Anagarika Dharmapala
Without effort progressive development is impossible. Buddha built his religion on the foundations of energetic effort and vigilant activity.
Buddhism is a religion of strenuous Endeavour. Its mission is to enlighten each human being to cleanse himself from psychical impurities of covetousness, anger, pride, stubbornness, conceit, malice, envy, etc.
The uncontaminated mind is radiant. The contaminations are later accretions.
The development of consciousness, strengthening the memory, avoiding recollections of associations tinged with sensual desires, resolute effort to generate thoughts of kindness, and renunciation are necessary to realize Nirvana.
Anger makes man a demon; fear is caused by ignorance, and ignorance is the cause of all physical and mental suffering.
The glory of the Buddha depends not on his own royal birth, but on the supreme wisdom that he obtained by self conquest and his infinite love.
Avoid the path of injustice. To please friends or relations, one should never do an unjust act. Never do anything in anger and malice, and show no fear and do no cowardly act, and avoid doing things foolishly.
Activity in doing good is the law of progress. Delay and neglect produce suffering and misery.
Nothing should be done without thought: Sitting, standing, walking, lying down, every movement of each limb should be associated with consciousness.
One should never dogmatize, but always analyze.
Inasmuch as all good deeds proceed from the elements of renunciation one should always strive to avoid sensuous pleasures, that are correlated with sin and lust.
Exert yourself to realize the unconditioned, infinite, eternal happiness of Nirvana, in full consciousness in this life, on this earth.
The past is infinite. It has no known beginning. With an infinite past, with the future before you, which you make for good or for evil, with the present under your control, your destiny is in your hands.
The Buddha is the embodiment of the Dhamma. The elements that go to make up the personality of the Buddha are identical with the principles that he enunciated. By thought, words and deeds the Buddha does not differentiate from absolute Truth.
Renunciation of sense pleasure may cause a temporary painfulness, but it has its reward in the realization of the infinite bliss of Nirvana.
Nirvana simply means freedom from ignorance, freedom from anger, freedom from lustful desires. It is a consummation worth striving for. Renunciation therefore from all sense pleasure and from all evil is Nirvana.
Pessimism has no place in the dynamic doctrine of the Lord Buddha. The wise man is a potential god. His powers are infinite, but they must be brought into existence by effort. The way to become a god is to practice the Noble Eightfold Path.
It was given the lion-hearted Prince of the Sakyas to proclaim the religion of Truth (Dharma) breaking the barriers of caste, creed, race, and territory.
Anagārika Dharmapāla was a Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) Buddhist revivalist and writer. His 154th birth anniversary was observed on September 17.
