10 Life Changing Lessons From Buddha

There are an endless amount of powerful, beautiful, and life changing lessons one can learn from studying Buddha and Buddhism. Even just reading many of Buddha’s quotes can have a profound impact on your life. Back in 2012, I had the honor of traveling to McLeod Ganj in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India.

While I was there, I had the amazing opportunity to attend several of the Dalai Lama’s lectures. Listening to him teach the basic principles of Buddhism had an extremely changed my life. Today, I want to share 10 of these beautiful lessons with you!

Here are 10 life changing lessons from Buddha:

1. Your thoughts become words and your words have the power to heal or harm. It’s your choice.

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

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” – Buddha

“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.” – Buddha

“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” – Buddha

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

“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

“He is able who thinks he is able.” – Buddha

2. There’s enough for everyone, and your happiness doesn’t decrease by sharing.

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

3. You must let go of fear in order to live fully.

“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.” – Buddha

4. The truth will come out. Believe in your own truth.

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

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Buddha

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” – Buddha

5. You deserve love from others, but most importantly, you deserve love from yourself.

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

6. We’re all looking for a spiritual life that nourishes our soul and allows us to thrive.

“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” – Buddha

“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.” – Buddha

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

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

7. Peace is the answer, and it truly only comes from within.

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

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

“Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.” – Buddha

8. Choose your friends very wisely.

“An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.” – Buddha

“A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals a secret of hidden treasure.” – Buddha

9. We’re all one. Forget the labels.

“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” – Buddha

“Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two.” – Buddha

“He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.” – Buddha

10. Happiness isn’t a destination – it’s your journey. Enjoy that journey.

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

“A jug fills drop by drop.” – Buddha

It is better to travel well than to arrive.” – Buddha