The Buddha is a shining light for those who walk the spiritual path to enlightenment. There are many Buddha quotes out there. They can help you through difficult periods on your journey and answer some of life’s most profound questions.
So, what makes these Buddha quotes so special? First, let’s take a look at their source.
Who was Buddha?
Buddha is translated in Sanskrit as “the one who is awake.”
During the 6th and 4th centuries BCE (Before Common Era), Siddhartha Gautama Buddha lived in India. He spent his time teaching people about the mysteries of life. The best Buddha quotes came from his time there.
He spent several years in deep meditation underneath the Bodhi tree. During that time, he pondered the meaning of life. That’s when Buddha realized that the roots of unhappiness are desire and attachment. He broke free from the illusions that veil life’s realities.
Buddha quotes often address this subject among others. For instance, he often speaks about Nirvana. The Buddha believed that this blissful state can only be achieved when your mind is free from attachment, full of compassion, and focused on your present state.
He believed that people should be free from greed, ignorance, and impurities. Buddha taught them to live clean and healthy lives by nourishing their bodies and souls. By keeping the physical body healthy, he believed the mind would remain clear and focused.
After a while, people started following him. Eventually, his teachings became the religion and philosophy that we call Buddhism.
As his teachings spread, they eventually made it to the west. People began using tools like meditation and yoga to find balance. Now, people across the globe also use his words as a guide to happiness and peace.
His insights have been inspiring people for centuries in these wise Buddhist quotes.
Buddha Quotes for Life
Life can get the best of us down. Modern living causes all kinds of anxieties. Buddha quotes can help us get through these times with wisdom and ease. Sometimes, these small reminders are all we need to feel better and continue living our best lives.
A good life is full of many unique facets. The Buddha teaches us that we must live compassionate, present, and unattached lives to be happy. Many of his famous quotes teach us to go with the flow and be grateful for the way things are.
In these Buddhist quotes, he talks about living in the present moment and how this can lead to pure contentment. After all, accepting the things you cannot change is a great way to live worry-free.
He spoke about every issue under the sun, including:
- Change
- Happiness
- Spirituality
Subjects like these cause all kinds of issues. For instance, many people cling to their pasts. However, change is inevitable. This fact of life can be a hard pill to swallow, but sometimes holding on hurts worse than letting go.
Happiness is another vital part of life.
Without it, we have no reason to live. People like to chase happiness, but it’s not something that can be attained. It just is.
This brings us to spirituality. Now, this means many different things to people, but it’s always free from the constraints that often exist within strict religions. Spirituality is more about following an enlightened philosophy and being in touch with your true essence.
Buddhism is a popular form of spirituality. Buddha’s words gave inspiration to those who needed it most.
Hopefully, these quotes will bring you wisdom and inspire you too.
Uplifting Quotes on Spirituality, Change, and Happiness
Best Buddha Quotes on Spirituality
1. “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
2. “It is better to travel well than to arrive.”
3. “Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.”
4. “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
5. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
6. “If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone.”
7. “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
8. “Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
9. “Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so, let one cultivate a boundless love toward all beings.”
10. “Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love. This is the eternal rule.”
11. “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy
follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
12. “There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.”
Best Buddhist Quotes on Change
13. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
14. “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
15. “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”
16. “Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”
17. “You only lose what you cling to.”
18. “Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.”
19. “Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.”
20. “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 … a sword that kills.”
21. “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
22. “You yourself must strive. The Buddhas only point the way.”
23. “She who knows life flows, feels no wear or tear, needs no mending or repair.”
24. “One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.”
Best Buddha Quotes on Happiness
25. “One who acts on truth is happy in this world and beyond.”
26. “A man asked Gautama Buddha, ‘I want happiness.’ Buddha said, ‘First, remove I. That’s ego. Then remove want. That’s desire. Now you are left with only happiness.'”
27. “There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path.”
28. “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.”
29. “It is in the nature of things that joy arises in a person free from remorse.”
30. “A disciplined mind brings happiness.”
31. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”
32. “Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something, and we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”
33. “To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”
34. “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”
35. “Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.”
36. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”
37. “If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.”
38. “Routinely train yourself to attain peace.”
39. “The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
40. “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 his way to enlightenment. All wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”
41. “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your own love and affection.”
Final Thoughts on Buddha Quotes
These Buddha quotes have enormous power. Though he lived over 2,600 years ago, his words are timeless. They still apply to almost every area of today’s world.
We get so stuck in our little ruts. It’s easy to become preoccupied with our worries and obligations. It’s important to take some time to gain inspiration.
We’re all looking for peace. These Buddhist quotes help get you one step closer. After all, the key to happiness lies within you. You just have to let it be.
