Believe nothing, O monks, just because you have been told it, or it is commonly believed, or because it is traditional or because you yourselves have imagined it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to and take as your guide.
Gautama BuddhaRising early and scorning laziness, remaining calm in time of strife, faultless in conduct and clever in actions. One like this will be praised.
Gautama BuddhaWe will be thankful and grateful. Not even the last thing that is done for us shall be forgotten.
Gautama BuddhaIf a man's thoughts are muddy, If he is reckless and full of deceit, How can he wear the yellow robe? Whoever is master of his own nature, Bright, clear and true, He may indeed wear the yellow robe.
Gautama BuddhaIf beings knew, as I know, the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their gifts without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it
Gautama BuddhaEverything is changeable, everything appears and disappears; there is no blissful peace until one passes beyond the agony of life and death.
Gautama BuddhaWhen you realize how perfect [or at least better than it could be] everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.
Gautama BuddhaThere is, Oh Monks, a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. Monks, if that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be no escape from this here that is born, become, made and compounded.
Gautama BuddhaBeing generous and kindly in speech, doing a good turn for others, and treating all alike. One like this will be praised.
Gautama BuddhaYou can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
Gautama BuddhaLife at home is cramped and dirty, it is difficult to live a spiritual life completely, perfect and pure in all its parts while cabinned.
Gautama BuddhaLet go of anger. Let go of pride. When you are bound by nothing You go beyond sorrow.
Gautama BuddhaFollow then the shining ones, the wise, the awakened, the loving, for they know how to work and forbear.
Gautama BuddhaThere are two obstacles to enlightenment: 1. Thinking you know. 2 Thinking you don't know.
Gautama BuddhaEvil-doers who denounce the wise resemble a person who spits against the sky; the spittle will never reach the sky, but comes down on himself. Evil-doers again resemble a man who stirs the dust against the wind; the dust is never raised without doing him injury. Thus, the wise will never be hurt, but the curse is sure to destroy the evil-doers themselves.
Gautama BuddhaHousehold life is crowded and dusty; life gone forth is wide open... Suppose I shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robe, and go forth from the home life into homelessness.
Gautama BuddhaIf I had even a slight awareness, and practiced the Great Way, what I would fear would be deviating from it.
Gautama BuddhaThrough our senses the world appears. Through our reactions we create delusions.Without reactions the world becomes clear.
Gautama BuddhaA wise man, recognizing that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real, so he escapes the suffering.
Gautama BuddhaThe Beautiful chariots of kings wear out, This body too undergoes decay. But the Dhamma of the good does not decay: So the good proclaim along with the good.
Gautama BuddhaJust as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.
Gautama BuddhaOne is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy.
Gautama BuddhaThe Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, for one great cause alone appear in the world. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world because they wish to cause the beings to hear of the Buddha's knowledge and insight and thus enable them to gain purity. They appear in the world because they wish to demonstrate the Buddha's knowledge and insight to the beings. They appear in the world because they wish to cause the beings to understand. They appear in the world because they wish to cause the beings to enter into the path of the Buddha's knowledge and insight.
Gautama BuddhaThe shallow is easy to embrace, but the profound is difficult. To discard the shallow and seek the profound is the way of a person of courage.
Gautama BuddhaIf for just the time of a finger-snap a monk produces a thought of loving-kindness, develops it, gives attention to it, such a one is rightly called a monk. Not in vain does he meditate. He acts in accordance with the master's teaching, he follows his advice. How much more so if he cultivates it.
Gautama BuddhaThe wise say that it is not an iron, wooden or fiber fetter which is a strong one, but the besotted hankering after trinkets, children and wives, that, say the wise, is the strong fetter. It drags one down, and loose as it feels, it is hard to break. Breaking this fetter, people renounce the world, free from longing and abandoning sensuality.
Gautama Buddha