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.
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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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