As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised asceticism leads to hell
There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed
By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed
Pleasures destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other shore; the foolish by his thirst for pleasures destroys himself, as if he were his own enemy
Every one in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak the strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice
To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good;--and thus (all) get to be good To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; an...
Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brahmana; because he walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he has sent away his own impurities, therefore he is...
Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, leaving all longings, travels about without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct
The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is calm in the doctrine of Buddha will reach the quiet place (Nirvana), cessation of natural desires, and happiness
The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbour's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides...
But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others
Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never commit any wrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of action clear, and he will achieve the way whic...
The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion (of the law), but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is like a cowherd counting the cows of others
After a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with flesh and blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and deceit
As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion and hatred, O ye Bhikshus!
He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who is without thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life: this will be his last body
Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly, full of many thoughts, which has no strength, no hold!
Death comes and carries off that man, praised for his children and flocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village
Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, is without a body, and hides in the chamber (of the heart), will be free from the bonds of Mara (the tempter)
A Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he has received, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if he is not slothful
A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures; because he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man called Ariya
He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy affliction, or loss of mind,
Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvana the highest happiness
It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness
The unwrought material, when divided and distributed, forms vessels The sage, when employed, becomes the Head of all the Officers (of government); and in his greatest regulations h...
Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is no knowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirvana
Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering
Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassiki, among these sorts of perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed
But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting
Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice of