Buddhist Birthday Quotes

Happy Birthday to.... ME! I'm 31 and think it's a great age. Growing up - I always wanted to be older - in college I couldn't wait until I graduated and was making money. Now I am pretty content so I believe maybe my 30s will be the period of my life I have been waiting for.

So I've been reading some Buddhist stuff online - I think it was all provoked by Molly giving me a copy of Siddhartha to read a year or so ago (which was a really good book). I don't want to ruin the surprise since I haven't gotten it yet but Buddha pictured here to the left is the gift my family-in-law got for me for my birthday! He's a small hand-carved wooden statue and he looks pretty peaceful so I am excited about having him move in to the Willow! Anyway on this day of reflection I thought I'd share some Buddhist Quotes I have found and lump them into a few topics and maybe make a few comments. Here we go...

Law of Attraction
I'm not going to claim to be a law of attraction person ala "the Secret" however since almost 100 years ago Napoleon Hill wrote "Think and Grow Rich" on basically the same topic - I found it fascinating how many Buddhist quotes seemed to touch upon the same thing.

“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.”

“He is able who thinks he is able.”

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

“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.”

Beware Nasty People
There probably isn't anything worse than rude or nasty people. They suck the life out of a room and aren't much fun to be around. It is amazing how many people seemingly choose to be a dark cloud rather than a ray of sunshine in life - and really they are the ones who pay dearest. What I find most interesting about these quotes is that they warn you to stay away from these people not because they are painful to be around - but because they are poison to your mind and spirit!

“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.”

“Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten.”

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

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.”

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

Do Something!
These may be the most straight forward - but the message is a good one - it is better to do something (even imperfectly) than to do nothing at all.

“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.”

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

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

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

“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”

Tough Ones
These are quotes I struggle to include in my life.

“He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes.”

“You only lose what you cling to.”

“Those who have passions are never able to perceive the Way; for it is like stirring up clear water with hands; people may come there wishing to find a reflection of their faces, which, however, they will never see. A mind troubled and vexed with the passions is impure, and on that account it never sees the Way. O monks, do away with passions. When the dirt of passion is removed the Way will manifest itself.”