When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear.
BuddhaRead
He who gives away shall have real gain. He who subdues himself shall be free; he shall cease to be a slave of passions. The righteous man casts off evil, and by rooting out lust, bitterness, and illusion do we reach Nirvana.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Selflessness leads to true freedom and contentment.
This quote by Buddha emphasizes that true gain comes from giving and self-restraint. It suggests that by overcoming one's inner passions and negative feelings, one can attain a state of peace and enlightenment, ultimately leading to Nirvana, which represents liberation from suffering and desire.
Themes
SelflessnessFreedomInner PeaceNirvanaBuddhism
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community service, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of giving back.
More from Buddha
All quotes →I was born into the world as the king of truth for the salvation of the world.
BuddhaRead
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
BuddhaRead
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.
BuddhaRead
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
BuddhaRead
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
BuddhaRead
Similar quotes
Only one endowed with restless vitality is susceptible to pessimism. You become a pessimist-a demonic, elemental, bestial pessimist-only when life has been defeated many times in its fight against depression.
Emile M. CioranRead
We musn't forget old people with their rotten bodies, old people who are so close to death, something that young people don't want to think about. We musn't forget that our bodies decline, friends die, everyone forgets about us, and the end is solitude. Nor must we forget that these old people were young once, that a lifespan is pathetically short, that one day you're twenty and the next day you're eighty.
Muriel BarberyRead
Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember...I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great.
J. K. RowlingRead
By obliging men to turn their attention to other affairs than their own, it rubs off that private selfishness which is the rust of society.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
Why is it that all men who are outstanding in philosophy, poetry or the arts are melancholic?
AristotleRead
We must reason in natural philosophy not from what we hope, or even expect, but from what we perceive.
Humphry DavyRead