In Buddha’s Words: Daily Inspirational Buddha “Quotes” with Citations — Separating the Real from the Fake

In Buddha’s Words is a new series of “quotable quotes” from the Buddha — but cited with their source. Many Buddha Quotes and inspirational quotes online are “made up” or not verified with sutra/sutta references. We will pick the best of the “verifiable” inspirational quotes and cite the actual source — in most cases with a full English translation of the original text.

Daily Series

We will run an excerpt and full sutra/sutta teachings, daily where possible, in Buddha Weekly. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest by email every Tuesday.

What better topic to begin the series than Metta, or Loving Kindness, fundamental teaching of the Buddha? This quote — found online on an inspirational site — is paraphrased from the Metta Sutta Sutta-nipata, vv 143-152, quoted below.

 

Buddha Weekly 0m Buddha face enlgihtened face statue

In Buddha’s Words attempts to offer inspirational Buddha Quotes that are verified and cited, separating the verified sutras and sutta sources from the unverified sources.

 

Like a caring mother

In the quote found online — which was a reasonable translation, this was quoted as:

“Like a caring mother holding and guarding the life of her only child, so with a boundless heart of loving-kindness, hold yourself and all beings as your beloved children.”

A verified translation from Access to Insight uses the more traditional phrasing:

“And just as might a mother with her life

Protect the son that was her only child,

So let him then for every living thing

Maintain unbounded consciousness in being”

 

Buddha Weekly In Buddhas Words Metta Sutta instagram

New series on Buddha Weekly: In Buddha’s Words. Actual verified Quotable quotes from the Buddha with citations from source.

 

Metta Sutta, from the Sutta-nipata, vv. 143-152

(Spoken by the Buddha)

What should be done by one skillful in good So as to gain the State of Peace is this:
Let him be able, and upright and straight,
Easy to speak to, gentle, and not proud,
Contented too, supported easily,
With few tasks, and living very lightly;
His faculties serene, prudent, and modest,
Unswayed by the emotions of the clans;
And let him never do the slightest thing
That other wise men might hold blamable.
(And let him think:) “In safety and in bliss
May creatures all be of a blissful heart.
Whatever breathing beings there may be.
No matter whether they are frail or firm,
With none excepted, be they long or big
Or middle-sized, or be they short or small
Or thick, as well as those seen or unseen,
Or whether they are dwelling far or near,
Existing or yet seeking to exist.
May creatures all be of a blissful heart.
Let no one work another one’s undoing
Or even slight him at all anywhere:
And never let them wish each other ill
Through provocation or resentful thought.”
And just as might a mother with her life
Protect the son that was her only child,
So let him then for every living thing
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being;
And let him too with love for all the world
Maintain unbounded consciousness in being
Above, below, and all round in between,
Untroubled, with no enemy or foe.
And while he stands or walks or while he sits
Or while he lies down, free from drowsiness,
Let him resolve upon this mindfulness:
This is Divine Abiding here, they say.
But when he has no trafficking with views,
Is virtuous, and has perfected seeing,
And purges greed for sensual desires,
He surely comes no more to any womb.

Please Help Support the “Spread the Dharma” Mission!

The power of Dharma to help sentient beings, in part, lies in ensuring access to Buddha’s precious Dharma — the mission of Buddha Weekly and “Spread the Dharma.” We can’t do it without you. Since 2007, Buddha Weekly published many feature articles, videos, and,  podcasts. Please consider supporting the mission to preserve and “Spread the Dharma” with a small donation (via Paypal) to help defray the high costs of producing quality Dharma content. Thank you!


Lee-Clark-buddha-weekly-5

Lee Kane

Author | Buddha Weekly

Lee Kane is the editor of Buddha Weekly, since 2007. His main focuses as a writer are mindfulness techniques, meditation, Dharma and Sutra commentaries, Buddhist practices, international perspectives and traditions, Vajrayana, Mahayana, Zen. He also covers various events.
Lee also contributes as a writer to various other online magazines and blogs.

Other Popular Stories

New series on Buddha Weekly: In Buddha's Words. Actual verified Quotable quotes from the Buddha with citations from source.

In Buddha’s Words: Daily Inspirational Buddha “Quotes” with Citations — Separating the Real from the Fake

In Buddha's Words
New video series from Buddha Weekly "In Buddha's Words — NOT in Buddhas Words."

In Buddhas Words … NOT in Buddha’s Words Series. About 50 Percent of Online Quotes Attributed to Buddha are Actual

Buddha Weekly Video / Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English / In Buddha's Words
“He who is possessed of constant virtue,
Who has understanding, and is concentrated, Who is strenuous and diligent as well,
Will cross the flood so difficult to cross.” Buddha, The Blessed One from Visuddhi-maga (S I 53).

In Buddha’s Words: “He who is possessed by constant virtue…” Path of Purification #inBuddhasWords

In Buddha's Words
In Buddha's Words 2: "Be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge." Cited from Maha-parinibbana Sutta v.33

In Buddhas Words: “Be… Refuges Unto Yourself Seeking No External Refuge…”

In Buddha's Words
“The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future, who has no attachment and holds on to nothing — that person, I call a Holy Person.” — The Buddha, Dhammapada 421

In Buddhas Words: “The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future…” #InBuddhasWords

In Buddha's Words
Invalid Email

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.