18 Buddhist Marriage Quotes: A Buddhist Take on Marital Life

With a plethora of Buddhist marriage quotes available online, you may be surprised to find out that they are all fake. If you dig deeper, you will find that those quotes were either said by somebody else or made up. In truth, there are no sayings on marriage in the Buddhist scriptures whatsoever.

Buddhism doesn’t touch upon marriage directly, as it is a secular affair. For things like capturing these cherished moments of your wedding day, you can hire an intimate wedding photographer. Buddhist teachings revolve mostly around truth, modesty, compassion, meditation, self-restraint, and boundless love toward all living beings.

Nevertheless, although Buddhism neither discourages nor encourages people to marry, Buddhist scriptures do contain sayings applicable to married life. They propose how a householder should behave toward his wife. Honor, respect, fidelity, and trust apply to the union of man and wife as they do in other areas of life.

With that in mind, I gathered genuine Buddhist quotes that could apply to marital life and cited the scriptures and other sources they come from. They touch upon various subjects, such as loving and understanding one’s wife, being faithful to her, and living without remorse. In addition, I included some genuine wedding blessings from Buddhist lamas.

Genuine Buddhist Marriage Quotes

Buddhist Quotes on Marriage and Domestic Life

#1. “To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing.” — from the Mangala Sutta

#2. “A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another, it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.” — from “The Teaching of Buddha” (a Japanese book on Buddhist teachings)

#3. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” — from “The Teaching of Buddha” (a Japanese book on Buddhist teachings)

#4. “Towards my wife, I undertake to love and respect her, be kind and considerate, be faithful, delegate domestic management, provide gifts to please her.” — vow for the groom, from Digha Nikilya

#5. “Towards my husband, I undertake to perform my household duties efficiently, be hospitable to my in-laws and friends of my husband, be faithful, protect and invest our earnings, discharge my responsibilities lovingly and conscientiously.” — vow for the bride, from Digha Nikilya

#6. “Too many people in the West have given up on marriage. They don’t understand that it is about developing a mutual admiration of someone, a deep respect and trust and awareness of another human’s needs… The new easy-come, easy-go relationships give us more freedom, but less contentment.” — the Dalai Lama

Buddhist Marriage Quotes on Love

#7. “We will develop love, we will practice it, we will make it both a way and a basis, take a stand upon it, store it up, and thoroughly set it going.” — Buddha, Samyutta Nikaya

#8. “Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.” — Buddha, Karaniya Metta Sutta

#9. “Understanding is the essence of love. If you cannot understand, you cannot love.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

#10. “Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.” — Buddha, Karaniya Metta Sutta

#11. “With the energy discharged [by crying], we will be able to look deeply and to understand, and that is where true love is born.” — Thay Phap An, a Buddhist disciple

Buddhist Marriage Quotes on Fidelity

#12. “There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.” — Dwight Goddard, “Buddha, Truth and Brotherhood: An Epitome of Many Buddhist Scriptures, Translated from the Japanese.”

#13. “It is in the nature of things that joy arises in a person free from remorse.” — Buddha, Cetana Sutta

#14. “Not to be contented with one’s own wife and to be seen with harlots and the wives of others — this is a cause of one’s downfall.” — Gautama Buddha, Parabhava Sutta

#15. “Being past one’s youth, to take a young wife and to be unable to sleep for jealousy of her — this is a cause of one’s downfall.” — Gautama Buddha, Parabhava Sutta

Buddhist Wedding Blessings

#16. “Today, we promise to dedicate ourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, we will work to help each other perfectly. The purpose of our relationship will be to attain enlightenment by perfecting our kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

#17. “Standing quietly by the fence,

you smile your wondrous smile,

I am speechless,

and my senses are filled

By the sounds of your beautiful song,

Beginning-less and endless.

I bow deeply to you.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

#18. “Do not deceive; do not despise each other anywhere. Do not be angry nor bear secret resentments, for as a mother will risk her life and watches over her child, so boundless be your love to all, so tender, kind, and mild. Cherish good will right and left, early and late, and without hindrance, without stint, be free of hate and envy while standing and walking and sitting down, whatever you have in mind, the rule of life that is always best is to be loving-kind.” — The Buddhist Scriptures, The Buddha’s Sermon at Rajagaha, Verses 19-22

Final Thoughts

I truly hope that you enjoyed my collection of genuine Buddhist marriage quotes. There is plenty you can learn by reading the Buddhist scriptures. Although they do not touch upon the topic of marriage per se, you can learn valuable lessons about domestic life.

Some of the core Buddhist values to take away from the quotes above are commitment, fidelity, truth, boundless love, respect, and honor. Don’t forget to rid yourself from corrupting feelings such as doubt, remorse, and resentment. They would only hinder you from achieving happiness, meditation, and awakening.