Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A wise person learns from their mistakes, while a foolish person ignores advice and repeats them.
This quote by Gautama Buddha emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and the willingness to learn from one's mistakes. It contrasts the behaviors of a wise individual, who acknowledges and seeks to rectify errors, with that of a foolish person, who dismisses constructive criticism and is likely to make the same mistakes repeatedly. It serves as a reminder of the value of humility and the pursuit of personal growth.
Themes
WisdomLearningMistakesSelf-ReflectionImprovement
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a leadership seminar to encourage managers to embrace feedback.
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.
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.
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The tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without drawing blood.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Care about your children. Just bless them instead of worrying, as every child is the little Buddha who helps his parents to grow up.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Similar quotes
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When you refrain from habitual thoughts and behavior, the uncomfortable feelings will still be there. They don’t magically disappear. Over the years, I’ve come to call resting with the discomfort “the detox period,” because when you don’t act on your habitual patterns, it’s like giving up an addiction. You’re left with the feelings you were trying to escape. The practice is to make a wholehearted relationship with that
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I hope you will be yourself, human, even a little sentimental, possessed of a sense of humor and a sense of humility. . . . There are arrogant people in this world and, what is worse, arrogant judges.
Harry A. BlackmunRead
We cannot understand without wanting to understand, that is, without wanting to let something be said...Understanding does not occur when we try to intercept what someone wants to say to us by claiming we already know it.
Hans-Georg GadamerRead