Today, April 8th, is Buddha Day.
Unfortunately, I don't know why it's Buddha Day. I tried looking it up online but I haven't had any luck. (If anyone finds out the origin of Buddha Day, I'd love to know.)
Anyhoo, I thought that I'd put up a few Buddha sayings that I enjoy.
Ennui has made more gamblers than avarice, more drunkards than thirst, and perhaps as many suicides as despair.
"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it."
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."
Words have the power to both destroy and heal.
When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger."
The tongue like a sharp knife... Kills without drawing blood.
"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky”
"He is able who thinks he is able."
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“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.”
(hmmm...I should mention that I'm not that great at meditation but I ain't ignorant, much)
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”
And, of course, we need just had to have a story.......This is from a blog I put up on my The Stories La Tells blog
Advice from a Three Year Old or WWBD?
(What Would Buddha Do?)
Late last night as I was looking through a book of stories, this story caught my attention.
I thought it would make a good addition this blog.
Apparently my subconscious loved the story because even in my sleep and in my first waking moments the story was still with me.
So I have decided to "exorcise" it quickly.
There was once a famous artist who decided that he wanted to study the works of Buddha and attain enlightenment. He thought that the best way to do this was to seek the most famous and wisest teacher and ask him, "What was the most important thing that Buddha taught?"
The artist traveled to the other side of the world to find the teacher he sought. When at last he found the teacher, he asked him, "What was the most important thing that Buddha taught?"
"Do not harm anyone and only do good," was the teacher's immediate response.
"What?" shouted the indignant artist. "You are the most famous of teachers! You are supposed to be wise beyond your years! And this is all you can tell me? A three year old could have told me the same thing!"
The teacher, who had sat quietly through the entire speech, looked at the artist and said, "A three year old could have said the same thing but it is a very difficult thing to practice, even for one as old as myself."
(A Zen tale retold by LLL, Storyteller)
Yes, this teeny little story has been stuck in my head all night and half the day. Why? Aside from the fact that I like stories, I think that it's because it's so simple a truth…….but not so simple to practice.
Makes you think.
Love, Laughter, Peace and Blessings!
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