Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Founder of Buddhism

Ancient influential 126 sayings

Sayings by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

c. 5th century BCE — Attributed, often cited in various Buddhist texts and teachings.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him as you would a guide to hidden treasure.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 18, Verse 1.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

One who acts on truth is happy in this world and beyond.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 20, Verse 1.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Whatever a foe may do to a foe, or a hater to a hater, a wrongly directed mind will do us greater mischief.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 3, Verse 10.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 6, Verse 1.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The pleasant and the unpleasant, the agreeable and the disagreeable, are not in things themselves, but in us.

c. 5th century BCE — Attributed, often cited in various Buddhist texts and teachings.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

One day you will realize that a mind that is always peaceful and content is the greatest wealth that you can ever possess.

c. 5th century BCE — Attributed, often cited in various Buddhist texts and teachings.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Beware of your thoughts; they become words. Beware of your words; they become actions. Beware of your actions; they become habits. Beware of your habits; they become character. Beware of your character; it becomes your destiny.

c. 5th century BCE — Attributed, often cited in various Buddhist texts and teachings. (While widely attributed, direct te…
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.

5th century BCE (later interpretation) — Zen koan (attributed to Buddha in later teachings, likely metaphorical)
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

You are what you think. All that you are arises from your thoughts. With your thoughts, you make your world.

5th century BCE — Teaching on mindfulness and mental state
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

What you are is what you have been, and what you will be is what you do now.

c. 5th century BCE — A popular distillation of the concept of karma, not a direct quote.
Humorous Unverifiable

You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.

c. 5th century BCE — Frequently attributed, but the exact phrasing is a modern popularization.
Humorous Confirmed

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.

c. 5th century BCE — Kalama Sutta. This is a common modern paraphrase of the Buddha's advice to the Kalamas.
Humorous Confirmed

Just as a tree, though cut down, sprouts up again if its roots are undamaged and strong, in the same way, if the root of craving is not wholly uprooted, suffering springs up again and again.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 24, Verse 338
Humorous Unverifiable

The only way to ease our pain is to experience it fully.

c. 5th century BCE — A modern interpretation, not a direct quote from the Pali Canon.
Humorous Unverifiable

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

c. 5th century BCE — Often attributed, but the precise source in the Pali Canon is elusive. It reflects a sentiment of en…
Humorous Unverifiable

Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.

c. 5th century BCE — Mahaparinibbana Sutta, his last words (often translated as 'All conditioned things are subject to de…
Humorous Confirmed

To abstain from all evil, to cultivate the good, and to purify one's mind — this is the teaching of all Buddhas.

c. 5th century BCE — Dhammapada, Chapter 14, Verse 183 (often called the 'Ovadapatimokkha Gatha')
Humorous Confirmed

If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.

c. 5th century BCE — Often attributed, but the precise source in the Pali Canon is elusive. Reflects the spirit of genero…
Humorous Confirmed

Wear your ego like a loose garment.

c. 5th century BCE — A common modern interpretation of Buddhist teachings on ego, not a direct quote.
Humorous Unverifiable