Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The wise man makes an island of himself that no flood can overwhelm.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A wise person remains resilient and self-sufficient, standing strong against life's challenges.
This quote emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and inner strength. A wise individual creates a strong foundation for themselves—like an island—that remains unaffected by external pressures or crises, represented by the flood. This metaphor serves as a reminder to cultivate mental fortitude and personal stability to weather the storms of life.
Themes
WisdomResilienceSelf-RelianceInner StrengthFortitude
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech to encourage self-sufficiency in challenges.
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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