Biography
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.
- Born: c.563 BCE,
Lumbini (presently in Nepal)
- Died: c. 483
BCE, Kushinagar (today in Uttar Pradesh India)
- Parents: King
Suddhodana(father), Queen Maha Maya (mother)
- Other names: Siddhartha,
Arihant, Bhagavat, Jinendra, Sugata.
- Occupation: Spiritual teacher/founder of Buddhism
- Spouse: Yasodhara
- Children: Rahul
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.
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.
We are shaped by our thoughts; we
become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that
never leaves.
Health is the greatest gift,
contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
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.
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.
Three things cannot be long hidden:
the sun, the moon, and the truth.
Do not overrate what you have
received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.
Thousands of candles can be lighted
from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.
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.
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.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy
or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Whatever words we utter should be
chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good
or ill.
You will not be punished for your
anger, you will be punished by your anger.
Just as treasures are uncovered from
the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure
and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the
light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.