Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
When an evil-doer, seeing you practise goodness, comes and maliciously insults you, you should patiently endure it and not feel angry with him, for the evil-doer is insulting himself by trying to insult you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Responding to evil with patience showcases inner strength and reflects the character of the one who remains good despite provocation.
This quote by Gautama Buddha conveys the idea that when someone who does wrong attempts to insult you for practicing goodness, it is essential to respond with patience rather than anger. The essence of the teaching emphasizes that the true harm lies in the actions of the evil-doer, who ultimately reveals their own moral failing through the attempt to undermine someone else’s virtue.
Themes
GoodnessPatienceAngerWisdomInsultEvil-Doer
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on character development, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of maintaining integrity in the face of adversity.
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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