Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The hunger of passions is the greatest disease.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our desires can cause suffering and turmoil in our lives, making them difficult to manage.
This quote by Gautama Buddha emphasizes the negative impact that uncontrolled passions and desires can have on an individual's well-being. The 'hunger of passions' refers to the insatiable longing for pleasure, possessions, or power, which can lead to dissatisfaction and suffering. By recognizing our desires as a potential source of distress, we can strive for greater balance and inner peace in our lives.
Themes
PassionsSufferingDesiresInner PeaceWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about mindfulness, one might quote this to highlight the importance of managing desires.
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
When writing goes painfully, when it’s hideously difficult, and one feels real despair (ah, the despair, silly as it is, is real!)–then naturally one ought to continue with the work; it would be cowardly to retreat. But when writing goes smoothly–why then one certainly should keep on working, since it would be stupid to stop. Consequently one is always writing or should be writing.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention.
Diane SawyerRead
Heir to your own karma doesn't mean 'You get what you deserve.' I think it means 'You get what you get.' Bad things happen to good people. My happiness depending on my action means, to me, that it depends on my action of choosing compassion--for myself as well as for everyone else--rather than contention. [p.61]
Sylvia BoorsteinRead
Without great solitude no serious work is possible.
Pablo PicassoRead
Where you are is of no moment, but only what you are doing there. It is not the place that ennobles you, but you the place, and this only by doing that which is great and noble.
PetrarchRead
In short, Clevinger was one of those people with lots of intelligence and no brains, and everyone knew it except those who soon found it out.
Joseph HellerRead