Gautama Buddha has inspired many generations to get the best version of themselves, whether they are religious or not. His Buddhist sayings and phrases are synonymous with great intelligence and help many individuals make positive changes in their lives. Buddhism has inspired many people to find themselves and give new meaning to existence.

In fact, even some forms of psychological therapy have been influenced by the teachings of the great spiritual master, such as Mindfulness.

Buddhism has a lot to offer

If we understand and analyze his work, we realize his great wisdom. His phrases are motivating, they favour well-being and can help to live life to the full, without renouncing spirituality and good vibrations towards oneself .

Buddha once asked: “Evil-doing is due to the mind… If the mind is transformed, can evil-doing remain? This question leads us to deep reflection: “We must change the way we think about things (or situations) so that they improve. If our thinking changes in the process, so will our lives.

Who was Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha?

Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha” was born around 560 BC . in an aristocratic family (his father was a monarch) and prosperous clan Shakya , in a location that now corresponds to the current Nepal, in northern India. Buddha is a Sanskrit word that means “the one who woke up”. A good metaphor for an individual, Buddha, who managed to enlighten and awaken all his compatriots thanks to his infinite wisdom .

This was the founder of Buddhism. Unlike other religions, he was not a god, nor was he a prophet or a messiah. He was born as a normal human being, but thanks to his efforts he reached a state of perfect wisdom and complete sensitivity to everything that exists. As his name indicates, he “awakened to his true potential and to the true nature of the world around him.

The 75 best Buddhist phrases

There are not many biographical mentions about the life of Buddha, and the great majority are from three great sources (the vinaya, the sutta-pitaka and the buddhacarita of Asvaghosa) all of them texts later in his time.

In this article we will see a compilation of his famous phrases that can help you achieve inner peace.

1. Take care of the outside as much as the inside, because everything is one

Buddha already knew how important the environment was in our behavior . One of the principles of Buddhism is to take care of oneself. However, it is also essential that we take care of our environment in order to be in harmony and peace. To find a true state of well-being, it is necessary that mind, body, and our immediate surroundings (at least the one we control) be in balance.

Therefore, practicing compassion with you is not enough; you must also practice it with others. This is one of the maxims of the Ho’oponopono philosophy.

2.Reflection is the way to immortality; lack of reflection, the way to death

Reflection is necessary to continue growing as human beings and to learn from the past for a better present, a better here and now. At some point in our lives we have made mistakes and we have needed to reflect in order not to make those mistakes again.

Therefore, personal reflection is beneficial both for learning and for one’s own well-being . To know more about self-reflection, we invite you to read this article called “Personal Development: 5 reasons for self-reflection” so that you can know the benefits of this practice.

3. Don’t hurt others by causing pain to yourself

This phrase is the same as the phrase “don’t do to others what we don’t like to be done to you”. Therefore, this sentence goes beyond mere self-knowledge ,because it makes a clear allusion to empathy .

When you hurt others, you stain your spirit. This, in the long run, will hurt you.

4.Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional

Living situations or experiences that make us suffer and hurt us is part of life. When we have a hard time, we go through a process to close the wound. Once this period of recovery has passed, we are the ones who decide if we stay stuck in that memory .

Therefore, it is our decision to overcome bad experiences as soon as possible, to turn the page and find peace in the small things of everyday life.

5.It is not those who have more that are richer, but those who need less

This phrase is similar to the one pronounced by Seneca “It is not the poor who have little, but the one who desires much”, and refers to the fact that the individuals who desire or need less material things are the ones who will definitely be happier in life .

Having a lot doesn’t mean you’re happier. If one is happy with little, one does not need to have much wealth.

6.Give, even if you have but little to give

Appreciation and generosity are two of the keys to our well-being. Giving what we have to spare is easy, what is really complicated is to share something even when there is no abundance: that makes us bigger as a person .

Both giving and forgiving are two very wise actions.

7.Be glad because every place is here and every time is now

The present is the only time we can live. That is, the here and now, not yesterday or tomorrow . All our efforts must go towards the present moment so that the next present moments are as good as this one.

So you have to be happy to be able to live it and give it the value it deserves, which is no small thing.

8.Hate does not diminish with hate. Hate decreases with love

Neither hate nor revenge is the solution. We should not feed violence or anger towards others or towards ourselves , because that only increases that negative feeling. True well-being lies in loving ourselves and wishing others well even if we think they don’t deserve it.

Compassion is one of the foundations of Buddhism and is the path to happiness. Opening up to others means forgiving their faults and being humble despite the mistakes of others.

9.If you can appreciate the miracle of one flower, your whole life will change

Valuing the small details is another key to happiness.
The world is full of extraordinary things that sometimes we are not able to see at first sight . Learning to appreciate them will change our lives.

Moreover, we must be grateful for what we have because, just like the flower, it is in simplicity that we feel at ease.

