36 Quotes by Walpola Rahula

Whatever is impermanent is dukkha’ (Yad aniccaṃ taṃ dukkhaṃ).

Two ideas are psychologically deep-rooted in man: self-protection and self-preservation. For self-protection man has created God, on whom he depends for his own protection, safety and security, just as a child depends on its parent. For self-preservation man has conceived the idea of an immortal Soul or Atman, which will live eternally. In his ignorance, weakness, fear, and desire, man needs these two things to console himself. Hence he clings to them deeply and fanatically.

[T]he extinction of desire, the extinction of hatred, the extinction of illusion. … [T]he extinction of 'thirst' is Nibbāna.

You may see the light, but the light is not the result of your eyesight.

All great work artistic, poetic, intellectual or spiritual is produced at those moments when creators forget themselves altogether and are free from self-consciousness.

As long as you are conscious of yourself, you can never concentrate on anything.

Man is his own master, and there is no higher being or power that sits in judgement over his destiny.

If by the expression “not practical” you mean “not easy,” you are right. Definitely it is not easy. Yet it should be tried. You may say it is risky trying it. Surely it cannot be more risky than trying a nuclear war.

Almost all religions are built on faith – rather ‘blind’ faith it would seem. But in Buddhism emphasis is laid on ‘seeing’, knowing, understanding, and not on faith, or belief.