5 Quotes From Buddha That Will Change Your Mindset

Siddhartha Buddha was a philosopher and a spiritual leader from ancient India who lived 2,600 years ago. He also founded the religion of Buddhism practiced in the world today. Throughout his life, he taught people how to seek enlightenment and help them find a path towards a happy and fulfilling life.

His teachings and words of wisdom have inspired millions of people around the world. Among the virtues Buddha preached were wisdom, kindness, patience, generosity, and compassion.

Here are 5 quotes from Buddha that will help you see life from a different perspective.

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

In the contemporary world, so many people live under the illusion that money defines happiness. We’re conditioned to believe that the more we have, the happier we will be. So we push ourselves in an endless cycle of competition, which will, in the end, make us even more unhappy. It’s a pathological cycle of chasing and needing to have more.

But the truth is, if you just learned to slow down and look at life from a different perspective, I bet you would be happier.

The key to true happiness comes from within. Happiness is internal, not external. That means you need to look inward to find happiness. Ultimately, the key to happiness lies in unforgettable experiences, nurturing relationships, and human connection.

I’ve always embraced a simple lifestyle and I have never gone out of my way to chase money, fame, or fortune. Instead, what I value the most is my freedom and I cherish internal peace and happiness more than anything. I also value genuine connections that help to make my life more meaningful.

In the end, it’s all about our experiences and the relationships we build around us that make our lives more fulfilling. This kind of life is truly worth living as opposed to the empty life that materialism provides.

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We must walk the path.”

Every person walks their own path, but often we’re under the assumption that others know us better than we know ourselves.

The truth is, no one knows you better than you do. You know what your strengths and weaknesses are and so you’re the only person who, in a sense, can be your own mentor. When you ask other people’s advice on how to live your life, you’re stepping outside of your mind and trying to be someone else.

Everyone experiences the world from their unique perspective. Every person has their view on how to live life, and so should you. Ultimately, the life lessons we learn come from walking our unique paths.

As you walk your path, embrace the struggles you’re facing and be prepared to meet whatever challenges lie ahead of you. The trials and tribulations you go through in life will help you get stronger and prepare you to be successful in your ventures.

When the going gets tough, get tougher and be your own saving grace. Embrace the journey and don’t be afraid. Learn how to navigate through the obstacles life throws at you.

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

A perpetually angry person does nothing more than harm their own mind. Because by harboring anger, you become a slave to your negative emotions. By unleashing your anger at someone, you become trapped in a negative mindset.

Being angry — whether your anger is targeted at someone or any situation you’re dealing with — also drains your energy and takes away from your happiness. The key to living a better life is understanding and forgiveness.

To restore a peaceful mind you need to let go of negative emotions, and that means not holding grudges. Once you learn to forgive, you free a room in your mind for positive emotions. Learning to let go of the grudge is the only way to find peace within yourself.

“When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily. One who understands this understands life.”

It’s easy just to pick a flower, bring it home, put it in the vase, and watch how it fades away in a few days. But if you show that flower some loving care and let it grow by watering it daily, it’ll keep blooming to show more of its beautiful colors.

You can apply a similar principle to your life. If you put love in whatever you do — work, love, or relationships — you get so much more in return.

Dig deeper into what you’re doing. When you go beyond the realm of superficiality you can uncover deeper aspects that were previously unknown to you.

Make sure the work you do in life aligns with your passions. Because to put in your best effort into what you do, you must love it with all your heart and not just like it. If you’re passionate about something, you’re more likely to give your best. So it’ll show in the quality of work you produce. If it’s the only life you’ve got, go all in and give it your best.

The same goes for relationships — first, you like someone, then you realize you’re deeply in love with that person. But to keep nurturing that relationship, you need to invest time and effort to sustain it. You’ve heard of one-sided relationships where only one partner puts in all the work and the other doesn’t. Those types of relationships are bound to fail.

Long story short, live your life with love. Learning to love everything in life will help you live your life to the fullest. The more things you fall in love with, the more meaningful and fulfilling your life will be.

“The root of suffering is attachment.”

According to Buddha, when we’re attached to something, we hold on to things to find happiness. As a result, we suffer because we’re too attached to our desires.

Buddha believed that everything in the world is changeable and so we should also change with the world. Nothing in life is permanent.

We often cling to our past and don’t want to let go. But ruminating about the past won’t let you continue moving forward to the future. To move on and progress in life, you need to let go of the past and embrace changes.

Just as there’s an obvious day-to-day transformation in the universe where day becomes night, your life is constantly moving and evolving too. Seasons change, the daily temperatures change. And so we and our thoughts change too. Nothing is stagnant.

Not only do you change but your brain changes too. You’re not the same person you were two or three years ago, even though you may think you are.

As Evan Thompson, a professor at the University of British Columbia, says:

“And from a neuroscience perspective, the brain and body are constantly in flux. There’s nothing that corresponds to the sense that there’s an unchanging self.”

You should be open to change. You should love change. You should embrace change. By accepting the fact that nothing in the universe is permanent, you can be more accepting of the current reality of life. Whatever changes you’re experiencing in life — live through them, experience them, and remember they’re all transient.

If you happen to have reached rock bottom in life, also realize that things will eventually change for the better. But you must be open to new experiences and be willing to accept change. The more you are accepting of the changes that life brings you, the less afraid of change you are. And change becomes your teacher instead of your enemy.

The bottom line

Teachings of Buddha are packed with wisdom and lessons we can all apply in our lives. They can help you step on a path towards a more peaceful and spiritual life. I hope you find some inspiration from his quotes to make your life more meaningful.