Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Thoughtfulness is the way to deathlessness, thoughtlessness the way to death. The thoughtful do not die: the thoughtless are as if dead already.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being thoughtful leads to a lasting legacy, while thoughtlessness results in a hollow existence.
This quote by Gautama Buddha emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and consideration in one's actions and thoughts. It suggests that a life filled with thoughtfulness contributes to one's spiritual immortality and leaves a positive impact, while living without awareness and thought makes life feel empty and ultimately leads to a metaphorical death in terms of significance and meaning.
Themes
ThoughtfulnessMindfulnessLifeDeathExistence
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, the facilitator quoted Buddha to encourage participants to practice mindfulness.
More from Gautama Buddha
All quotes βA 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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without drawing blood.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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If Henry Miller often sounded like a village idiot, it is because, like Whitman, he was the rest of the village as well.
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The history of empires is the record of human misery; the history of the sciences is that of the greatness and happiness of mankind.
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