By Kingsley Heendeniya
The remarkable, unparalleled unique quality of the teaching of the Buddha is evident in the precision, felicity and genius with which he speaks extempore, without prior preparation. His sentences are strung spontaneously with an arrangement of words selected to bring out his recondite, complete, composite, profound, intended meaning in such a way that they cannot be improved. Everything is well said and no one has said them better. Yet he commented, ‘phrasing is a mere trifle’. It is the meaning one must understand, he insisted.

The polish and finish of his teaching is somewhat lost in translation, as for example in: Anicca vata sankhara uppadavayadhammino. [Impermanent indeed are determinations: to appear and disappear is their nature]. Though I regret my ignorance of Pali, I want to share with readers a selection of the elegance of the Buddha in English translation I cherish.

Kamma [Action]

Student, Beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions, they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior. (Culakammavibhanga Sutta)

Sarana [Refuge]

Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far-gone in years. This is my eightieth year, and my life is spent. Even as an old cart, Ananda, is held together with much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagatha is kept going only with supportsÉ Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge. (Mahaparinibbana Sutta)

Bhavana [Meditation]

Rahula, develop meditation on loving-kindness (metta)...to abandon ill-will (byapada)...develop meditation on compassion (karuna)...to abandon cruelty (vihimsa)... develop meditation on appreciative joy (muditha)...to abandon discontent (arati)...develop meditation on equanimity (upekkha)...to abandon aversion (dosa)...develop meditation on foulness (jara)...to abandon lust (raga)...develop meditation on perception of impermanence (aniccata)...to abandon conceit (mana). Develop meditation on mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati)...it is of great fruit and benefit. (Condensed from the Maharahulavada Sutta).

Yatha bhuta nana [Seeing things as they are]

Herein, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In the seen will be merely what is seen; in the heard will be merely what is heard; in the sensed will be merely what is sensed; in the cognized will be merely what is cognized. In this way you should train yourself, Bahiya. When, Bahiya for you in the seen is merely what is seen...in the cognized is merely what is cognized, then, Bahiya, you will not be ‘with that’. When, Bahiya, you are not ‘with that’, then, Bahiya, you will not be ‘in that’. When, Bahiya, you are not be ‘in that’, then, Bahiya, you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. Just this is the end of suffering. (Condensed from Udana).

Sati [Mindfulness]

To protect oneself, bhikkhus, the foundation of mindfulness should be cultivated. To protect another the foundation of mindfulness should be cultivated. One who protects himself protects another; one who protects another protects himself. And how, bhikkhus, does one who protects himself protect another? By cultivation, development and repeated practice. And how, bhikkhus, does one who protects another protect himself? By patience, harmlessness, kindness and forbearance. (Samyutta Nikaya)

Rupa [Material form]

I do not see even a single kind of form, Ananda, from the change and alteration of which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair in one who lusts for it and takes delight in it. (Mahasunatta Sutta)

Sammaditthi [Right view]

This world for the most part, Kaccayana, is bound by engaging, holding and adherances; and this one does not engage or hold or resolve that engaging or holding, that mental resolving adherance and tendency: "My self". ‘It is just suffering that arises, suffering that ceases’ - about this he does not hesitate or doubt, his knowledge herein is independent of others. So far, Kaccayana, is there right view. (Nidana/Abhisamaya Sanyutta Nikaya)

Pahana {Abandonment)

Comprehending the parable of the raft, monks, you have to eliminate ethical things too, let alone unethical things. (Alagaddaupama Sutta)

Vipassana [Insight]

Just as the great ocean gradually shelves, slopes, and inclines and there is no sudden precipice, so also in this Dhamma and Discipline there is a gradual training, a gradual course, a gradual progression, and there is no sudden penetration to final knowledge (sammasambodhi). (Udana)

Vimukti [Liberation]

Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation (vimukti).(Udana)

[I suggest you study the above in their textual context, try to understand and use in your daily mediations].