Quotes by

Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha (roughly the fifth century BCE), taught for forty-five years across the Gangetic plain after his awakening at Bodh Gaya. His sayings on this site are drawn from the Dhammapada — 423 verses in Pali, among the oldest and most widely read records of his teaching — in F. Max Müller’s 1881 translation, cited verse by verse. No teacher on the internet is more misquoted: a large share of “Buddha quotes” appear nowhere in the Pali Canon and are modern inventions, however Buddhist their sentiment. We keep some of those popular lines because people search for them, but we say clearly what they are and point to the canonical verses behind them.

The Dhammapada: A Reader’s Guide to Buddhism’s Most Quoted Book Buddha

Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared… — Buddha

Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; held in fetters and bonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again. Buddha

Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy… — Buddha

Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind! Buddha

He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or… — Buddha

He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or kill beings who also long for happiness, will find happiness after death. Buddha

He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without… — Buddha

He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of the yellow dress. Buddha

Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man… — Buddha

Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never commit any wrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of action clear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise. Buddha

He who walks in the company of fools suffers a… — Buddha

He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company with fools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise is pleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk. Buddha

If a man find no prudent companion who walks with… — Buddha

If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his conquered country behind,–like an elephant in the forest. Buddha

Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of… — Buddha

Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The virtuous rests in bliss in this world and in the next. Buddha

Earnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise… — Buddha

Earnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise man advances like a racer, leaving behind the hack. Buddha

As a cowherd with his staff drives his cows into… — Buddha

As a cowherd with his staff drives his cows into the stable, so do Age and Death drive the life of men. Buddha

A fool does not know when he commits his evil… — Buddha

A fool does not know when he commits his evil deeds: but the wicked man burns by his own deeds, as if burnt by fire. Buddha

Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there… — Buddha

Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help from kinsfolk for one whom death has seized. Buddha

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by… — Buddha

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion: therefore a gift bestowed on the passionless brings great reward. Buddha

As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the… — Buddha

As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village. Buddha

Fake Buddha Quotes: What He Said and What He Didn’t Buddha

If anything is to be done, let a man do… — Buddha

If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it vigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passions more widely. Buddha

Let each man direct himself first to what is proper,… — Buddha

Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him teach others; thus a wise man will not suffer. Buddha

The uncharitable do not go to the world of the… — Buddha

The uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do not praise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through it becomes blessed in the other world. Buddha

Come, look at this glittering world, like unto a royal… — Buddha

Come, look at this glittering world, like unto a royal chariot; the foolish are immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it. Buddha

These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to… — Buddha

“These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to me,” with such thoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself; how much less sons and wealth? Buddha

Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and… — Buddha

Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still. Buddha

If a man looks after the faults of others, and… — Buddha

If a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined to be offended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the destruction of passions. Buddha

Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who… — Buddha

Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy. Buddha

The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in… — Buddha

The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he mourns in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil of his own work. Buddha

He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble,… — Buddha

He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who is without thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life: this will be his last body. Buddha

From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who… — Buddha

From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free from pleasure knows neither grief nor fear. Buddha