Awakening Life: Buddhist Classic Sentences – Troubles Originate in the Mind, Realms Created by the Mind

1. Be still of mind, and thou shalt not err. Idle chatter is a sign of folly; it is better to contemplate one's heart than to complain; bury your resentment before it takes root. What disturbs you is often your own excessive attachment; what harms you is often your own foolish thinking. If you are calm, none can hate you; if you are not, none can appease you.

2. If it is predestined, do not resist; if it is not, do not seek. Welcome those who come, farewell to those who go. Everything is predestined, surrender to it naturally. In this world, we should strive to do our best, but don't force things.

3. Troubles arise from the mind; all environments are created by the mind. If you cannot control your destiny, destiny will control you; if you cannot adjust your attitude, your life will be unbalanced. Take control of your destiny, focus on cultivating a good mindset.

4. There is an answer to everything. Instead of worrying, accept things as they are. Destiny will not deprive anyone; a relaxed attitude will lead to happiness. You will find blue skies and flowers if you open your mind, and everyone's heart will be full of flowers if you remain steadfast.

5. When you encounter unpleasant things and people, if you don't learn to forgive, you will live a painful and weary life. Forgiveness is a gesture of kindness and grace, like an umbrella to shield you in the rain. Learning to forgive brings happiness.

6. You will realize that many things cannot be sought, and if they don't belong to you, why waste your life trying to obtain them? When you focus on something, you will be troubled; when you expect, you will be heartbroken. Expectation is the root of all pain.

7. Mountains have their height, water has its depth; don't compare them. Wind has its freedom, clouds have their gentleness; don't imitate them. Seek what you desire, cherish what you value, treasure what you find happy. No one can judge you perfectly, no one can guess your thoughts. Don't care about others' opinions, be your true self, and live with contentment.

8. Don't always try to please others; the more you care about their opinions, the more humble you become. Only by pleasing yourself and letting others please you will you gain true value.

9. The ability to quickly handle your emotions will lead to rapid success. Anger will drive away good luck. Those who seem calm are simply those who can endure. Before you become the person you want to be, you must first do two things: live and endure.

10. All things arise from cause and condition, and are born of thought. If you are attached to something, you will be torn between gain and loss. Troubles will follow; if you can accept everything, you will have no fear. The most precious thing in life is a calm mind, far from distractions, tranquil as water, free from the five colors of the world, and not swayed by worldly desires.

11. When you are proud, remain humble; when you are disappointed, remain open-minded. There are many things in life that you can let go of; only when you let go can you grasp. Simplify your life, and you will find that the beautiful landscapes you couldn't see before are the most suitable for life. Don't be too obsessed, or you will carry a heavy burden.

12. If a road seems hopeless, change direction; if a problem seems difficult, let it go; if relationships seem strained, leave them. Living a life, persist until you find happiness. Breaking, letting go, and discarding, release the past, return your mind to zero!

13. Life is like a flower; the paler the color, the stronger the fragrance; the deeper the color, the fainter the fragrance. When pursuing external beauty, it is easy to become superficial; when focusing on internal beauty, it is truly elegant. When dealing with people, being outspoken will only lead to resentment; being magnanimous will earn you people's respect. When dealing with yourself, being overly concerned will harm yourself and yourself; maintaining a calm and serene attitude is elegant. Life is from within, so maintain a simple and elegant demeanor to be appreciated by others and yourself.

14. Some things are destined to be out of reach; if you continue to pursue them, they will always slip away; some people are just passersby in your life; if you cling to them, your expectations will always be disappointed. If it doesn't belong to you, give it up. Don't let endless desires bury your happiness and peace.

15. If a thought is clear, it is paradise; if it is not, it is hell. Since you are alive, live well. Sometimes, we are too sensitive and worry about trivial things, leading to big mistakes and losses. Whether something will cause trouble depends on how we view and handle it. Don't always take things too seriously, don't dwell on minor details, don't be petty, don't be narrow-minded. Not caring is a kind of understanding and composure.

16. Trees and people are similar; the more distinctive a person is, the stronger their life force; the less distinctive a person is, the weaker their life force will be, and their lifespan will not be long.

17. Life's successes are not determined by fate, but by cultivation; not obtained by seeking, but by refining. The breadth of your mind determines your destiny; the more you can tolerate, the more you can attain. To cultivate a good mind, a broad outlook, and a generous attitude, you will be blessed by fate.

18. The hardship of life mainly comes from the relationship between you and life; encourage yourself with a few words, be brave and not hasty, not stubborn, not weak. Year after year, don't complain about early misfortune or late opportunities; life is at this point, who knows? Know it yourself, live it just right.

19. If you want to be willful, first learn to bear it, bend your waist, then lift your head. On the road of life, not all doors are wide open; you need to bow your head and step aside to enter. Therefore, when necessary, you must be able to bend your waist and step aside to avoid obstacles on the road of life.

20. Through death, we understand the importance of health; through failure, we understand the importance of understanding; through gain and loss, we understand the importance of detachment. The saddest thing in life is to stubbornly pursue things that you could have given up, while ignoring the most precious things in life. It's inevitable to be lost sometimes, the key is to understand where you come from and where you're going. A calm attitude, less vanity, live truthfully, and you'll be at ease.

21. Life doesn't require you to seek others' understanding and agreement, because others don't owe you these things. Quietly live your life, and if your mind is calm, the wind won't bother you. If you don't suffer, time will pass peacefully. —