Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Believe nothing because it is written in books. Believe nothing because wise men say it is so. Believe nothing because it is religious doctrine. Believe it only because you yourself know it to be true.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Trust your own understanding over external sources.
This quote by Gautama Buddha emphasizes the importance of personal experience and critical thinking. It challenges individuals to not accept information blindly from books, wise men, or religious texts, but to seek and validate their own truth through personal knowledge and understanding.
Themes
TruthUnderstandingBeliefWisdomKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophical discussion about the nature of truth.
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.
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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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