wisdom

"Yes, the brutalities of progress are called revolutions. When they are over, this is recognised: that the human race has been harshly treated, but that it has advanced."

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

"People are always worried about what's happening next. They often find it difficult to stand still, to occupy the now without worrying about the future. People are generally not satisfied with what they have; they are very concerned with what they are going to have."

"Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and importance, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction."

"You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself."

"Water is the softest thing, yet it can penetrate mountains and earth. This shows clearly the principle ofsoftness overcoming hardness."

"Wisdom mitigates the risk of being honest."

"The light of compassion opens the petals of the heart. When the petals of the heart unfold fragrance spreads across the valley."

"Love taught me to die with dignity that I might come forth anew in splendor. Born once of flesh, then again of fire, I was reborn a third time to the sound of my name humming haikus in heaven’s mouth."

"If I waste all my charity, all I’ll wind up with in the end is the wind. Still, I think I want to be the Dandelion of Love."

"إن اللغة ناقل غير كفء، وإن الناس حين يسمعون كلامًا يفهمونه في ضوء ما لديهم من خلفيات معرفية، بل إن كثيرًا منهم يقرؤون تلك الخلفيات ويبلورونها عوضًا عن الاشتغال بفهم ما سمعوه."

"Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."

"I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief... I'm not in the business of offending people. I find the books upholding certain values that I think are important, such as life is immensely valuable and this world is an extraordinarily beautiful place. We should do what we can to increase the amount of wisdom in the world.[Washington Post interview, 19 February 2001]"

"He hated when his own advice applied to himself."

"The best way to see Faith is to shut the eye of Reason."

"Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for."

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."

"Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents."Translation by Sharon Lebell"

"اصحاب العقول الواقفة عند حرفية النص-قرانا وسنة- كثيرا ما تفلت منهم المقاصد والمنافع فيمشون على وجوههم"

"There’s no reason to not be humble, because as great as you may be, you can always be greater."