Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it. To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Evil exists to highlight the value of good, and true purity requires selflessness amidst material wealth.
This quote from Gautama Buddha emphasizes the duality of existence, suggesting that the presence of evil is necessary to understand and appreciate goodness. It underscores the importance of living a life of selflessness, where one should not cling to possessions or selfish desires, especially in times of plenty, as this is essential to achieving a higher state of purity and altruism.
Themes
GoodEvilPuritySelflessnessAbundanceLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about moral philosophy at a community event.
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.
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.
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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.
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
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