Thursday Thirteen No. 23: Words to Live By if You Find the Time

I subscribe to way too much online stuff. Although everything I receive is worthwhile reading, I don't always get to it. So I save all the bits and pieces in files that I seldom open. (Does that make me a virtual packrat or a real one? )

The other day I decided to spend some time with the items that I had plopped into my "Hindu Wisdom" folder. Here are 13 gems, the best of which I highlighted to make skimming easier:

1. Bearing and nurturing, creating but not owning, giving without demanding, this is harmony (Tao Te Ching).


2. Love alone will abide thee (Tamil proverb).

3. Whenever I see an erring man, I say to myself, I have also erred; when I see a lustful man I say to myself, so was I once; and in this way I feel kinship with everyone in the world and feel that I cannot be happy without the humblest of us being happy (Mahatma Gandhi).


4. Ignorance is the failure to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2:5).

5. Life is but a playground, however gross the play may be. However we may receive blows and however knocked about we may be, the Soul is there and is never injured. We are that Infinite (Vivekananda).

6. Adversity and prosperity never cease to exist. The adornment of great men's minds is to remain unswervingly just under both (Tirukkural 12:115).

7. The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience (Mahatma Gandhi).

8. Inwardly give up the idea "I am the doer," yet outwardly engage in all activities. This is how to live in the world, completely free from the least trace of ego (Maharamayana).


9. To everyone of us there must come a time when the whole universe will be found to have been a dream, when we find the soul is infinitely better than the surroundings. It is only a question of time, and time is nothing in the infinite (Sai Baba).

10. Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence? (Sai Baba)


11. The fool tries to control his mind. How can he ever succeed? Mastery always comes naturally to the man who is wise and who loves himself (Ashtavakra Gita 18:41).


12. Knowledge born of the finest discrimination takes us to the farthest shore. It is intuitive, omniscient, and beyond all divisions of time and space (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 3:54).


13. Do not disparage men who appear small, for there are those, seemingly insignificant, who are like the linchpin of a mighty chariot (Tirukkural 67:667).

Thursday Thirteen

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38 Comments

  1. I love this one the best, Sandy: Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence? (Sai Baba)

    I have a friendship award for you Sandy. Come by my blog and pick it up dear friend. :D

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  2. I love no. 3 and 7. Ghandhi was so wise. I also love the one the teach mentions - reminds me of Thumper in 'Bambi' saying what his mother told him: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all".

    Thanks for these. Thought provoking.

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  3. I loved the quotes. I have loads of them filed away in my computer. Thansk for always stopping by and for for doing with Andree OSI.

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  4. This is a great collection of quotes... and definitely very wise words to go through life on...

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  5. I like #10 the best :) My family believes in Sai Baba and that's one of the many virtues we are taught :)

    Sandy, I've got an award for you on my blog here. :)

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  6. I'm trusting you with this secret, I'm a virtual packrat (like that term) too! At least hubby can't complain about these collections because we each have our own computer. :)

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  7. Anonymous9:34 PM

    "Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?"
    Sigh... if only more people would follow this one....

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  8. I wanted to come over and say thank you for visiting me and find you have quite a few blogs...I with one can barely find the time to keep it up plus visit my friends...I am impressed!
    Sandi

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  9. Anonymous9:51 PM

    10 and 13 spoke to me the most. Happy TT!

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  10. What great words of wisdom. They really made me think. Thanks for sharing and for stopping by. Happy TT.

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  11. #3 is my favorite. Great list of quotes.

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  12. "Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?" this is one of my favorite quotes and has saved me a time or two from words I regret.
    Great list, thanks for stopping by!

    PS I know 13 books is a lot and my husband has a tiny stroke everytime the mailman knocks on the door LOL!
    Have a great week!

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  13. I love them.. You inspire me.

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  14. Words to live by. Happy TT.

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  15. You picked out very nice quotes, I have a "pending" file where I keep things to be answered and forget to look in it, lol!

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  16. Being an indian that to tamilian i am feeling ashamed i haven't written a post about my native. But you have written about it. K very nice work

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  17. #6 was my favorite. I never heard that one before. Thanks for sharing! And thanks for visiting my TT.

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  18. Enjoyed every one, also learnt from quite a few. Thanks for sharing, I am so glad you stored these treasures away.

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  19. Anonymous3:06 AM

    nice post..

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  20. Anonymous6:40 AM

    WoW...lovely reading the quotes of wisdom....you have collected it wonderfully and all are so meaningful....You have really done a great job...have a wonderful time!

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  21. Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence? - I love this one. Your site is a blessing to me, I always gain some words of wisdom whenever I drop by.Thanks for this post!

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  22. I like the last quote- "Do not disparage men who appear small, for there are those, seemingly insignificant, who are like the linchpin of a mighty chariot (Tirukkural 67:667)," because I've had those moments of feeling small.:)

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  23. Anonymous7:59 AM

    Love those quotes by Gandhi. Also #5. Thanks for sharing.

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  24. Anonymous9:06 AM

    Creating without owning for the win! Brilliant, inspirational, valuable list. Thanks for making me feel better about life, and about myself.

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  25. Sandy, I love these quotes! As you know, I open each of my posts with one.

    These, that you have listed, are insightful and very though provoking.
    I will write some of them down for future considerations. Thank you!

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  26. Anonymous10:45 AM

    Stopped by for a little inspiration. #9: I just wrote "Life is a big field trip that I'm taking good notes on."

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  27. Anonymous10:54 AM

    If there were only one to choose to live by, it should be #10. Great list!

    Sosuna-o-Lata

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  28. I like the 2nd one the best. All about the love! Jennifer

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  29. definitely some great quotes. As usual very thought provoking.

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  30. 8. is particularly wise. Thanks for coming by Pesbo again.

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  31. My favourites are #5 and #10, but I love the wisdom in all of them!

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  32. Like you, I subscribe to (and save) gems like these that I know are worthwhile but seldom have time for. I've added a link to your T-13 to my already too lengthy list because I don't have time now to savor what's here. Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs and blessings,

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  33. These aare all excellant words to live by.

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  34. Sorry I'm late getting around to visiting...there was this huge storm in our area, and the computer was down.

    I really like #5

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  35. Wonderful quotations. More people should have such words to ponder.

    My T13 is in honor of International Women's Day on 8 March. Thirteen Famous (and not so famous) Women

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Thanks for being here.