Buddha quotes

A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker.
A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.

We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think.

All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.

All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?

Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.

An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

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

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.

He is able who thinks he is able.

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

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.

However many holy words you read, However many you speak, What good will they do you If you do not act on upon them?

I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.

I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.

In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.

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.

It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

Let no sleep fall upon thy eyes till thou hast thrice reviewed the transactions of the past day. Where have I turned aside from rectitude? What have I been doing? What have left undone, which I ought to have done? Begin thus from the first act, and proceed; and, in conclusion, at the ill which thou hast done, be troubled, and rejoice for the good.

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.

Misdirected life force is the activity in disease process. Disease has no energy save what it borrows from the life of the organism. It is by adjusting the life force that healing must be brought about, and it is the sun as transformer and distributor of primal spiritual energy that must be utilized in this process, for life and the sun are so intimately connected.

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.

The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.

The tongue like a sharp knife... Kills without drawing blood.

The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast.

The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.

The world, indeed, is like a dream and the treasures of the world are an alluring mirage! Like the apparent distances in a picture, things have no reality in themselves, but they are like heat haze.

There are five things which no one is able to accomplish in this world: first, to cease growing old when he is growing old; second, to cease being sick; third, to cease dying; fourth, to deny dissolution when there is dissolution; fifth, to deny non-being.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.

There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.

Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.

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.

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance.

Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two.

Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good.

We are formed and moulded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.

What is the appropriate behaviour for a man or a woman in the midst of this world, where each person is clinging to his piece of debris? What is the proper salutation between people as they pass each other in this flood?

What we think, we become.

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.

Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.

When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear.

Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of death.

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.

Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.

As an irrigator guides water to his fields, as an archer aims an arrow, as a carpenter carves wood, the wise shape their lives.

If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.

Little by little a person becomes evil, as a water pot is filled by drops of water...
Little by little a person becomes good, as a water pot is filled by drops of water.

More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm.

One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand on the battlefield.

Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.

Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.

Let a man avoid evil deeds as a man who loves life avoids poison.

Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.

Of all the worldly passions, lust is the most intense. All other worldly passions seem to follow in its train.

To keep the body in good health is a duty. . . otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

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.

Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.

(Note: I found these quotes on a bare, anonymous web page, like an offering.)

Recommended books

Taoism

Tao Te King, le livre du Tao et de sa vertu, Lao Tseu, Éditions Dervy
If you are French-speaking or bilingual, this is a valuable edition. Half the book is dedicated to explanatory notes that are a classic in themselves. Alex
The Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu (English version)
Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realise there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you
I Ching or Book of Changes, Wilhelm/Baynes
Penetrating reflection must not be pushed too far, lest it cripple the power of decision. After a matter has been thoroughly pondered, it is essential to form a decision and to act
Back to beginnings, Huanchu Daoren
When fate slights me in terms of prosperity, I respond by enriching my virtue. When fate belabours me physically, I make up for it by making my mind free
Wandering on the Way, Chuang Tzu
The Importance of Living, Lin Yutang
The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach
Barefoot Doctor's Guide to the Tao, A Spiritual Handbook for the Urban Warrior, Stephen Russell
Doubting is an indulgence that, however tempting, is best avoided at all times, especially in cases of extreme emergency
How would Confucius ask for a raise?, Carol Osborne

Buddhism

Training the Mind, Chogyam Trungpa
The person who collects merit has to be humble and willing to give rather than being willing to collect
Healing anger - The power of patience from a Buddhist perspective, H.H. the Dalai Lama
A Study in Karma, Annie Besant
Yoga and Destiny, Elisabeth Haich and Selvarajan Yesudian

Zen

Hara, The Vital Centre of Man, Karlfried Graf Durkheim
Man, as a living being, is not rooted in himself. Rather he is nourished, sustained, and held in order by Nature whose laws operate without his knowledge and assistance
Zen in the Art of Archery, Eugen Herrigel
Zen in the Art of the Tea Ceremony, Horst Hammitzsch
The Book of Five Rings, Myamoto Musashi
Wabi Sabi - The Japanese art of impermanence, Andrew Juniper

Eastern philosophy

The Story of Oriental Philosophy, L. Adams Beck

Western philosophy

The Power of your Subconscious Mind, Dr. Joseph Murphy
The trouble with most people is they don't have any invisible means of support
Meditations - the spiritual teachings of Marcus Aurelius, Mark Forstater

Ship's log - March, 2008

Change – not what it used to be
Change happens, but we can choose how we react to it
We may have very little control over many things that happen in our lives, but we always have a say in how we will react to it. How we react is based on many things (upbringing, education, and so on) which we cannot change but also on others (perception, awareness, attitude, self-esteem, skill and so on) which we can.

We also make changes happen
In his book, ‘The 6 Pillars of Self-Esteem’, Nathaniel Branden convinces us that if we can bring just 5% more awareness to our lives we can make profound changes. I believe even less is necessary. Think of two ships sailing on parallel courses and one captain decides to make a change of course and diverges by 1 degree. The two ships will seem to remain on parallel courses for a while but before long they will diverge so much they will lose sight of each other. They will have different voyages and of course they will eventually arrive at completely different destinations.
Here I will share with you the philosophy, ideas and insights that prompted me to make those little one-degree course changes in my life and which may help you too.