Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
How easy it is to see your brother's faults, How hard it is to face your own. You winnow his in the wind like chaff, But yours you hide, Like a cheat covering up an unlucky throw. Dwelling on your brother's faults Multiplies your own. You are far from the end of your journey. The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart. See how you love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the ease of criticizing others while often ignoring our own shortcomings. It encourages self-reflection and love as essential aspects of personal growth.
Gautama Buddha's quote speaks to the human tendency to focus on the faults of others rather than our own. It reminds us that criticizing others may serve to magnify our own flaws and that true insight lies within our hearts. The quote suggests that genuine understanding and love for ourselves and others is a journey that requires introspection rather than external judgment.
Themes
Self-ReflectionAcceptanceLoveJudgmentGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting, one could use this quote to discuss the importance of self-awareness and personal accountability.
More from Gautama Buddha
All quotes →A kind man who makes good use of wealth is rightly said to possess a great treasure; but the miser who hoards up his riches will have no profit.
Gautama BuddhaRead
There are having flowers in Spring, breezes in Summer, moon in Autumn, snows in Winter. If there is nothing worrying over you, it will be the best seasons at all times.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge; there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge.
Gautama BuddhaRead
When a wise man is advised of his errors, he will reflect on and improve his conduct. When his misconduct is pointed out, a foolish man will not only disregard the advice but rather repeat the same error.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without drawing blood.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Similar quotes
I hope that people of all faiths will start looking for our too-invisible children who are crying out for help.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.
Mark TwainRead
Youth loves honor and victory more than money.
AristotleRead
The soul is not the body and it may be in one body or in another, and pass from body to body.
Giordano BrunoRead
Simple morality dictates that unless and until someone can prove the unborn human is not alive, we must give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it is (alive). And, thus, it should be entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Ronald ReaganRead
What we need to realize is that there can be, shall we say, a movement, a stirring among people, which can be organically designed instead of politically designed.
Alan WattsRead