“Whatever living beings there may be — feeble or strong, long, stout, or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those yet to be born — may all beings have happy minds.”
—The Buddha, Karaniya Metta Sutta
This striking verse is found in the Magandiya Suta in the Sutta Nipata, which is generally held to be one of the oldest texts in the Pali canon.
Bhikkhu Thanissaro translates this as:
“Those who grasp at perceptions and views
go about butting their heads in the world.”
Fausböll, a 19th century pioneer translator, has:
“But those who grasped after marks and philosophical views, they wander about in the world annoying people.”
Suttas.net has:
“Those attached to the notion ‘I am’ and to views
Roam the world offending people.”
The translator notes that “I am” is not in the quotation, but that its inclusion is warranted by material nearby.
The original Pali is:
Saññaca diṭṭhiñca ye aggahesuṃ
Te ghaṭṭayantā vicaranti loketi.
My rendition would be:
Those who cling to perceptions (saññā) and views (diṭṭhi)
Wander (vicarati) the world offending (ghaṭṭeti) people.
[Added later: Bhikkhu Varado’s translation, which I just discovered, is almost identical to mine: “Those attached to perception and views / roam the world offending people.”]
This is a genuine quote from the Buddhist scriptures. It’s from the Karaniya Metta Sutta:
“Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.” Buddha
“As a mother would protect her only child with her life … cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.” Buddha
This is a genuine quote from the Buddhist scriptures. It’s from the Samyutta Nikaya.
“I do not dispute with the world; rather it is the world that disputes with me.” The Buddha
From the Dhammapada, verse 183:
“Ceasing to do evil, Cultivating the good, Purifying the heart: This is the teaching of the Buddhas.” The Buddha
From the Dhammapada, verse 223:
“Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer badness with goodness.” The Buddha
“Conquer meanness with generosity. Conquer dishonesty with truth.” The Buddha
This is a saying from the Pali canon, upadhi dukkhassa mūlanti, which means “Attachment is the root of suffering.” So this is a genuine canonical quote.
You’ll find it in this sutta, but translated by Thanissaro as “Acquisition is the root of stress.” His translations are rather idiosyncratic.
In this translation of the same sutta it’s “acquisition is the root of suffering.”
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation (not available online, but in The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, page 868) has “attachment is the root of suffering,” although he sometimes has “acquisition” in place of “attachment,” in various repetitions of the phrase.
“‘All conditioned things are impermanent’ — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.” The Buddha
This is a genuine Buddha quote. It’s from the Dhammapada, verse 277.
This is a genuine Buddha quote. It’s from verse 61 of the Dhammapada.
“Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let them resolutely pursue a solitary course.” Buddha
“The calmed say that what is well-spoken is best;
second, that one should say what is right, not unrighteous;
third, what’s pleasing, not displeasing;
fourth, what is true, not false.” – The Buddha
(From the Sutta Nipata)