Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Let the wise guard their thoughts, which are difficult to perceive, extremely subtle, and wander at will. Thought which is well guarded is the bearer of happiness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of being mindful of one's thoughts, as they can influence happiness and well-being.
Gautama Buddha highlights the intricate nature of human thoughts, suggesting that they are often elusive and capricious. He advises the wise to carefully monitor and protect their thoughts, as nurtured and positive thinking can lead to true happiness, underlining the powerful connection between our internal mindset and our emotional state.
Themes
ThoughtsHappinessWisdomMindfulnessGuardPerception
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about mental well-being, one might use this quote to emphasize self-awareness.
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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
The tongue like a sharp knife ... Kills without drawing blood.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Similar quotes
As long as you ask questions you are breaking through, but the moment you begin to accept, you are psychologically dead. So right through life don't accept a thing, but inquire, investigate. Then you will find that your mind is something really extraordinary, it has no end, and to such a mind there is no death.
Jiddu KrishnamurtiRead
It was a childish ignorance, But now 'tis little joy To know I'm further off from heaven Than when I was a boy.
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Take stock of your thoughts and behavior. Each night ask yourself, when were you negative when you could have been positive? When did you withhold love when you might have given it? When did you play a neurotic game instead of behaving in a powerful way? Use this process to self-correct.
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Your Heavenly Father knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble-perhaps many times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break your spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be.
Dieter F. UchtdorfRead
No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring.
Samuel JohnsonRead
Fear represents our need to hang on to the riverbank, to control outcomes, results, our lives; it swims upstream. Truth is about releasing that hold, letting go of results, and trusting the direction of Lifeβs current.
Tom ShadyacRead