Favorite Buddhist quotes

Ch'an mondo:

The bandit came upon the abbot of the local monestary and demanded all his belongings whereupon the abbot refused. The bandit became enraged and shouted "Do you know who I am? I'm the leader of the bandits in this area and I'll cut your head off without a care!" Whereupon the abbot responded "Do you know who I am? I'm the abbot of the monestary and if you cut my head off I won't care."

metta,

~v
 
Nick the Pilot said:
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

— Buddha
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A common misunderstanding, based on a selective reading of the sutta.

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher."
When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.'
When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them.
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Total self-reliance on our own views is not what Buddha taught, as the underlined and generally ignored phrase says.
 
Not directly from Buddhist scripture but related the the 'oneness' of everything that is living. When Bruce Lee was asked if he considers himself an American or from Hong Kong he said:

"You know what I want to think of myself? As a human being. Because, I mean I don't want to be like "As Confucius say," but under the sky, under the heavens there is but one family. It just so happens that people are different."
 
"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."
Not buddhist but....
 
Taoist said:
"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."
Not buddhist but....
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Hi Taoist,

One could say that the entire Tripitaka is concerned with mastery of oneself, so your quote is indeed Buddhist! :)

A little taste from the popular Dhammapada:

"It is good to tame the mind,
alighting, as it does, wherever it desires -
swift, resistant to restraint.
A tamed mind gives rise to ease."

- ch.3 Mind, translated by Glenn Wallis.
​

Snoopy.
 
peaceandkarma said:
I've got a book called "Teachings of Buddha" by Jack Kornfield but can anyone recommend any other books about his teachings?
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Turning the Wheel of Truth (Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching) by Ajahn Sucitto, a Buddhist abbot.

Jack Kornfield says this of the book:

"Ajahn Sucitto takes ones of the most essential of all Buddhist teachings and illuminates it with depth, perspective and clarity. His teachings offer an immediate and straightforward vision of Dharma, like a lamp in the darkness."

s.
 
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