Buddha - The Wisdom in My Favorite Quotes

In Buddhist traditions, the Indian man known as "Buddha" (563 - 483 B.C.) is regarded as "Supreme Buddha," and the word "Buddha" means "enlightened one" or "awakened one." In his lifetime, he was known as "Siddhartha Gautama." The primary figure in Buddhism, some religions refer to him as a "god," but he's more accurately considered a prophet. His teachings were passed down by oral tradition and were committed to writing four centuries after his death. The lore and mythology of Buddha that has accrued during the past 2,000 years is similar to that of Jesus, including accounts of a virgin birth and miracles.

But what I love most is the wisdom, which endures in the form of quotes. These are my favorites, and some of them are the most profoundly true statements about personal strength ever uttered:

On ATTITUDE - “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.”

On AWARENESS - "Just as a picture is drawn by an artist, surroundings are created by the activities of the mind."

On CHANGE - "Everything changes, nothing remains without change."

On FORGIVENESS - “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.”

On RATIONALITY - “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.”

On SELF-DEVELOPMENT - To keep the body in good health is a duty. . . . Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."

On SELF-DISCIPLINE - "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."

On SELF-ESTEEM - “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.”

On SPIRITUALITY - “There is only one moment in time when it is essential to awaken. That moment is now.”

Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., Copyright 2010. Building Personal Strength . (Photo used under the free use license of Wikimedia Commons.)