25 quotes from teachings of Mahaveer

Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, left an indelible mark on the spiritual landscape with his profound teachings on non-violence, self-discipline, and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. His life and words continue to inspire millions around the world, emphasizing the importance of compassion, truth, and inner peace. The following collection of quotes captures the essence of Mahavir's philosophy, offering timeless wisdom that guides us towards a life of harmony, mindfulness, and ethical living. Through these quotes, we are reminded of the power of self-control, the significance of non-violence, and the path to ultimate liberation

 

• Silence and self-control is non-violence.
• Kill not, cause no pain.
• Nonviolence is the greatest religion.
• All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away.
• Just as I do not like misery, so do others.
• Anger begets more anger, and forgiveness and love lead to more forgiveness and love.
• Self! Practice truth, and nothing but truth.
• Eating constitutes the greatest obstacle to self-control; it gives rise to indolence.
• Birth is attended by death, youth by decay and fortune by misfortune. Thus, everything in this world is momentary.
• Discipline is the means of achieving liberation.
• A soul can only achieve liberation by getting rid of all the karma attached to it.
• The unenlightened takes millions of lives to extirpate the effects of karma whereas a man possessing spiritual knowledge and discipline obliterates them in a single moment.
• Attachment and aversion are the root cause of karma, and karma originates from infatuation.
• None can escape the effect of their own past karma.
• The essence of all knowledge consists in not committing violence.
• The doctrine of ahimsa is nothing but the observance of equality i.e. the realization that just as I do not like misery, others also do not like it.
• Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being.
• One who entertains fear finds himself lonely (and helpless).
• The greatest mistake of a soul is non-recognition of its real self and can only be corrected by recognizing the self.
• Every soul is independent, none depends on another.
• It is better to win over the self than to win over a million enemies.
• There is no separate existence of God. Everybody can attain god-hood by making supreme efforts in the right direction.
• A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has perfect perception, perfect knowledge, perfect power, and perfect bliss.
• Only that science is a great and the best of all sciences, the study of which frees man from all kinds of miseries.
• Can you hold a red-hot iron rod in your hand merely because some one wants you to do so? Then, will it be right on your part to ask others to do the same thing just to satisfy your desires?

These quotes reflect Mahavir's teachings on non-violence, self-control, truth, and the pursuit of spiritual liberation. They offer profound insights into living a life of compassion, wisdom, and inner peace.