10.To understand everything, it is necessary to forget everything

Non-judgment is another principle of Buddhist philosophy. When we are small, we see the world with the vision of a beginner, enjoying the present: perceiving the world as it is. As we grow and learn,
we are constantly judging . So, our mind is conditioned by the culture and social norms that guide us in how we should be.

To find well-being again we must look at ourselves and get to know ourselves again. In other words, we have to re-educate ourselves. The same goes for everything around us. So if we want to understand, we have to forget everything.

11.Peace comes from within, don’t look for it outside

True peace is born from within each person , and it is unwise to go looking for it in other people or in material goods.

12.What we think, that’s what we will become

Our thoughts make us look for certain things in life . That is why it is so important to think positive and not to worry about what we cannot change.

13. Your purpose in life is to find a purpose, and to give your whole heart to it

In this Buddhist phrase we find a parallel with the existentialist philosophy developed in the 20th century.

14.The foolish one who recognizes his folly is a wise one. But a fool who thinks he is wise is indeed a fool

A reflection on intelligence and humility.
If they do not go hand in hand, one simply lacks intelligence . One cannot exist without the other.

15.Our good and bad actions follow us almost like a shadow

The
laws of karma teach us that everything we do has an impact. It’s up to you to create a destiny in line with what you want for your life.

16. No one will punish you for your anger; it will be up to him to punish you

A sentence that reminds us of the little use of living in a continuous state of anger.
Isn’t it more useful to find the positive side to things?

17. There are three things that cannot be hidden for long: the sun, the moon, and the truth

Poetic phrase and at the same time a reflection that invites us to rethink some things.
The sun and the moon appear from time to time, and so does the truth .

18. Death is not to be feared, if life has been lived wisely

Living in full consciousness frightens away the fear of death. Such is the view of the practitioners of Buddhism on existence:
the truth will set us free, death is just another process .

19. Don’t live from the past, don’t imagine the future, concentrate on the present moment

Another sentence that perfectly sums up the
intellectual and philosophical basis of Mindfulness. Living pending on the past or the future only makes us slaves of memories or desires .

20. If you can appreciate the miracle of a single flower, your life will be completely changed

Valuing the little things makes us more human. Even something as seemingly trivial as a flower holds the miracle of life, of nature and of existence.
Let us learn to value it .

21. You deserve love and affection

Never forget that. Life is complicated, and
we all deserve to receive tenderness from others , while offering this same feeling.

22. Passionately, do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death is coming

Compared to other religions, Buddhism proposes a philosophy of life that emphasizes the present. This idea is clear in this Buddhist phrase.

23. A disciplined mind brings happiness

In this quote, Buddha shows in a lyrical way the relationship that his philosophy establishes between self-control and the good things associated with happiness.

24. It is not called noble who harms other living beings. By not harming other living beings, one is called noble

This Buddhist phrase from the Dhammapada
exposes the value system related to Buddhism and the importance given in it to other forms of life.

25. The root of suffering is attachment

In Buddhism,
the renunciation of certain pleasures has a fundamental role .

26. There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desire

Another quote from the Dhammapada in which the relationship between fears and desires is raised.

27. Firmly, train for peace

On this date
we talk about the search for inner peace as a form of training , that is, something that must be part of the habits and must be practiced constantly despite the effort involved.

28. Better than a thousand empty words, a single word that can bring peace

In this quotation
emphasizes the need for words to have a philosophical and emotional impact .

29. Purity and impurity come from oneself; no one can purify another

One of the Buddha’s phrases
emphasizes the central role of each person’s mind (understood as something private and subjective) in his or her philosophy of life, and more specifically, in the ethics of Buddhism.

30. True love is born of understanding

In the Buddhist way of life, love is not
a visceral force isolated from any form of reflection.

31. Conquering oneself is a greater task than conquering others

In line with other phrases of the Buddha, in this quote
one again relates the true life goals to processes that mainly involve oneself and the subjective mental world.

33. We can only lose what we hold on to

Another of the Buddhist phrases in which
shows the spirit of renunciation of the Buddha’s philosophy .

34. Fill your mind with compassion

Although for Buddha the mind of one’s self is the engine of religion,
cultivating a good way of life means showing appropriate attitudes towards other forms of life . Compassion is one of them.

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35. It is better to travel well than to arrive

The objectives and challenges posed by the Buddhist religion are not so much about final goals as about processes and the way in which the present is lived.

36.A madman is known by his deeds, a wise man also

People are known for their actions. With this phrase, Buddha teaches us that we should trust only those who act, and not so much the great speakers .

37.Clinging to anger is like holding onto a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone; you are the one who is burning

A famous quote that warns us to put bad feelings aside, not to let them affect us negatively.

38.In any battle they lose winners and losers

In wars, everyone loses . There is no reason powerful enough to be worth a drop of human blood.

39.The truth itself can only be reached within one through the deepest meditation and awareness

If you are looking to find yourself and your more spiritual self, do not look around.

40. Not even a god can change the victory of one who has defeated himself into defeat

An inspiring phrase to seek inner peace, from the great Buddha.

