Death carries off a man busy picking flowers with an besotted mind, like a great flood does a sleeping village.
Gautama BuddhaRead
Thoughtfulness is the way to deathlessness, thoughtlessness the way to death. The thoughtful do not die: the thoughtless are as if dead already.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being thoughtful leads to a lasting legacy, while thoughtlessness results in a hollow existence.
This quote by Gautama Buddha emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and consideration in one's actions and thoughts. It suggests that a life filled with thoughtfulness contributes to one's spiritual immortality and leaves a positive impact, while living without awareness and thought makes life feel empty and ultimately leads to a metaphorical death in terms of significance and meaning.
Themes
ThoughtfulnessMindfulnessLifeDeathExistence
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, the facilitator quoted Buddha to encourage participants to practice mindfulness.
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.
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.
Gautama BuddhaRead
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
Similar quotes
Did you ever say yes to a pleasure? oh my friends, then you also said yes to all pain. all things are linked, entwined, in love with one another.
Friedrich NietzscheRead
It is, I think, an error to believe that there is any need of religion to make life seem worth living.
Sinclair LewisRead
Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man.
Leon TrotskyRead
There are mythologies that are scattered, broken up, all around us. We stand on what I call a terminal moraine of shattered mythic systems that once structured society. They can be detected all around us. You can select any of these fragments that activate your imagination for your own use. Let it help shape your own relationship to the unconscious system out of which these symbols have come.
Joseph CampbellRead
The whole of the 20th century has always put the car at the center. So by putting the pedestrian first, you create these livable places, I think, with more attraction and interest and character.
Prince CharlesRead
For men in a state of freedom had thatch for their shelter, while slavery dwells beneath marble and gold.
Seneca The YoungerRead