How can a system requiring the infliction of misery on other beings be called a religious system?... To seek a good by doing an evil is surely no safe plan.—Fo-pen-hing-tsih-king.
Unto the dumb lips of his flock he lent
Sad pleading words, showing how man, who prays
For mercy to the gods, is merciless.
—Sir Edwin Arnold.
I then will ask you, if a man, in worshipping ... sacrifices a sheep, and so does well, wherefore not his child, ... and so do better? Surely ... there is no merit in killing a sheep!—Fo-pen-hing-tsih-king.
Nor [shall one] lay
Upon the brow of innocent bound beasts
One hair's weight of that answer all must give
For all things done amiss or wrongfully.
—Sir Edwin Arnold.
Doing no injury to any one,
Dwell in the world full of love and kindness.
—Questions of King Milinda.
Ministering to the worthy, doing harm to none,
Always ready to render reverence to whom it is due.
Loving righteousness and righteous conversation,
Ever willing to hear what may profit another.
—Fo-pen-hing-tsih-king.
Scrupulously avoiding all wicked actions;
Reverently performing all virtuous ones;
Purifying his intention from all selfish ends:
This is the doctrine of all the Buddhas.
—Siau-chi-kwan.
Instruct yourself (more and more) in the highest morality.—Nagarjuna's "Friendly Epistle."
Cultivate compassion.—Visuddhi-Magga.
May my thoughts, now small and narrow, expand in the next existence, that I may understand the precepts ... thoroughly, and never break them or be guilty of trespasses.—Inscription in Temple of Nakhon Vat.
Religion he looks upon as his best ornament.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
The sinner is never beautiful.—Lalita Vistara.
Use no perfume but sweetness of thoughts.—Siamese Buddhist Maxim.
Wealth and beauty, scented flowers and ornaments like these, are not to be compared for grace with moral rectitude!—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
He who ... cannot feel joy to see merit in others is stained with the darkness of sin.—Story of Pratiharyya.
Ask not of (a person's) descent, but ask about his conduct—Sundarikabharadvaja-sutta.
The young man Vasettha said: "When one is virtuous and full of (good) works, in this way he becomes a Brahman."—Vasettha-sutta.
Not by birth does one become low caste, not by birth a Brahman; by his deeds he becomes low caste, by his deeds he becomes a Brahman.—Vasala-sutta.
Whosoever strikes, or by words annoys, mother or father, brother or sister, ... let us know such as a "base-born."—Vasala-sutta.
Causing destruction to living beings, killing and mutilating, ... stealing and speaking falsely, fraud and deception, ... these are (what defile a man).—Amagandha-sutta.
Whosoever ... harms living beings, ... and in whom there is no compassion for them, let us know such as a "base-born."—Vasala-sutta.
In whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, he is a Brahman.—Dhammapada.
Whoso hurts not (living) creatures, whether those that tremble or those that are strong, nor yet kills nor causes to be killed, him do I call a Brahman.—Vasettha-sutta.
Whoso is (entirely) divested of sin, as is the heaven of mire and the moon of dust, him do I call a Brahman.—Udanavarga.
Him I call indeed a Brahman who, though he be guilty of no offense, patiently endures reproaches, bonds, and stripes.—Dhammapada.
We will patiently suffer threats and blows at the hands of foolish men.—Saddharma-pundarika.
Who, though he be cursed by the world, yet cherishes no ill-will towards it.—Sammaparibbajaniya-sutta.
Persecutions and revilings, murders and numberless imprisonments, these hast thou suffered in thousands from the world, verily delighting in long-suffering.—Lalita Vistara.
At the end of life the soul goes forth alone; whereupon only our good deeds befriend us.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
The wrongdoer, devoid of rectitude, ... is full of anxiety when death arrives.—Mahaparinibbana-sutta.
He who has done what is right is free from fear.—Udanavarga.
No fear has any one of me; neither have I fear of any one: in my good-will to all I trust.—Introduction to the Jataka.
Our deeds, whether good or evil, ... follow us as shadows.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
He who now gives in charity
Shall surely reap where he has given;
For whosoever piously bestows a little water
Shall receive return like the great ocean.
—Ta-chwang-yan-king-lun.
Covetous desire is the greatest (source of) sorrow. Appearing as a friend, in secret 'tis our enemy.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
That which is given in charity is rich in returns; therefore charity is a true friend; although it scatters it brings no remorse.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
He who stints the profit he has made, his wealth will soon be spent and lost.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
The (real) treasure is that laid up ... through charity and piety, temperance and self-control.... The treasure thus hid is secure, and passes not away. Though he leave the fleeting riches of the world, this a man carries with him—a treasure that no wrong of others, and no thief, can steal.—Nidhikanda-sutta.
Think of all sentient beings as thy children.—Tenets of the Soto Sect.
Though exalted, forget not the lowly.—Jitsu-go-kiyo.
Be kind to all that lives.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
Filled with compassion for all creatures.—Saddharma-pundarika.
Of all possessions, contentedness is the best by far.—Nagarjuna's "Friendly Epistle."
A contented mind is always joyful.—Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king.
Let us then live happily, though we call nothing our own.—Dhammapada.
Not the whole world, ... the ocean-girt earth,
With all the seas and the hills that girdle it,
Would I wish to possess with shame added thereto.
—Questions of King Milinda.
Let none be forgetful of his own duty for the sake of another's.—Dhammapada.
The faults of others are easily seen; one's own faults are difficult to see.—Udanavarga.
Self-examination is painful.—Pillar Inscriptions of Asoka.
A man winnows his neighbor's faults like chaff: his own he hides, as a cheat the bad die from the gambler.—Dhammapada.
She orders her household aright, she is hospitable to kinsmen and friends, a chaste wife, a thrifty housekeeper, skilful and diligent in all her duties.—Sigalovada-sutta.
The wife ... should be cherished by her husband.—Sigalovada-sutta.
Were I not ready