Buddha quotes about life, death, peace, and love

These inspirational Buddha quotes are here to ignite your spirit.

Siddhartha Gautama, more commonly known as Buddha (which means “enlightened one” or “the awakened”), is a spiritual leader and teacher during the 6^th century B.C.

In the comment section below, tell us which Buddha quotes resonated most with you.

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According to research conducted by the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Buddha’s teachings on life, death, peace, and love have been studied and practiced for over 2,500 years. 

This demonstrates the enduring relevance and impact of Buddha’s teachings on humanity.

What are the benefits of reading these Buddha quotes?

Ready to become awakened?

These Buddha quotes will offer you a new perspective on things like:

• Karma, peace, and love
• loving life
• being present and calm

While scholars still debate the events of his life to this day, we cannot doubt that his teachings have had a tremendous influence on many people.

Personal note: Ever since moving [Update: “moved,” after 2 amazing years in India, I’m back in NYC] to India to live and teach, quotes from Buddha have taken on a whole new meaning.

Traveling through India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar has allowed me to witness these powerful words in action.

I hope you enjoy our latest collection of uplifting Buddha quotes!

If you need more inspiration, don’t forget to read our selection of Karma quotes.

If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement. 

Read more related content on our inspirational quotes category page.

Inspirational Buddha quotes on karma, peace, and love

A study by the Harvard Divinity School found that Buddha’s quotes on peace and love have been influential in the development of nonviolent movements around the world. 

This highlights the significant role of Buddha’s teachings in promoting nonviolence and social justice.

1. “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” – Buddha

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2. “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddha

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3. “What we think, we become.” – Buddha

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4. “Be vigilant; guard your mind against negative thoughts.” – Buddha

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5. “To be angry is to let others’ mistakes punish yourself.” – Buddha

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

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7. “Those who consider the unessential to be essential, and see the essential as unessential, don’t reach the essential, living in the field of wrong intention.” – Buddha

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8. “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” – Buddha

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9. “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Buddha

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10. “To keep the body in good health is a duty; otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha

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Buddha quotes about loving your life

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that practicing Buddha’s teachings on compassion and empathy can lead to greater emotional resilience and well-being. 

This underscores the potential benefits of incorporating Buddha’s teachings into personal and professional development.

11. “Let us rise up and be thankful. For if we didn’t learn a lot at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha

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12. “Our theories of the eternal are as valuable as are those that a chick which has not broken its way through its shell might form of the outside world.” – Buddha

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13. “Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”  – Buddha

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14. “Those who attempt to conquer hatred by hatred are like warriors who take weapons to overcome others who bear arms. This does not end hatred, but gives it room to grow. But, ancient wisdom has advocated a different timeless strategy to overcome hatred.

This eternal wisdom is to meet hatred with non-hatred. The method of trying to conquer hatred through hatred never succeeds in overcoming hatred. But, the method of overcoming hatred through non-hatred is eternally effective. That is why that method is described as eternal wisdom.” – Buddha

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15. “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” – Buddha

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16. “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.” – Buddha

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17. “To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”  – Buddha

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18. “When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily.”  – Buddha

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19. “All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If the mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?” – Buddha

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20. “Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.” – Buddha

If you’re enjoying this article, make sure to also check out these Rumi quotes that will expand your mind in ways you never knew.

Buddha quotes and sayings about being present and calm

According to a study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, practicing loving-kindness meditation can increase feelings of social connectedness and positive emotions.

This statistic can help reinforce the idea that love and compassion are powerful tools for promoting well-being and happiness, and may inspire readers to incorporate loving-kindness meditation into their own daily practice.

21. “Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha

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22. “Inward calm cannot be maintained unless physical strength is constantly and intelligently replenished.”- Buddha

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23. “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.” – Buddha

24. “Neither fire, nor wind, birth, nor death, can erase our good deeds.” – Buddha

25. “The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.” – Buddha

26. “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”  – Buddha

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27. “There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.” – Buddha

28. “To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.” – Buddha

29. “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.” – Buddha

30. “Believe nothing, merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” – Buddha

31. “Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” – Buddha

32. “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” – Buddha

33. “In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” – Buddha

Buddha quotes on happiness, meditation, and spirituality

According to a study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, experiencing gratitude can promote feelings of love and social connection.

This statistic can help support the idea that love and gratitude are closely intertwined, and that cultivating a sense of gratitude can help foster deeper relationships and a greater sense of well-being.

34. “Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.” – Buddha

35. “What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” – Buddha

36. “If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.” – Buddha

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37. “Purity or impurity depends on oneself. No one can purify another.” – Buddha

38. “There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.” – Buddha

39. “Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.” – Buddha

40. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.” – Buddha

Buddha quotes on death

A survey by the Pew Research Center found that roughly 70% of Americans believe that religion is very or somewhat important in their lives.

This statistic can help contextualize the enduring appeal of Buddhist teachings, which are often grounded in spiritual and philosophical principles that can resonate with people of many different faiths and backgrounds.

