Derived from the teachings of Buddha, here are some of the most important life-lessons we can implement in our lives to lead a better and happier life:
- Small and consistent beginnings can go a long way
For, an empty vessel fills drop-by-drop, there is really nothing wrong with starting small. “Every artist was first an amateur.” Almost everyone starts small. But, those who are consistent with their effort and patient, go a long way. There are seldom any overnight success stories in the real life, while it is true that “Small and steady wins the race”. Success belongs to those, who are willing to start small and patiently work toward fulfilling their dreams.
- Thoughts Become Things
“The mind is everything. What you think, you become” Buddha has said. He has also quoted, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.”
So, our thinking determines our actions; which in turn determine our outcomes. While right thinking can grant us everything we desire; wrong thinking is a vice that can eventually destroy everything for us. By changing our thinking, we can change our lives. And a righteous living commands filling our minds with “right” thoughts.
- Learn to forget and forgive
Buddha has taught us “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” So when we release people from the prison of our un-forgiveness, it is we who are actually released from the prison. It is simply because we cannot keep someone down without staying low along with them. So, we need to not only learn to forget and forgive but we need to learn to do it quickly.
- Your actions are what count
“However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act upon them?” Buddha said, “I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.” It is said that the talk is of no value. To progress, one must act and to progress quickly, one must act daily. This implies that everyone who is willing to act consistently toward it, can experience greatness. A famous proverb goes like this “God gives every bird a worm, but he doesn’t throw it into their nest.”
- Conquer Yourself
“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
According to Buddha, the one who is capable of conquering over himself/herself is the most powerful of all. In order to conquer over ourselves, we must conquer our minds. We must control our thinking. We must strive to dismiss the thoughts contrary to the life we wish to live. Buddha said, “It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways.”
- Stay in Peace
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” The truth is that inner peace and contentment can only be found within. We often tend to look outside, only to distract ourselves from this fact. So, if we carefully come to think of it, the inner peace cannot be achieved by either of a new job, a new car, a new house or a spouse. In fact, the inner peace stems from nothing but a new perspective, which begind within you and nowhere outside.
- Stay Thankful
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
We can always look around us to find that there is always at least something to be thankful for. We needn’t be so pessimistic that for even a split second, we fail to realize that there are thousands of things for us to be thankful for. After all, not everyone in the world was lucky enough to wake up this morning. At any point of time, we have something to be thankful for. Let us recognize it. Let us all count our blessings and learn to be thankful, every moment.