Buddhist Teachings For A Better Life

Once upon a time, very far away from us, we stopped looking up curiously and with admiration and instead began to look for other things.

This happened when we began to underestimate, neglect and forget the mind and let something else take its place. Thus we began to wander, constantly seeking pleasure and safety, constantly fleeing the fear, pain, and discomfort that keep us from feeling at peace.

The word buddha comes from the word budh, which means to awaken. Buddha thus means ‘the awakened one’. A buddha is one who has awakened from everything, as if he awakens from the deepest sleep and has found that he is no longer suffering, that all the suffering was but a bad dream. We can all escape from this nightmare, manage to “do only good, take care not to harm others, and purify the heart.”

According to Buddhism, the path that leads us to “reconnect with our minds” consists of three stages: listening or reading, reflecting on what has been read, and putting this knowledge into practice. From this we can conclude that Buddhist philosophy can be very useful. If it doesn’t work, you can give it up. If, on the other hand, it is beneficial, then it is worth developing this philosophy.

With the aim of introducing this philosophy to you, in this article we share nine of the many sutras or Buddhist teachings that exist that invite us to reflect on our lives. They are not quotes to remember, but lessons that together make up the entire Buddhist teachings and which we can apply to our own daily habits.

Sutra 1: He looks, he is bright

Everything can be found in our hearts, but we must learn to observe. By doing this, our mind becomes clear, we become more sensitive and more focused. Be wise and observe; don’t talk, just try to observe and learn.

Sutra 2: Only love dispels hate

Light dispels darkness and darkness is hatred. How can we reach this light? By relaxing and clearing our mind. Separate yourself from the influences that only fill you with hatred and negative feelings. Try to obtain silence and the light will awaken in you and hatred will be unimportant to you.

Sutra 3: How can you argue?

Life is short. When you argue, it is a useless waste. It is much better to use your time and energy to achieve happiness. So don’t argue about physical things when your heart is lifted up. We are dust and to dust we shall return. What’s the point of arguing then? What does it get us to waste our energy?

Sutra 4: Beyond Judgment

Do not allow yourself to consider what is good and what is bad. Because if you start analyzing this, you will become divided. Choose an attitude of conscious awareness. Just try to observe both options, without choosing.

Sutra 5: Live laboriously

Would you like to reach the top of Mount Everest in a helicopter? This may be a lot easier, but it’s not nearly as satisfying. It is truly enriching to put our heart and soul into something. We must live, not watch life. You can only achieve this by living your own life and not that of others.

Sutra 6: Overcome

Turn the negative into something positive. The world prepares you for the negative and pushes you towards the paths of oppression. An intelligent person is not one who serves society. Society needs obedient people, not intelligent people. Live your life intelligently.

Sutra 7: Awake Forever

There are two ways to live your life: by falling or by growing. Falling is easy, because gravity lends you a hand, as does society and the masses. To fall, all you have to do is let yourself be wrapped up and be obedient.

However, growing is complicated. To grow you must disobey; you must overcome your ego, overcome yourself and evolve. We all have the ability to reach a state of consciousness, but few of us go looking for it and find it. If you embark on this path and get to know yourself and live your own life, you will live forever.

Sutra 8: Words

The mind is full of words, mostly unnecessary words. Try to get used to thinking only about the necessary things and to talk as little as possible. Be concrete and telegraphic. Think in advance whether what you want to say makes sense. Never forget that words have power and that power can turn against you.

Sutra 9: Thoughts

Thoughts are in your mind, they are chaotic and it is important to collect them. They come and go in vain. You make things up or interpret them and your thoughts go their own way. Your thoughts are your executioner. Think only when you want to. Learn to connect and disconnect yourself.

There have been thousands of Buddhas throughout history, thousands of awakened people who showed us the path by which they attained gratitude and wisdom.

Therefore, we can all achieve fulfillment by following these precepts; all we have to do is destroy our ego, disobey and live our own life, walking the path of love and kindness.

–Images courtesy of Sutichak Yachiangkham and Mila Supinskaya–