| Buddha felt that nothing was truly lasting. He asked | | | | health or disease. Hatred does not cease by hatred, |
| himself, what is this life. Buddha taught his message in | | | | but only by love; this is the eternal rule. Have |
| this way to his father, wife and son. He did not attach | | | | compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has |
| any importance to religious rituals. He sought to find out | | | | their suffering. He is able who thinks he is able. He who |
| why the mind gets disturbed. He carried on his mission | | | | experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all |
| in this spirit of equanimity and tolerance. He spoke out | | | | beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on |
| against scholarship unrelated to the good life. Buddha's | | | | everything with an impartial eye. |
| emphasis was entirely on purity in every aspect of | | | | He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves |
| daily life being totally opposed to anyone being forced | | | | no one has no woes. Health is the greatest gift, |
| to lead a worldly life against his will. | | | | contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best |
| Before he attained Nirvana, summoned his | | | | relationship. Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot |
| step-brother Ananda to his side to impart his last | | | | coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you |
| message. He told Ananda that this truth was learnt by | | | | are the one who gets burned. However many holy |
| him from his own experience. He laid down three rules | | | | words you read, however many you speak, what |
| for all actions. He termed this equal mindedness as | | | | good will they do you if you do not act on upon them. |
| "Nirvana". Buddha wandered all over the country in | | | | I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however |
| search of spiritual peace and liberation. He declared | | | | they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them |
| that only sacred thoughts can lead to sacred speech. | | | | unless they act. I never see what has been done; I only |
| The word Buddha comes from the Sanskrit root 'budh', | | | | see what remains to be done. In a controversy the |
| meaning to awaken, and the Buddhas are those who | | | | instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving |
| have awakened to the true nature of things as taught | | | | for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves. In |
| in the Four Noble Truths. Buddhas are distinguished | | | | the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people |
| from other enlightened beings such as Arhats by virtue | | | | create distinctions out of their own minds and then |
| of the fact that they discover the truth (Dharma) | | | | believe them to be true. It is a man's own mind, not his |
| themselves, rather than hearing it from another. | | | | enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways. It is better to |
| Buddhas are frequently represented in the form of | | | | conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. |
| statues and paintings. | | | | It is better to travel well than to arrive. Just as a candle |
| Buddha realized then that he should not go to | | | | cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a |
| extremes in torturing the body by starvation and that | | | | spiritual life. Just as treasures are uncovered from the |
| he should adopt the golden mean or the happy | | | | earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and |
| medium or the middle path by avoiding extremes. | | | | wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. Let |
| Buddha gave out the experiences of his Samadhi: "I | | | | us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot |
| thus behold my mind released from the defilement of | | | | today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn |
| earthly existence, released from the defilement of | | | | a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at |
| sensual pleasures, released from the defilement of | | | | least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful. On life's |
| heresy, released from the defilement of ignorance. | | | | journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a |
| Buddha argued and debated with his old disciples who | | | | shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness |
| had deserted him when he was in the Uruvila forest. | | | | is the protection by night. Teach this triple truth to all: A |
| He made sixty disciples and sent them in different | | | | generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and |
| directions to preach his doctrine. Telling them not to | | | | compassion are the things which renew humanity. The |
| enquire into the origin of the world, but into the | | | | foot feels the foot when it feels the ground. The only |
| existence and nature of God. Buddha Statues inspire | | | | real failure in life is not to be true to the best one |
| us to develop our inner qualities to achieve happiness, | | | | knows. |
| good fortune, and satisfaction in our lives. He has been | | | | The secret of health for both mind and body is not to |
| deified and also conflated with several indigenous luck | | | | mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but |
| and money gods of China and Japan, including The | | | | to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. The |
| Laughing Buddha or Lucky Buddha. | | | | virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. The |
| Some of his sayings and thoughts are very pure as | | | | way is not in the sky. The whole secret of existence is |
| you can read in the following Buddha sayings. "All that | | | | to have no fear. The wise ones fashioned speech |
| we are is the result of what we have thought. All | | | | with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a |
| things appear and disappear because of the | | | | sieve. There are only two mistakes one can make |
| concurrence of causes and conditions. Ambition is like | | | | along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not |
| love, impatient both of delays and rivals. An idea that is | | | | starting. There has to be evil so that good can prove |
| developed and put into action is more important than | | | | its purity above it. There is nothing more dreadful than |
| an idea that exists only as an idea. Believe nothing, no | | | | the habit of doubt. |
| matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I | | | | Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find |
| have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and | | | | peace. Thousands of candles can be lighted from a |
| your own common sense. Better than a thousand | | | | single candle, and the life of the candle will not be |
| hollow words, is one word that brings peace. | | | | shortened. Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, |
| Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Do not | | | | the moon, and the truth. To be idle is a short road to |
| dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, | | | | death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people |
| concentrate the mind on the present moment. Do not | | | | are idle, wise people are diligent. To enjoy good health, |
| overrate what you have received, nor envy others. | | | | to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace |
| Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived | | | | to all, one must first discipline and control one's own |
| wisely. Every human being is the author of his own | | | | mind. |