a fish taken out of its watery home and thrown onto the land, this mind, when parted with its haunts of sensual enjoyments in order to disregard Mara’s (the Evil One’s) influence, will give a desperate struggle.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: The Mind
Being generous, just helping one’s relatives and being blameless in one’s actions; this is the best good luck.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Generosity, Helping
Still others commit all sorts of evil deeds, claiming karma doesn’t exist. They erroneously maintain that since everything is empty, committing evil isn’t wrong. Such persons fall into a hell of endless darkness with no hope of release. Those who are wise hold no such conception.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Karma
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.
—Buddhist Teaching
Topics: Beginnings, Truth