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A sick body with a good heart is more beneficial to future lives than a fit, healthy body that is used for self-cherishing.
Thubten Zopa Rinpoche
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Interpretation

What this quote means

A compassionate heart is more valuable than physical fitness if it leads to selflessness and future benefits.

This quote by Thubten Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes the importance of inner qualities, particularly compassion and altruism, over mere physical health and fitness. It suggests that a person who is kind-hearted and supportive, even if they have health issues, can create a more significant positive impact on their future lives and the lives of others than someone who is physically strong but prioritizes self-interest and indulgence.

Themes

CompassionSelflessnessAltruismHealthBenefit

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about community service, one could highlight this quote to stress the importance of helping others over focusing solely on personal well-being.

More from Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

It is great that even before we become enlightened or generate any lam-rim realizations we are able to offer incredible benefit to others. The person who does this is a very fortunate person and should rejoice very often.
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When there is hallucination, there is the truth, by recognising it as hallucination. Where there is suffering, there is peace and bliss, by letting go and experiencing it for numberless suffering sentient beings. Always think of how others are kind and precious Treat them as you would like to be treated.
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If you know the psychological nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled; instead of being enemies and strangers, all living beings become your friends. The narrow mind rejects; wisdom accepts. Check your own mind to see whether or not this is true.
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Quote by Thubten Zopa Rinpoche | QuoteProject