After Steve Jobs died, a film of his speech at Stanford University’s commencement in 2005 became wide-spreading on the internet. This speech was about Jobs’ life experience and filled with much of his life’s wisdom. I believe that this speech will become a classic and change many people’s lives.
As natural and man-made financial calamities persist, many people’s minds are unsettled. This is because a common human failing is to hope that good things can last forever and that bad things will never happen. But, just like Buddha tells us, “No one can escape death and unhappiness. If people expect only happiness in life, they will be disappointed.”
Just like Buddha, Steve Jobs’ speech encourages and enlightens many people. I hope though sharing the quotes from Buddha I can also help people have peace of mind in this impermanent world.
Quotes from Buddha:
*Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
*An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.
*However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?
*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.
*Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
*Real peace comes from within. Seek not from outside.
*Fools wait for a lucky day but every day is a lucky day for an industrious man.
*Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.
*Within this moment, the only moment that exists, the past, present and future are contained.
*Little by little a person becomes evil, as a water pot is filled by drops of water…Little by little a person becomes good, as a water pot is filled by drops of water.
*The fickle, unsteady mind, so hard to guard, so hard to control, the wise man straightens, as the fletcher straightens the arrow.
*The mind is very hard to perceive, extremely subtle and wanders at will. Let the wise person guard it; a guarded mind is conducive to happiness.
*The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
*Oneself, indeed, is one’s saviour, for what other saviour would there be? With oneself well controlled one obtains a saviour difficult to find.
*From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear; for him who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence fear?
*Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
Great words of wisdom from the man himself. I’m still teaching myself to be in the present moment and accept everything, based on the paradoxes I read in a book called “Where’s My Zen?”. I’m actively controlling my emotions that way – because it does one no good to agree with meaningful quotes but then not act on them – “An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”