When it comes to spirituality, Buddha is the greatest life teacher. His thoughts and ideas have been hugely influential and have changed the lives of millions of people. Here are a few ideas that might change yours with quotes from the great spiritual master.
1. Sharing your happiness makes it grow
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
Don’t hog your happiness. When your life is full of positive emotions, abundance, and joy, you should pass it on and share it with others. It won’t hurt you, but it will make a change in your environment.
2. Your thoughts can hurt you more than the events around you
“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.”
Often, you are your own biggest enemy. If you think about something or someone in a destructive way, it will shape your emotions and your behavior. However, this destructive thinking is often not reflective of reality.
For example, if you think that your partner is cheating, you might be toxic and hurtful towards them and drive yourself crazy with thoughts of infidelity. But this is not the reality. You are being hurt by your thoughts. Controlling your thoughts can give you inner peace.
3. Beware of your anger
“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.”
When we are angry, we often act on impulse. Anger is one of the most dangerous emotions we can feel because it pushes us to lash out and hurt ourselves and others.
The Buddha teaches us to let go of this emotion and not let it rule over us, for the ones who will get hurt will be us.
4. The truth is inescapable
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
You cannot spend a long time lying to yourself and others. Sooner or later, your true feelings, your true actions, and the genuine essence of a situation will come to light. It’s better to accept the truth early on and embrace it, for, either way, it will not stay hidden forever.
5. It’s the journey, not the destination
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”
You may think that your destination will make you happy. You will be happier when you get that new car, that house, that job, that status.
However, this is not how it usually goes. What matters is the journey and the experience we have in each moment of our lives. The destination is secondary.
6. Words have the power to hurt
“The tongue is like a sharp knife… Kills without drawing blood.”
Your words have more power than you think. Something you say just because you are angry can hurt someone or damage a relationship beyond repair.
Be mindful and speak words with awareness – know that each time you say something, it leaves a mark.
7. Too much attachment can be bad
“You only lose what you cling to.”
It is natural to hang tight to the things that matter – relationships, goals, situations, and more. However, the closer we try to hold on to something, the more likely we are to lose it. A relationship can be smothered by jealousy and possessiveness.
An attachment to a goal can make us more likely to fail due to the distress we feel. Learn to let go and set things free.
8. Health is the biggest wealth you can have
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”
While money is important, it’s not the most important thing. If you lose your health in pursuit of other goals, you will have a harder time being happy and living a good life. Make your health a priority always.
9. Kindness matters
“Life is so very difficult. How can we be anything but kind?”
The best thing you can be towards others is kind and compassionate. Do good and bring good into the world. We are all living a life full of hardships and pain, so why not bring light instead of darkness?
These words of Buddha will change your way of thinking in life.
