Buddha Shakyamuni was a prince born in Loumbini, a small town at the time in northern India, but now part of Nepal. He would have lived between the fifth and sixth century BC. He is the founder of Buddhism, a set of meditative and ethical practices, religious rituals and psychological and philosophical theories. Buddha would have spent most of his life teaching how to free himself from human suffering, detach himself from material values while focusing his mind on the present moment.
Here are 30 of his most inspiring quotes:
Living in the moment
"Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, focus your mind on the present moment. "
"It is better to travel well than to arrive. "
On achieving enlightenment
"Nobody saves us only ourselves. Nobody can. We must walk the path ourselves. "
Buddha said, "What is evil? To kill is bad, to lie is bad, to slander is bad, to abuse is bad, to meditate is bad, to envy it is bad, to hate is bad, to cling to false doctrine is bad; all these things are bad. And what is the root of the evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil. "
On love
"True love is born of understanding. "
"You only lose what you are attached to. "
In your mind
"There is nothing so disobedient as an unruly mind, and there is nothing as obedient as a disciplined mind. "
"Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind. "
On anger
"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger. "
"Anger will never go away until thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. "
On compassion
"A generous heart, a kind speech and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity. "
"If your compassion does not include you, it is incomplete. "
Buddha said, "Hate never stops with hatred. Hate stops with love. It is an unalterable law. "
On the words
"Tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without shedding blood. "
"If you propose to speak, ask yourself always, is it true, is it necessary, is it nice? "
On the doubt
"There is nothing more formidable than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks pleasant relationships. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it's a sword that kills. "
On ideas
"An idea that is developed and implemented is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea. "
On suffering
"The pain is certain, the suffering is optional. "
"Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor; everyone has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little. "
On yourself
"If you really love each other, you could never hurt someone. "
Buddha said, "Your job is to discover your world and then all your heart to devote to it. "
On gratitude
"To live a pure and selfless life, you must not count anything as yours in the midst of abundance. "
On the fear
"There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires. "
On meditation
"Meditate ... do not delay, lest you regret it later. "
On death
"Ardently doing today, what needs to be done. Who knows ? Tomorrow, death is coming. "
"Live each act fully, as if it were your last. "
On happiness
"He who acts well is happy in this world and in the other. "
"Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. "
On the world
"A moment can change a day, a day can change a life and a life can change the world. "
On friends and relationships
"A dishonest and wicked friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast can hurt your body, but a bad friend will hurt you. "
