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He told me not to seek revenge, but to seek the Buddha,' said the fox spirit, sadly. 'Wise counsel,' said the fox of dreams. 'Vegeance can be a road that has no ending. You would be wise to avoid it. And...?' 'I shall seek the Buddha,' said the fox, with a toss of her head. 'But first I shall seek revenge.
Neil Gaiman
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the futility of seeking revenge and suggests that pursuing inner peace is a wiser path.

In this quote, the fox spirit reflects on the counsel provided regarding revenge and the pursuit of enlightenment through seeking the Buddha. While acknowledging the wisdom in avoiding vengeance, the fox expresses a human tendency to initially desire retribution before committing to a path of spiritual growth. It highlights the inner conflict between our base instincts and the higher, more enlightened choices we can make.

Themes

RevengeWisdomBuddhaEnlightenmentFutility

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a motivational speech about the importance of letting go of grudges.

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Quote by Neil Gaiman | QuoteProject