To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid knowledge that one that must be loved is not a friend. There is not merit in loving an enemy when you forget him for a friend.
We notice that the mind is a restless bird; the more it gets the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied. The more we indulge our passions the more unbridled they become. Our ancestors, therefore, set a limit to our indulgences. They saw that happiness was largely a mental condition. A man is not necessarily happy because he is rich, or unhappy because he is poor.... Millions will always remain poor.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The mind's constant desires can lead to dissatisfaction, and true happiness is a mental state rather than a result of wealth.
This quote by Mahatma Gandhi highlights the insatiable nature of the human mind and the tendency to always desire more, which often leads to a lack of fulfillment. Gandhi emphasizes that happiness is not dependent on external factors like wealth; rather, it is a state of mind that can exist independently of one's financial situation. By recognizing the limits of indulgence and understanding that true happiness comes from within, individuals can cultivate a more content and satisfied mindset.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the pursuit of happiness over material wealth.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
All quotes →Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents never revenges itself.
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
The real test of nonviolence lies in its being brought in contact with those who have contempt for it.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
The devotion of such titans of spirit as Lenin to an Ideal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reach perfection.
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Of the blessings set before you make your choice, and be content. No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of the spring: no man can, at the same time, fill his cup from the source and from the mouth of the Nile.
If you live in a past dream, you don't enjoy what is happening right now because you will always wish it to be different than it is. There is no time to miss anyone or anything because you are alive. Not enjoying what is happening right now is living in the past and being only half alive. This leads to self pity, suffering and tears.
I have learnt to be even more patient.
Irrigators channel waters; fletchers straighten arrows; carpenters bend wood; the wise master themselves.
Acknowledging what you don't know is the dawning of wisdom.
Ironically, brothers and sisters, the natural man who is so very selfish in so many ordinary ways is strangely unselfish in that he reaches for too few of the things that bring real joy. He settles for a mess of pottage instead of eternal joy.