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Never have anything to do with likes and dislikes. The absence of what one likes is painful, as is the presence of what one dislikes. Therefore don't take a liking to anything. To lose what one likes is hard, but there are no bonds for those who have no likes and dislikes. From preference arises sorrow, from preference arises fear, but he who is freed from preference has no sorrow and certainly no fear.
Gautama Buddha
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote teaches that attachment to preferences can lead to suffering and that freedom from likes and dislikes brings peace.

Gautama Buddha's quote emphasizes the idea that attachment and preference are sources of suffering. When we develop specific likes and dislikes, we risk experiencing pain when we encounter what we don't like or when we lose what we love. By encouraging a mindset free from these attachments, Buddha suggests that one can attain a state of tranquility, devoid of the sorrows and fears that often accompany personal preferences.

Themes

AttachmentSufferingFreedomPreferencesPeace

In practice

Example use cases

In a mindfulness seminar discussing the importance of letting go of attachments.

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