41. “Everything is changeable, everything appears and disappears; there is no blissful peace until one passes beyond the agony of life and death.” – Buddha

42. “Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.” – Buddha

43. “Many do not realize that we here must die. For those who realize this, quarrels end.” – Buddha

44. “The world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world.” The Buddha

45. “Good health is simply the slowest way a human being can die,” – Buddha

46. “Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are.”- Buddha

47. “This world is shrouded in darkness. Here, only a few can see their way free. These few birds escape from the net, and fly away to the heavens.” – Buddha
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Buddha quotes on change

48. “Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.” – Buddha

49. “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Buddha

50. “One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world.” – Buddha

51. “Everything changes, nothing remains without change.” – Buddha

52. “The universe itself is change and life itself is but what you deem it” – Buddha

53. “Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.” – Buddha

54. “Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.” – Buddha

55. “Three things cannot hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.” – Buddha

56. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha

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57. “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha

58. “You can only make two mistakes when traveling on the road to truth: not starting, and not going all the way.” – Buddha

59. “Better to conquer yourself than a thousand battles. Only then can the victory truly be yours. No one can take it away from you – not heaven, hell, demons or angels.” – Buddha

60. “Never envy others or take what you have for granted. Those who envy others will never find peace of mind.” – Buddha

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Buddha quotes to inspire and teach

61. “Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth.” – Buddha

62. “Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him as you would a guide to hidden treasure.” – Buddha

63. “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.” – Buddha

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

65. “Be a lamp for yourselves. Be your own refuge. Seek for no other. All things must pass. Strive on diligently. Don’t give up.” – Buddha

66. “As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse.” – Buddha

67. “The calmed say that what is well-spoken is best; second, that one should say what is right, not unrighteous; third, what’s pleasing, not displeasing; fourth, what is true, not false.” – Buddha

68. “In separateness lies the world’s greatest misery; in compassion lies the world’s true strength.” – Buddha

69. “Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds.” – Buddha

70. “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” – Buddha

71. “Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all.” – Buddha

72. “Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.” – Buddha

73. “Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.” – Buddha

74. “Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.”- Buddha

75. “Wear your ego like a loose fitting garment.”- Buddha

Buddha Quotes about Luck, Fortune and Prosperity

76. “Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude and hearing the good Dhamma, this is the best good luck.” – Buddha

77. “To refrain from evil and from strong drink and to be always, steadfast in virtue; this is the good luck.” – Buddha

78. “Being generous, just helping one’s relatives and being blameless in one’s actions; this is the best good luck.” – Buddha

79. “Being deeply learned and skilled, being well trained and using well spoken words; This is good luck.” – Buddha

80. “Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.” – Buddha

81. “A kind man who makes good use of wealth is rightly said to possess a great treasure but the miser who hoards up his riches will have no profit.” – Buddha

82. “Sound health is the greatest of gifts contentedness, the greatest of riches trust, the greatest of qualities enlightenment, the greatest happiness.” – Buddha

83. “Times of luxury do not last long, but pass away very quickly. Nothing in this world can be long enjoyed.” – Buddha

84. “There is no satisfying the senses, not even with a shower of money. The senses are of slight pleasure and really suffering.” – Buddha

85. “Man takes no pleasure, as a disciple of the Buddhas, even in the pleasures of heaven. Instead he takes pleasure in the elimination of craving.” – Buddha

Buddha Quotes to Give You Wisdom In Life

86. “Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness & benefit.” — Buddha

87. “There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.” — Buddha

88. “We will develop love, we will practice it, we will make it both a way and a basis…” — Buddha

89. “All experiences are preceded by mind, having mind as their master, created by mind.” — Buddha

90. “Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.” — Buddha

91. “The root of suffering is attachment.” — Buddha

92. “If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow.” — Buddha

93. “Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.” — Buddha

94. “Faith and prayer both are invisible, but they make impossible things possible.” — Buddha

95. “If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.” — Buddha

Buddha Quotes On Love To Sharpen Your Wit

96. “Mind is everything. What we think, we become.” ― Gautama Buddha

97. “The person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable.” ― Gautama Buddha

98. “Doubt everything. Find your own light.” ― Gautama Buddha

99. “Want what you have, and you will always get what you want.” ― Gautama Buddha

100. “Each day of my life I am sowing seeds that one day I will harvest.” ― Gautama Buddha

101. “To understand everything is to forgive everything.” ― Gautama Buddha

102. “If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone. There is no companionship with the immature.” ― Gautama Buddha

103. “Holding on to anger is like poisoning yourself and hoping someone else will die.” ― Gautama Buddha

104. “Crying with the wise is better than laughing with the fool.” ― Gautama Buddha

105. “Some do not understand that we must die, But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.” ― Gautama Buddha

What insights did you gain from these Buddha quotes?

Buddha’s sayings are a great source of inspiration and motivation, especially for entrepreneurs, dreamers, and innovators.

It doesn’t matter where you are in life, you can surely find a quote or two that can relate to your current situation today.

What other Buddha quotes would you add to the list?

Tell us in the comment section below!

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