Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Thoughtful speech is a mark of wisdom, requiring careful consideration before it is spoken.
This quote emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in communication. It suggests that wise individuals take the time to reflect on their thoughts and carefully express them, much like the process of sifting grain to separate what is valuable from what is not. This reflection ensures that what is communicated is meaningful and constructive.
Themes
WisdomSpeechThoughtMindfulnessCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about effective communication, one might quote this to emphasize careful speech.
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
Similar quotes
That which is clearly known hath less terror than that which is but hinted at and guessed.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy, but alert and awake. Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.
Nhat HanhRead
Never risk your reputation on a single shot, for if you miss the loss is irreparable.
Baltasar GracianRead
The analysts try in vain to conceal the fact that they do not deduce: they combine, they compose ... when they do arrive at the truth they stumble over it after groping their way along.
Evariste GaloisRead
Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked. We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.
William JamesRead
The emotion at the point of technical breakthrough is better than wine, women and song put together.
Richard HammingRead