Purpose

“I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am free from taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I am free; having learnt myself, whom shall I teach?”

“He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest no one in this world enters, by what track can you lead him?”

“That army of yours, that the world with its devas can’t overcome, I will smash with discernment.”

“In a world become blind, I beat the drum of the Deathless.”

Immanence

“I spit on my life. Death in battle would be better for me than that I, defeated, survive.”

“He who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.”

“We must be diligent today. To wait until tomorrow is too late. Death comes unexpectedly; how can we bargain with it?”

“The world does not know that we must all come to an end here; but those who know it, their quarrels cease at once.”

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

Self

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

“”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?”

“If, whether for his own sake, or for the sake of others, a man wishes neither for a son, nor for wealth, nor for lordship, and if he does not wish for his own success by unfair means, then he is good, wise, and virtuous.”

“By oneself evil is done, by oneself one suffers; by oneself evil is left undone, by oneself one is purified. Purity and impurity belong to oneself, no one can purify another.”

“Self is the lord of self; who else could be the lord? With self well subdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find.”

“Not even a god, a gandharva, not Mara with Brahman could change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself.”

Illusion

“As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara.”

“After a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with flesh and blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and deceit.”

“Look at this glittering world, like unto a royal chariot; the foolish are immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it.”

“How is there laughter, how is there joy, while this world is always burning? Why do you not seek a light, you who are surrounded by darkness?”

“Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, “It will not come nigh unto me.” Even by the falling of waterdrops a pot is filled.”

“He whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to that state where his enemy wishes him to be, as a creeper does with the tree which it surrounds.”

“He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand; poison does not affect one who has no wound.”

“When you have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will understand that which was not made.”

Journey

“Few are there among men who arrive at the other shore; the other people here run up and down the shore.”

“If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no companionship with a fool.”

“Not a mother, not a father will do so much, nor any other relative; a well-directed mind will do us greater service.”

“A fool associating himself with a wise man all his life sees not the truth, even as the spoon enjoys not the taste of the soup.”

“Forests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there the passionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures.”

Service

“Not to do evil, to do good, to purify the mind; that is the teaching of all Buddhas.”

“When a man has pity on all living creatures, only then is he noble.”

“The eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great compassion.”

“A supernatural person is not easily found, he is not born everywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers.”

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the length of the candle will not be reduced.”

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

Promise

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

“The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the world of the gods.”

“Architect, you have been seen. You will not rebuild your house again. All your rafters are broken; your beam is sundered; all desires will henceforth fall. I call the earth as my witness.”