Phenomena are preceded by the heart,
ruled by the heart,
made of the heart.
If you speak or act
with a corrupted heart,
then suffering follows you -
as the wheel of the cart,
the track of the ox
that pulls it.

Phenomena are preceded by the heart,
ruled by the heart,
made of the heart.
If you speak or act
with a calm, bright heart,
then happiness follow you,
like a shadow
that never leaves.

Dhammapada 1-2

Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.

Dhammapada 110

Zen: Knowing Fish

One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river.

“Look at the fish swimming about,” said Chuang Tzu, “They are really enjoying themselves.”

“You are not a fish,” replied the friend, “So you can’t truly know that they are enjoying themselves.”

“You are not me,” said Chuang Tzu. “So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?”

Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.

Dhammapada 81

Calm is his thought, calm his speech, and calm his deed, who, truly knowing, is wholly freed, perfectly tranquil and wise.

Dhammapada 96

The rosy morning rays have arisen unhindered, hitching to their chariot the willing red clouds. Restoring to all things their erstwhile clarity, the red-hued Dawns have assumed brilliant splendor.

Rig Veda I, 92, 2

Let a man guard himself against irritability in thought;
let him be controlled in mind.
Abandoning mental misconduct,
let him practice good conduct in thought.

Dhammapada 233