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Greed is an imperfection that defiles the mind; hate is an imperfection that defiles the mind; delusion is an imperfection that defiles the mind.
Gautama Buddha
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Greed, hate, and delusion taint our thinking and judgment.

This quote by Gautama Buddha suggests that negative traits such as greed, hate, and delusion corrupt the mind, leading to distorted perceptions and actions. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating a clear and compassionate mind to achieve true understanding and harmony in life.

Themes

GreedHateDelusionImperfectionMindPeace

In practice

Example use cases

During a meditation retreat, I shared this quote to emphasize the need for inner peace.

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Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
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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.
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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.
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