Gautama Buddha, the enlightened being, the founder of Buddhism, has been a guiding light for thousands of people who seek peace, happiness, and wisdom in life. This SpiritualRay article has compiled a list of the 50 most inspirational and spiritual quotes by Gautama Buddha on a variety of topics.
True Prediction!
A few days after Buddha’s birth, an old man predicted that the little child would grow up to become either a great ruler or a saint.
Born as a prince Siddārtha Gautama, his exact date of birth is not known but experts believe he was born somewhere between c. 563 BCE or c. 480 BCE. He was mostly believed to be residing in eastern part of India during the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. A young prince Siddārtha left his home as a youngster to seek the truth and an end to human suffering. After many years, he gained enlightenment and thus became Buddha meaning “awakened or enlightened being”.
Gautama Buddha was an inspiration for many people, and according to him, anybody can attain knowledge if they work hard for it. His teachings are practiced by many Buddhists around the world. Given below is the list of famous sayings by Gautama Buddha covering various aspects of life.
Famous Gautama Buddha Quotes
“All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?”
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”
“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
“The mind is everything. What you think you become.”
“He is not the same, nor is he another.”
“True love is born from understanding.”
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
“Imagine that every person in the world is enlightened but you. They are all your teachers, each doing just the right things to help you.”
“There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.”
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
“People with opinions just go around bothering one another.”
“No matter how hard the past. You can always begin again.”
“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”
“Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the oceans depth are calm.”
“Three things can not hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.”
“However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?”
“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.”
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
“There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.”
“An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”
“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
“The man who foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my most ungrudging love; and the more evil comes from him, the more good shall go from me.”
“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
The Buddha asked them, “What do you think? Which is better for you? To search after a woman, or to search after yourselves?”
“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
“If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.”
“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.
“There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.”
“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense.”
“Purity or impurity depends on oneself. No one can purify another.”
“Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.”
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”
“If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we cheat another, we cheat ourselves.”
“A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.”
“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”
“There isn’t enough darkness in all the world to snuff out the light of one little candle.”
“Everything changes, nothing remains without change.”