In short: Sadness is part of every life, and the Buddha did not pretend otherwise. His teachings on sorrow are gentle and realistic: feel the first pain without adding a second, remember that all things change, and keep the heart open. Every quote below is from the early texts, with its source.
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The Buddha's words
It’s like a person who is struck with an arrow, only to be struck with a second arrow.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, purisaṁ sallena vijjheyya. Tamenaṁ dutiyena sallena anuvedhaṁ vijjheyya.
SN 36.6 (SuttaCentral), translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
All conditions are impermanent.
Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā
Dhammapada 277 (SuttaCentral), translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
Let us live so very happily, loving among the hostile. Among hostile humans, let us live with love.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma, verinesu averino; Verinesu manussesu, viharāma averino.
Dhammapada 197 (SuttaCentral), translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
A gentle practice for a sad day
- Name the first arrow plainly: what actually hurts.
- Notice the second arrow, the story you add, and let it soften.
- Place a hand on your chest and wish yourself well.
- Do one small, kind thing for someone else.
Read more: the second arrow, Buddhist words for the dead, and the Five Remembrances. If sadness feels too heavy to carry, please reach out to someone you trust or a professional.
On grief shared by all beings: more tears than the ocean.
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Questions people ask
What did the Buddha teach about sadness?
That painful feeling is like being struck by an arrow, and our resistance and rumination are a second arrow we add ourselves (SN 36.6). The wise feel the first but not the second.
Are these real Buddha quotes?
Yes. Each is quoted exactly from Bhikkhu Sujato's translations on SuttaCentral, with its reference.