Wisdom
Here are all the articles — quotes from the wise along with short commentary on topics like building character, discovering purpose and happiness, love, making conscious choices, and more.
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All Articles
When Is Bending Justified?
“Trees bend low with the burden of ripening fruit; it is the barren tree that often lifts its head high in an empty boast.” — Paramahansa Yogananada
Look at the World From Inside Out
“We think the soul is for nature, we identify ourselves with nature, that spirit is for flesh and man “lives to eat” rather than “eats to live.” We are continually making this mistake; we are regarding nature as ourselves and becoming attached to it. This attachment creates a deep impression
The Real Test of Religion
“Selfishness is the chief sin, thinking of ourselves first. He who thinks, “I will eat first, I will have more money, and I will possess everything,” he who thinks “I will get to heaven before others, I will get Mukti before others,” is the selfish man. The unselfish man says, “I will be last, I do not care to go to heaven, I will even go to hell if it helps my brothers.” This unselfishness is the test of religion.” — Swami Vivekananda
The Best Way To Criticize Something
“The knowing one must not despise the condition of those who are ignorant, nor should the knowing one destroy the faith of the ignorant in their own particular method, but by proper action, lead them and show them the path to come to where he stands.” — Bhagavad Gita
Persistent or Stubborn?
“Where there is a want there cannot be discernment. You crave happiness; you look for means to get it. Someone offers you the means. Now your mind-heart is so blinded by the intense desire for blindness that it is incapable of discernment. Though you may think you’re analyzing and examining the means offered to you, yet this deep craving for satisfaction, happiness, security prevents clarity of comprehension. So where there is a want there cannot be true discernment.” — J. Krishnamurti
How Do You Want People to Remember You?
“Don’t be miserable! Do not repent! What is done is done. If you burn yourself [take the responsibility]… We make mistakes, what of that?” — Swami Vivekananda
When You Want To Go Long, Calmness
“You must not mistake Sattva for dullness or laziness. The calm man has control over the mind waves. Activity is the manifestation of inferior strength, calmness, of the superior.” — Swami Vivekananda
A Tool Is Only As Good as Its User
“For a haughty person, education, wealth and family reputation are tools of arrogance. The same education, wealth, and family reputation serve as tools of self-restraint for a person of wisdom.” — Vidur Niti The son of a celebrity gets arrested for possession of drugs, while the son of another celebrity
You Are Killing Your Creativity
“Organized society takes away individual responsibility; it makes him conform. And society, the state, becomes more important than the individual; through bureaucracy, the boredom of office and routine, the individual creative responsibility is destroyed.” — J. Krishnamurti
How To Be Happy
“When we seek happiness through something, then the thing becomes pf greater value than happiness itself. . . we have never asked ourselves if this can be found through things made by the hand or the mind. . . There is happiness only when the search for it ceases.” — J. Krishnamurti