Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of compassion and kindness towards all living beings, advocating for a vegetarian lifestyle.
In this quote, Gautama Buddha teaches that in the pursuit of compassion, one should avoid actions that may harm others, including eating flesh. The essence of the message is about practicing empathy towards all forms of life, which reflects a deeper moral responsibility towards nurturing a benevolent and caring disposition.
Themes
CompassionKindnessVegetarianismNonviolenceEmpathy
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on environmental ethics, one could reference this quote to highlight the impact of dietary choices on animals.
More from Gautama Buddha
All quotes βA 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without drawing blood.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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