Essential Life Lessons from Buddha Himself

Of all of the deities in this world, I think the one that I would be most excited to see walk into a party would have to be Buddha. Sure, Jesus could do that whole water to wine thing, but I think having a chance to sit down with Buddha and soak up knowledge would be amazing. One thing I sincerely appreciate about the teachings of Buddha is that they are so universal. They transcend status, age, culture, and even religion. Ray Wiley Hubbard once said, “Buddha wasn’t a Christian, but Jesus would have made a good Buddhist.”

Here are my personal favorite life lessons from Buddha himself that I think apply to anyone and everyone.

“A jug fills drop by drop.”

So true. Life is about baby steps, and patience. Anything worth having is worth waiting for, and this teaching serves to remind us that life is all about the little things.

“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.”

Essentially, our thoughts become our actions. Filling your mind with positive thoughts results in positive actions.

“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.”

Harboring hate and resentment lowers your quality of life, not the person you are resenting. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

“However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?”

Actions speak louder than words. You can talk about doing great things and having high ambitions, but unless you act on them, that is all they are: words

“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.”

Self discipline, self control, and self awareness are all essential elements to living a good life. There is no one in this world holding you back, except for you.

“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.”

Being thankful is the direct result of appreciating what you have. Appreciating each day for the opportunity simply to live it. You didn’t get to where you are, so be thankful for the experiences – good and bad- that have brought you to where you are.

“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”
Never stop moving forward. life is all about making the best of it, and as soon as you settle, you stop learning, growing, and achieving.