25 Life Changing Lessons to Learn from Buddha
Luminita Saviuc, Purpose Fairy
Waking Times
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~ Buddha
There are so many beautiful, powerful and life changing lessons I have learned from studying Buddhism and from reading many of Buddha’s quotes. And today I want to share 25 of these beautiful lessons with you.
Here are 25 Life Changing Lessons from Buddha:
1. Love heals all things.
“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”
2. It’s not what you say but what you do that defines you.
“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.”
“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.”
3. The secret of good health is to live fully in the NOW.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“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.”
4. Who looks inside awakens.
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
5. Words have the power to both hurt and heal.
“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
Read: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation
6. Let it go and it will be yours forever.
“You only lose what you cling to.”
7. No one can walk your path for you.
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
8. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
9. Be kind to all.
“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.”
“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.”
“Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
10. Don’t believe everything you are told to believe.
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
11. As you THINK so shall you be
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.”
12. Let go of fear.
“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.”
Read: Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment
13. The truth has a way of always leaking out.
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
14. Control your mind or it will control you.
“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
15. Doubt separates. Trust unites.
“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”
16. Nobody is more deserving of your love than you yourself are.
“You 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.”
17. Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.
“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.”
18. Spirituality isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
Read: The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records
19. Replace jealousy with admiration.
“Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.”
20. Look for peace within yourself.
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
21. Let go of attachment.
“To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”
22. Choose your friends wisely.
“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.”
23. There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.
“There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.”
24. Give up labels.
“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.”
25. Love. Live. Let go.
“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?”
What is your favorite quote from Buddha? What is one lesson you have learned from this incredible man? You can share your comment in the comment section below.
About the Author
Luminita is the author of the fantastic blog, Purpose Fairy, where this article was originally featured.
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