Old age, sickness, and death roll in over all living creatures like a mountain of stone. It crushes everyone—no class of people is spared. It cannot be warred against, or outwitted, or bought.

“Cursed is the venom once spat—forced to swallow back to survive! Death would be better than living!” said the Snake.

“When dining on austerity,

Every bit gets split;

Because that’s how a meal's enjoyed!”

- the Crow

The Buddha had rejected miracles and forbade his disciples from performing them — because the liberation that he taught was not magic, it was attainable through practice.

So many were astonished when he announced that he would attend the Festival of Miracles.

One of the Buddha’s honorifics was the ‘Great Physician’. To have the patience of a doctor one must be patient three-fold!

Like the vital conditions necessary for a plant to grow into fullness — when there is sense restraint, it unfolds into ethical conduct, then into right immersion, then into a true knowledge and vision, then into a disillusionment and dispassion, and then finally into a knowledge and vision of freedom!’ (AN 6.50)

Like the blossoming of a lotus!

The ascetic Gotama was thin as a skeleton, starving, and surviving off mere grains of rice. He had become so emaciated and weak that when he went down to the river, he wasn’t strong enough to get back out - and almost got washed away. 

Even if villains were to saw off your limbs, never stop embracing with your heart!