When the sage points at the moon, all that the idiot sees is the finger.
Anthony De MelloRead
Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth.
Interpretation
Suffering can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and enlightenment.
This quote by Anthony De Mello suggests that experiencing suffering is not just a burden, but an opportunity for awareness and understanding. It implies that through pain and hardship, individuals can gain deeper insights into themselves and the realities of life, thereby facilitating a transformative journey towards truth.
In practice
In a motivational speech on overcoming adversity.
When the sage points at the moon, all that the idiot sees is the finger.
Perfect love casts out fear. Where there is love there are no demands, no expectations, no dependency. I do not demand that you make me happy; my happiness does not lie in you. If you were to leave me, I will not feel sorry for myself; I enjoy your company immensely, but I do not cling.
The master never seemed to have his fill of gazing at his firstborn child. "What do you want him to be when he grows up?" someone asked. "Outrageously happy," said the master.
The genius of a composer is found in the notes of his music; but analyzing the notes will not reveal his genius. The poet's greatness is contained in his words; yet the study of his words will not disclose his inspiration. God reveals himself in creation; but scrutinize creation as minutely as you wish, you will not find God, any more than you will find the soul through careful examination of your body.
What is a loving heart? A loving heart is sensitive to the whole of life, to all persons; a loving heart doesn't harden itself to any persons or things.
Problems only exist in the human mind.
I have never been insecure, ever, about how I look, about what I want to do with myself. My mum told me to only ever do things for myself, not for others.
Where there's hope, there's life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again.
Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habit.
A generous and elevated mind is distinguished by nothing more certainly than an eminent degree of curiosity.
When I was an orphan, I was the richest kid at the orphanage because everyone else was complaining about not having anything. But when I discovered that you could get two cents for a Coca-Cola bottle, I would follow people around who were drinking it and ask them if they were almost through with it.
You want to dig your well where you have the best chance of finding water with the least amount of digging
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