41.Few men reach the other shore; most of them run up and down these beaches

A freely interpretable sentence . Perhaps it can be understood as a metaphor similar to the myth of Plato’s cave.

42.Like beautiful flowers, with color, but without scent, are the sweet words for the one who does not act according to them

A poetic quote that tells us the truth about people who tend to lie rather than talk.

43. Even your worst enemy cannot hurt you as much as your own thoughts

Happiness lies in the quality of our interior life . Don’t let your thoughts limit you.

44.To teach others, you must first do something very hard: you must straighten yourself out

One of the keys to teaching is to have a prior mentality. You can only be able to teach if you have a clear mind .

45. There is no fire like passion: there is no evil like hate

Passion is the energy that moves civilizations and history. However, hatred only leads to resentment, war and destruction.

46.Wealth consists much more in enjoyment than in possession

Against materialism, Buddha pronounced this famous phrase to show that it is not those who have more that are richer, but those who can be happy with little.

47.If you add a little to the little, and do it often, soon little will become a lot

The value of constancy and perseverance , masterfully explained in this famous Buddhist quotation.

48. Your duty is to discover your world and then give yourself to it with all your heart

Don’t just go from home to work and from work to home. You have a whole world to discover, it is your duty as a human being to take the trouble to live unique experiences .

49. More than a thousand useless words, one is worth a thousand that bring peace

Anti-war is one of the elementary principles of Buddhism . Perhaps this is why Buddha has so many famous phrases related to pacifism and respect for diversity.

50. As a solid rock does not move with the wind, so does the wise remain undisturbed by slander and flattery

Wise people do not delegate their self-esteem to others . And they do well.

51.If there’s a solution, why are you crying? If there is no solution, why are you crying?

It makes sense, doesn’t it? We spend a lot of time lamenting things that can’t be helped. What if we spent it on something more productive?

52.We are in this world to live together in harmony. Those who know this do not fight among themselves and reach inner peace

Nothing to add. To be happy we need to be fair and peaceful with others.

53. Seek not the friendship of those whose souls are impure; seek not the company of men with evil souls. Associate yourself with those whose souls are beautiful and good

If you want to be happy, surround yourself with people who value your soul and know how to communicate in a positive way.

54.What we are today rests on what we thought yesterday, and our current thoughts shape our future life

The way we think ends up generating springs that lead us to one destination or another.

55.With our thoughts we create the world

Along the lines of the previous one, the magic of thoughts is that they eventually become reality.

56. Better one word to serenade the listener than a thousand absurd verses

In brevity may be the essence.

57.By effort, vigilance, discipline, and self-control, the wise man creates an island that the flood cannot destroy

A phrase that teaches us the capacity for sacrifice and self-control of the wise.

58.To live a detached life, one must not feel that one owns anything in the midst of abundance

The key to Buddhism lies in an austere life . Don’t give more importance to material goods, start feeling with your heart.

59.Just as a candle does not shine without fire, man cannot exist without a spiritual life

The light that shines in each one of us; our guide to know how to live in peace, is our spiritual life.

60.Long is the night for him who lies awake; long is the mile for him who is weary; long is the life for the foolish man who does not know the true law

A famous quote that can be interpreted in different ways.

61.You doubt everything. Find your own light

All said. Your destiny will be wherever your thoughts and feelings take you .

62.The greatest victory is the one you win over yourself

Don’t compete against others, but against yourself. Wake up every day trying to be a better person, a better friend, a lover, a father…

63. Your virtue should be to profess love and peace to those around you

If you are comfortable with the people who live near you, your life will be easier and full of good times.

64. Bless your friend… he lets you grow

He who has a friend has a treasure . Friends allow us to discover new realities and to have support when we need advice.

65. Holding a grudge is like holding a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else; it is one that burns

Hate only breeds hate and resentment. Let’s keep it out of our existence.

66. No one will punish you for your anger; your anger will take care of punishing you

Another phrase from the Buddha reminding us that bad feelings never play into our well-being.

67.Beautiful flowers bloom but eventually die

A reflection on the flow of life.

68.Do not overestimate what you have received, nor envy others; he who envies has no peace

Be happy with what you have and you will be blessed.

69.To have good health, find true happiness and bring peace to all, people must first control their own mind. If they succeed, they will have reached enlightenment and all wisdom and virtue will come naturally

Self-exploration allows us to know ourselves better and to fight for our most humane desires.

70. Don’t live in the past, don’t imagine the future, concentrate your mind on the present moment

A reflection on the importance of focusing our attention on the moment we are living.

71. The foot feels itself when it feels the ground

Consciousness does not exist in isolation from the this of elements that exist.

72. Virtues, like the muses, always come in groups

A reflection on what leads us to behave in a methodical way.

73. Virtue is more persecuted by the wicked than loved by the virtuous

Another of the reflections about the way we internalize the ways of behaving that are correct .

74. Words should be chosen carefully, as they will influence others for good or ill

There is a responsibility in the way we express ourselves.

75. Chaos is inherent in all things that are composed

About the dialectic between order and disorder.