Quotes

Question 1

Attitude and Truth

Answer 1

The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.

Question 2

Actions and Words

Answer 2

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.

Question 3

Time and Others

Answer 3

How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.

Question 4

Bad Fortune

Answer 4

Here is a rule to remember in future, when anything tempts you to feel bitter: not ‘This is misfortune,’ but ‘To bear this worthily is good fortune.

Question 5

Pain and Distress

Answer 5

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Question 6

Events

Answer 6

You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Question 7

Incline the Mind

Answer 7

The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.

Question 8

Truth

Answer 8

If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.

Question 9

Opinions of Others

Answer 9

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.

Question 10

Majority Opinion

Answer 10

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Question 11

Injury

Answer 11

Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.

Question 12

Others’ Opinions

Answer 12

When another blames you or hates you, or people voice similar criticisms, go to their souls, penetrate inside and see what sort of people they are. You will realize that there is no need to be racked with anxiety that they should hold any particular opinion about you.

Question 13

Anger

Answer 13

How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

Question 14

Meeting Anger

Answer 14

The best answer to anger is silence.

Question 15

Control

Answer 15

The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.

Question 16

Steps

Answer 16

The first step: Don’t be anxious. Nature controls it all.

The second step: Concentrate on what you have to do. Fix your eyes on it. Remind yourself that your task is to be a good human being; remind yourself what nature demands of people. Then do it, without hesitation, and speak the truth as you see it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.

Question 17

Tolerance

Answer 17

Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.

Question 18

Reason

Answer 18

He who follows reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also cheerful and collected.

Question 19

Externals

Answer 19

For God’s sake, stop honouring externals, quit turning yourself into the tool of mere matter, or of people who can supply you or deny you those material things.

Question 20

Equanimity

Answer 20

Treat whatever happens as wholly natural; not novel or hard to deal with; but familiar and easily handled.

Question 21

Faults

Answer 21

It’s silly to try to escape other people’s faults. They are inescapable. Just try to escape your own.

Question 22

Character

Answer 22

As you are careful when you walk not to step on a nail or turn your ankle, so you should take care not to do any injury to your character at the same time.

Question 23

Character 2

Answer 23

If you lost the capacity to read, or play music, you would think it was a disaster, but you think nothing of losing the capacity to be honest, decent and civilized.

Question 24

Burdens

Answer 24

Nothing is burdensome if taken lightly, and how nothing need arouse one’s irritation so long as one doesn’t make it bigger than it is by getting irritated.

Question 25

Your Own Mind

Answer 25

Failure to observe what is in the mind of another has seldom made a man unhappy; but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy.

Question 26

Leadership and Fear

Answer 26

To be feared is to fear: no one has been able to strike terror into others and at the same time enjoy peace of mind himself.

Question 27

Leading

Answer 27

When a guide meets up with someone who is lost, ordinarily his reaction is to direct him on the right path, not mock or malign him, then turn on his heel and walk away. As for you, lead someone to the truth and you will find that he can follow. But as long as you don’t point it out to him, don’t make fun of him; be aware of what you need to work on instead.

Question 28

Life, Truth, Justice

Answer 28

Live out your life in truth and justice, tolerant of those who are neither true nor just.