More Buddha Quotes

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to do any reading or searching for more quotes from Buddha and his many followers since I’ve been focusing my energies on creating the newest store in our long line of stores called Buddha’s Gifts on Zazzle.  For some reason, they are the slowest company to deal with I’ve ever designed for.  They force you to wait 24 hours or more while they “approve” designs for Buddhist shops and then often omit certain products that takes another 2 hours to replace into the store.  Nevertheless, they are better than Cafe Press on their best days since Cafe Press seems to be about to go out of business and steals from its shopkeepers constantly while Zazzle lets the shopkeepers set their own profit margins (ours are among the lowest, by the way) and then gives you the total profit, not just 10% of what you set.  Do I sound cynical about Cafe Press?  Since they rob me of hundreds of dollars a month with their unethical TOS I suppose one could say that.

But, now that I have that out of my system, let’s return to the positive aspects that Buddha taught and that I so obviously have yet to get a firm grasp on.  Let’s look at more than few that I need to incorporate into my daily life and my reactions to the dealings of others. I can only control my own thoughts and my own actions and, thus, that is where I should be focusing my attention.

Some Thoughts From Buddha’s Followers:

Our actions, our words and our thoughts determine our karma, in other words, the happiness and the suffering that will be our lot.  –  Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

We are all slaves of our own actions.  Why be angry with anyone else?  –  Shantideva

When we feel responsible, concerned and committed, we begin to feel deep emotion and great courage.  –  The 14th Dalai Lama

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand.  They are the moments when we touch one another.  –  Jack Kornfield

Words should be coherent and controlled, clear and pleasant, and should be spoken in a calm and gentle voice; they should express neither desire nor hatred.  –  Shantideva

It is the place of feeling that binds us or frees us.  –  Jack Kornfield

It is by striving ceaselessly to change our emotions that we will succeed in changing our temperament. – Matthieu Ricard.

I must admit that the mere act of recording these words and thoughts reminds me just how terribly far I am from any form of freedom from the vices that keep me shackled to this Earth and its pain and suffering.  I am so very, very imperfect and so very far from where I know I must be to end this cycle, yet each day I find myself forgetting and re-enacting the foolishness of my anger and fear.  These words, at least for a few moments, reminds me of the path I’ve fallen from again and again but, when I read these words, that path becomes a bit more familiar and a tiny bit easier to regain.  I hope they help you as well.

I wish you all peace and contentment.  Namaste.  Peace.

Buddha’s Gifts To The World

Let’s talk a little about the life of Buddha, shall we?  His may teachings, Buddha’s Gifts to the world, are many.

Siddhārtha Gautama : Siddhattha Gotama) was a teacher from ancient India who founded Buddhism. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha of our age, “Buddha” meaning “awakened one” or “the enlightened one.” The time of his birth and death are uncertain: most early 20th-century historians dated his lifetime as 563 BCE to 483 BCE, but more recent opinion dates his death to between 486 and 483 BCE or, according to some, between 411 and 400 BCE. By tradition, Gautama is said to have been born in the small state of Kapilavastu, in what is now Nepal, and later to have taught primarily throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kośala.

Gautama, also known as Śākyamuni (“Sage of the Śākyas”), is the primary figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him, Buddha’s Gifts to his followers, were passed down by oral tradition, and first committed to writing about 400 years later.

He is also regarded as a god or prophet in other world religions or denominations, including Hinduism (the word Buddha in Hindi), Ahmadiyya Islam (the word Buddha in Arabic) and the Bahá’í faith.

His teachings have traveled throughout the Asian world and is found in Vietnamese culture (Buddha in Vietnamese, in Thailand (Buddha in Thai), Chinese culture (Buddha in Chinese) as well as small sects found in Russia (Buddha in Russian)and in Greece (Buddha in Greek).

Some of his most loved and repeated teachings have been passed down to us, as well

Pain in Inevitable
Suffering is Not

Do not wish for gratitude.

Do your duty – Show Kindness to Others – And Keep Them From Suffering

Don’t Think – SEE!

This will simply be the first of a series of narratives of the life of Buddha.  He, like Jesus and so many others, brought teachings of peace and love to our world that ignore at out peril.  Buddha’s gifts to the world were many and wonderful.

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