Siddartha Gautama, otherwise known as Gautama Buddha, or Buddha, was a sage and the philosophical founder of Buddhism. He lived in northeastern India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.
“Buddha” is a term meaning “the enlightened or awakened one.” Most accept that Siddartha Gautama was a real person who once walked this planet, but many hesitate to make claims about what exactly his life was like, aside from the stories passed down through the generations.
His words have had a profound impact on many. These are some of our favorites.
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”
“You only lose what you cling to.”
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”
“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
“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.”
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
“It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults. One shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in the wind, but one conceals one’s own faults as a cunning gambler conceals his dice.”
“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
“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.”
“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.”
