In my readings I keep stumbling across words and teachings from Buddha and his followers that strike a chord within. If I try to share them with the consumers that make up the vast majority of Americans I either get blank stares or an attempt at convincing me to become a "Christian". When I explain that being a "Christian" is not the same, on any level, as following the teachings of Christ I am given a hate-filled glare and either walked away from or told I am going to some mythical hell that their silly religion invented in order to frighten the stupid.

Understand, I love the majority of what Jesus, mythical or not, supposedly taught. He taught peace and love and sharing. His followers, though, practice war and hate and greed and I find that very, very disgusting. So, I find Buddha far more wise and his followers far more apt to actually practice what was taught.

That said, here are a few of the quotes I've stumbled across recently. If some are duplicates of quotes from previous articles it is because they struck a different chord this time and gave me the need to share and remember them once again.
BUDDHA'S THOUGHTS

We are the sum of a huge number of free actions for which we are the only ones responsible. - Matthieu Ricard & Trinh Xuan Thuan

If a man who enjoys a lesser happiness beholds a greater one, let him leave aside the lesser to gain the greater. - Buddha

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world. - Buddha

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. - Buddha (I think)

Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds. (Buddha - I think)

One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the messiah?"
"No", answered Buddha.
"Then are you a healer?"
"No", Buddha replied.
"Then are you a teacher?" the student persisted.
"No, I am not a teacher."
"Then what are you?" asked the student, exasperated.
"I am awake", Buddha replied. Story from Buddha's Life.

In this world Hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, Ancient and inexhaustible.Buddha Dhammapada.

You too shall pass away. Knowing this, how can you quarrel?Buddha Dhammapada.

I must admit that the final quote has always been one of my favorites. Our time is so short here. A billionth of a blink of an eye in eternity. How we spend that time is of utmost importance. Being angry, arguing with another, quarreling about anything is such a terrible waste of that tiny span of time.

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Peace