Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai is one of the biggest Buddhist temples in the city and houses the Phra Buddha Sihing, an important Buddha statue.
In the Wat compound there are famous Buddhist quotes and sayings attached to trees throughout the garden, which makes for an enlightened walk around the Wat. I like reading inspirational quotes, so on my walks around the old city of I would often make a detour to this garden to ponder these Buddhist quotes on life.
[If everything is gotten dreamily, it will go away dreamily too.]
[Dhamma is systematic practice for a man at every stage of his life.]
[Flattering words are but honey-coated poison.]
[Light dispels darkness. Wisdom dispels ignorance.]
[With Dhamma established in the mind, even bare rice is delicious enough.]
[Those with good eye are inclined to fall into deep well.]
[As you sow so you reap.]
[Until death there is nothing enough.]
[There is no glory for a lazy person however good looking.]
[Without recognition of death, how can there be any knowledge of it.]
[Mans death is the least of all things material. What is left to the world is virtues and vices.]
[The simplicity of the good man is hard to follow. The simplicity of the evil man is easy to follow.]
[Physical charms attract the eyes, goodness attracts the mind.]
[Failure teaches a man how to succeed.]
[Poverty with dignity is better than wealth based on shame.]
[Never is there any effect like that of merit.]
[Without a beginning, there is nothing to worry about the end.]
[The most valuable service is one rendered to our fellow humans.]
[Do not neglect recollection of death.]
[Don’t escape when you have a problem because there always is a way to solve it.]
[Ignorance is the real evil.]
[If there nothing that you like, you must like the things that you have.]
[Better is to speak unpleasant truth than to tell lies.]
[It is easy to know man’s face, but it is difficult to know his thought.]
[Peace is the highest bliss.]
[Eat to live but (don’t) live to eat.]
[In time of suffering, only dhamma is real friend of the mind.]
[Merit making calculated to impress is not real merit.]
[Do try to do good but not to be great, otherwise you will be in danger.]
[Everyone may be a fool but nobody is a fool forever.]
[No other foes are greater than birth and death. No other friends are greater than merits.]
[With mindfulness, a person always prospers.]
[There is no saturating the fire with fuel.]
[The skilled man does not show off, but the man without knowledge usually show off.]
[Crying with the wise is better than laughing with the fool.]
[Anxiety shortens life.]
[Not only to be receiver, but also to be provider.]
[Time and tide wait for no man.]
[Living without hope is like burying oneself.]
[Education is a guide, knowledge is a key.]
[Selfishness is the father of all evil.]
[To defeat others is the starting point of hatred and vengeance.]
[Constant dripping wears away the stone.]
[Every honest work is honourable work.]
[Clean, clear, calm; these are characteristics of a noble person.]
[Good to forgive, the best to forget.]
[It is flooded water that makes mud; it is clean water that wipes away mud.]
Merit is to accumulated, evil is to be abandoned.
Selfishness is the real enemy of peace
[Today is better than two tomorrows.]
[To do good and evil unseen by others are always seen by oneself.]
[A man who will be the public leader, must know how to be the public follower.]
For more Buddha quotes check out 365 Days of Inspirational Quotes and Sayings in Buddhism.
If you are considering to visit Chiang Mai read the guide on where to stay in Chiang Mai.
I just went for a really great walk. thanks
P.S happy happy joy joy, new year rabbit
Mr. james.
Can someone complete: Three things cannot be easily hidden …. ? thanks
i. The Sun
ii. The Moon and
iii. The Truth
I really enjoyed this James, so uplifting, thanks for having the correct meanings typed underneath….
One can but endeavour to follow all and thereby feel elated…
Thank you…..Happy New Year, hope 2011 is safe, happy and healthy for you…Claire
Eddy and Claire, thanks for that.
Happy New Year!
Oh I love these quotes! What a great and inspiring walk it must have been for you… thanks for sharing… love it!!
thank you so much for taking these wonderful photos, ive been looking for deep an meaningful buddhist tattoos to get an i have finally found them.
thanks so much James..
you have the life so many of us could only dream of
sarah
Hi Sarah, thanks for the comment – it is a life I don’t take for granted.
Glad you enjoyed the sayings as much as I did 🙂
So inspiring. I feel soOooso much better than yesterday. I will liev to eat!
I am very thankful to bumped into inspiring Buddhist quotes. Thank you, thank you James.
Fantastic thought ever seen in my life!
Its really the fact of life” really inspired ”
James thank you for sharing. Namaste.
You’re welcome, Marcella 🙂
These quotes really help fill me with peace, keep them coming, keep the faith
Great post. thanks
What language is at the top of these signs?
This is Thai language.
I saw these also in Chiang Mai & was compelled to read them all.
I’d like to put them all over my neighborhood (or at least the alleyways).
Thanks for posting
So cool picture with amazing message, love it 🙂
Great photos, great quotes. This one, “Eat to live but (don’t) live to eat” reminded me of a quote I read in Benjamin Franklin’s biography, “eat not to dullness”. Basically saying the same thing, food is fuel and nothing more. This is especially applicable these days when extravagance is difficult to ignore. Thanks again!
Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the quotes I downloaded the mediation app but seeing it and look at it fromt perspective has been a blessing and an inspiration.
Thanks
I love these quotes. Thanks 🙂
what a positive place, too inspiring… nice
marvelous and exordinary quotes for human life in the universe with global peace, my heartly congratulate for james for acquiring these quotes from buddha literature. thank u very much.
hey i was wondering if anyone here knows how to write out the saying “Today is better than two tomorrows” in Thai. Thank you.
Do you mean how to say in thai then it is,
wan nee wan deaw dee kwa prung nee song wan
wan nee = today
wan deaw = 1 day
dee kwa = better than
prung nee = tomorrow
song wan = 2 day
Really these are the maxims for life.Following these will make life meaningful,one filled with values and it becomes worthful.
Great post! It’s as if I walked with you looking at the quotes.
Keep up the great work.
Love the qotes.
These are excellent words to live by 🙂
Hi there, just wanted to tell you, I enjoyed this post. Keep on posting!
I am so grateful for your blog post. Really Great.
I am so grateful for your post. Cool.
My Favourite: A man once told Buddha “I want happiness”. Buddha replied, “first remove the ‘I’, that’s ego. Then remove ‘want’, that’s desire. And now all you’re left with is Happiness”
None of this sounds familiar from my upbringing. Not even an little.
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. -Vidal Sassoon
I recall some of the quotes back from my time in Sri Lanka. It was just amazing. Wonderful religion indeed.
Hey, glad that i saw on this in google. Thanks!
Hi James,
I just went there, the song they played in this garden is so beautifuL. Do you know what song is it? I am trying to download it.
Thanks,
June.
Hi June, sorry I don’t know it.