In short: for the Buddha, real success is inner: "The supreme conqueror is not he who conquers a million men in battle, but he who conquers a single man: himself" (Dhammapada 103). Here are five genuine quotes, each with its source.
1. Dhammapada 103
"The supreme conqueror is not he who conquers a million men in battle, but he who conquers a single man: himself."
Dhammapada 103
2. Dhammapada 25
"By hard work and diligence, by restraint and by self-control, a smart person would build an island that the floods cannot overflow."
Dhammapada 25
3. Dhammapada 276
"You yourselves must do the work, the Realized Ones just show the way. Meditators practicing absorption are released from Māra's bonds."
Dhammapada 276
4. Dhammapada 204
"Health is the ultimate blessing; contentment, the ultimate wealth; trust is the ultimate family; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness."
Dhammapada 204
5. DN 16
"Conditions fall apart. Persist with diligence."
DN 16 · More
All quotes are from the early Buddhist texts in Bhikkhu Sujato's translation on SuttaCentral, copied exactly. Last checked: 18 October 2026.
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What did the Buddha say about success?
'The supreme conqueror is not he who conquers a million men in battle, but he who conquers a single man: himself' (Dhammapada 103).