3 Sutras from Gautam Buddha

September 12, 2022

I have recently been looking for different kinds of information as I am on my journey. Recently, I came across some sutras from Buddha that were quite enlightening. Being the type of person that appreciates all sources of information, then weeds through it to find what works for me, I though I would look further into it.

Three of the sutras really fit me and the path that I am on.

1. “We are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think.”

There is a close relationship between our thoughts and our desires. Most of our thoughts are born from out desires. "As the mind desires, so will be our thoughts, and as our thoughts are, so will be our body's action." If we can focus our thoughts on the positive, then we will be moved toward progress. You manifest your life through your mindset. If you always think about the worst-case scenario, then you will achieve it. Conversely, if you can always assume the best, then that can become your reality. It is also easier to walk through life without the burden of worrying about the worst that could happen. This expels energy that could be better focused on the positive.

2. “It is better to travel well than to arrive.”

This has been something that I have believed for quite some time now. My partner and I used to discuss this, saying that the journey is the destination. If we focus on the “destination”, then you miss out on all the beauty that is in the journey itself. If in my journey I don’t stop to recognize the accomplishments, the failures, the people around me, the love, and the joy, then I am not being present. In that case, I am purely thinking about the future, what this journey will result in, and thinking about it will be like when I reach my “destination”. Instead, I choose to see everything that the journey brings me, journey in happiness and gratitude, and make progress in life. This journey has no destination, it will be a lifelong journey, so if I only focus on arriving, then I miss out on life itself.

3. “Be your own savior.”

This is a journey that I am taking for myself, to become a better version of myself, and to be able to show up differently in the world. Everyone’s path is different and what works for one, may not work for another. If I wait for somebody to come and show you the path, then I will spend your whole life waiting. Sure, you may have people offer input, advice or guidance that has worked for them, and that is wonderful and can be openly accepted. However, there is no roadmap because every journey is different. The journey is yours and yours alone.

It would be amazing if there was a book to read that would guide each one of us down our path, a step-by-step manual to enlightenment, but there isn’t. I am high analytical; my life was ruled by data and facts. Releasing that and becoming open to the idea that I am going from a point of origin and there is not point of destination, was pretty difficult for me. I see now how my point of destination is the amazing path and that the path has no end.

Back to analogies… It is like a road trip with your buddies. It didn’t really matter where we were going, the most fun part was the trip itself, the junk food in the car, the loud music and singing, the comradery, the experience. Maybe we arrived to our original destination, maybe we didn’t, but we had a great time in the process. I look at my journey in the same way, I am going to experience every bit of it, enjoy it, and not worry about getting to my destination. The way I see it, the destination is when my life is over, so not enjoying the journey would mean I didn’t enjoy life.