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Best Buddha Quotes on Life

These best Buddha quotes on life will have you thinking about the important things in our universe.

The title Buddha is bestowed on one who achieves enlightenment. It translates to “The Knowing One.” The term and these quotes are attributed to Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, who was called simply Buddha.

Enjoy these inspiring Buddha quotes!

Best Buddha Quotes.

Buddha Quotes

1.) Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, and faithfulness is the best relationship.

2.) Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, and concentrate the mind on the present moment.

3.) We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

4.) Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

5.) No one saves us but ourselves. No one can, and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.

6.) Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.

7.) Hatred does not cease by hatred but only by love; this is the eternal rule.

Buddha Quotes.

8.) Speak only endearing speech, speech that is welcomed. Speech, when it brings no evil to others, is a pleasant thing.

9.) Give, even if you only have a little.

10.) One is not called a noble who harms living beings. By not harming living beings, one is called noble.

11.) Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.

12.) Avoid evil deeds as a man who loves life avoids poison.

13.) 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.

14.) Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who said it, no matter if I have said it unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

15.) The wise man makes an island of himself that no flood can overwhelm.

Sayings About Life and Happiness.

Best Buddha Quotes.

Inspirational Buddha Quotes

16.) It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

17.) It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you.

18.) I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.

19.) If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.

20.) The past is already gone; the future is not yet here. There’s only one moment for you to live.

21.) As you walk and eat, and travel, be where you are. Otherwise, you will miss most of your life.

22.) Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity.

23.) Understanding is the heartwood of well-spoken words.

24.) Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

25.) You only lose what you cling to.

26.) Pain is certain; suffering is optional.

27.) If the problem can be solved, why worry? If the problem cannot be solved, worrying will do you no good.

28.) Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

29.) You are the community now. Be a lamp for yourselves. Be your own refuge. Seek for no other. All things must pass. Strive on diligently. Don’t give up.

Best Buddha Quotes on Life.

From Buddha

30.) Purity or impurity depends on oneself.

31.) The mind is everything. What you think you become.

32.) 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. (For more quotations on forgiving.)

33.) Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.

34.) To keep the body in good health is a duty.

35.) Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.

36.) If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.

37.) If we fail to look after others when they need help, who will look after us?

38.) 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.

39.) Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance.

40.) The tongue, like a sharp knife, kills without drawing blood.

41.) Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.

Check this out: Thoughtful Words of Wisdom.

Happiness is the way.

Famous Buddha Sayings

42.) We will develop and cultivate the liberation of the mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.

43.) To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing.

44.) You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

45.) 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.

46.) There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way and not starting.

47.) However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them.

49.) Patience is key. Remember: A jug fills drop by drop.

50.) It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.

51.) An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.

52.) Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

53.) We are the same as plants, as trees, as other people, as the rain that falls. We consist of that which is around us; we are the same as everything.

54.) Awake. Be the witness of your thoughts. You are what observes, not what you observe.

55.) To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.

Tip: These Buddha quotes can make for a great photo caption on social media.

On Love

56.) Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.

57.) Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.

58.) Radiate boundless love towards the entire world.

59.) You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

60.) Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.

On Happiness

61.) There is no way to happiness; happiness is the way.

62.) Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.

63.) Whatever living beings there may be — feeble or strong, long, stout, or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those yet to be born — may all beings have happy minds.

64.) Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness & benefit.

65.) If with a pure mind, a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow.

66.) 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.

67.) The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

On Being Wise

68.) In separateness lies the world’s greatest misery; in compassion lies the world’s true strength.

69.) Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him like a guide to hidden treasure.

70.) 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.

71.) Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

72.) Better to conquer yourself than a thousand battles. Only then can the victory truly be yours. No one can take it away from you – not heaven, hell, demons or angels.

73.) More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm.

74.) Irrigators channel waters; fletchers straighten arrows; carpenters bend wood; the wise master themselves.

Learn more about Buddha.

Buddha Quotes On Life

75.) Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so, let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.

76.) Life is dear to all beings. They have the right to live the same as we do.

77.) 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.

78.) To live a pure, unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.

79.) If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.

80.) There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.

81.) To be idle is a short road to death, and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, and wise people are diligent.

82.) A mind unruffled by the vagaries of fortune, from sorrow freed, from defilements cleansed, from fear liberated — this is the greatest blessing.

Motivational Buddha Quotes

83.) Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so, the wise are not affected by praise or blame.

84.) Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. And silence the liar with the truth.

85.) Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let them resolutely pursue a solitary course.

86.) They blame those who remain silent, they blame those who speak much, and they blame those who speak in moderation. There is none in the world who is not blamed.

87.) Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts. 

88.) Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

89.) Being deeply learned and skilled, being well trained and using well-spoken words: this is good luck.

Short Buddha Quotes

90.) Delight in meditation and solitude.

91.) A disciplined mind brings happiness.

92.) True love is born from understanding.

93.) The root of suffering is attachment.

94.) Embrace love, and you will find true happiness.

95.) What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.

96.) What we think, we become. 

97.) Silence the angry man with love.

98.) Love yourself and others, for love is the essence of life.

100.) Love is the bridge that connects hearts.

Buddha Quiz

True or False questions on Buddha. See answers below sign-off.

A.) The word “Buddha” means “enlightened one.”

B.) The tallest statue of Buddha is in Taiwan and stands over 300 meters tall.

C.) Buddha was single which he maintained enabled him to focus on his philosophy of life.

D.) Siddhartha Gautama is Buddha’s birth name.

E.) Buddha was somewhat chubby.

By Michael O’Halloran

About Michael O'Halloran

Michael O’Halloran founded Greeting Card Poet in 2014 and has worked as its publisher and editor ever since. He’s the author of Best Sports Slogans and Captions. He has co-authored four books on kids’ trivia and authored four books on coaching. Previously, Michael was the president of Magnetic Poetry. He has invented and brought over 75 new gift and toy products to market — most of them dealing with wordplay.

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Quiz Answers

A.) True
B.) False. The tallest statue of Buddha is in China and stands 208 meters tall.
C.) False. Buddha was married and had a son.
D.) True.
E.) False. He is shown as chubby because that is a symbol of happiness. But the real man was lean.

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