I would be ready to practise any job if by doing so I could achieve great wealth by honest means. On the contrary, if in order to become rich I had to make use of dishonourable means, I would prefer to stay poor, dedicated to my favourite activities.
Those who do not study, or study but do not obtain a profit, must not get discouraged, nor end their path. Those who do not ask in order to solve their doubts, or who ask but do not get satisfactory answers, they must not get discouraged either. Those who do not practice meditation, or when meditating do not obtain a clear knowledge of the foundation of goodness, they must not get discouraged. Those who still cannot distinguish good from evil, or those who do distinguish but have not managed to penetrate the essence of goodness, they should not get discouraged. Those who do not practice goodness or when doing so do not manage to do it with all their strength, they should not get discouraged either. What others would do in their first attempt, they will achieve in ten attempts; what others would do after a hundred attempts, they will do after a thousand.
He who truly follows this rule of persistance, no matter how ignorant, he will become wise without realizing; no matter how weak, he will naturally become strong.
Everyone eats and drinks, but very few know how to distinguish flavours.
When I realize I’m not acting with rectitude, I feel scared even if my adversary is a single uneducated, vulgar man; however, when I believe I’m fulfilling my duty, I feel strong enough as to face even a thousand or ten thousand men.
All virtuous actions, all duties, can be considered accomplished by the sole fact of having taken the decission of practising them; if no previous determination is taken, they will never be accomplished. If before starting to talk we previously determine and choose the words, our conversation won´t be unsteady, nor ambiguous. If in all our businesses and enterprises we previously plan the stages of our acting, we´ll easily attain success. If we determine with enough anticipation our rule of behaviour in life, never will our spirit be assaulted by worry. If we previously know our duties, accomplishing them will be easy.
The emperor who would like not to have enemies in the whole Empire and was stubborn not to practice Goodness would be comparable to one who wanted to hold a red-hot iron in his hands without suffering any kind of burn.
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
It’s better to love the Truth than the cold knowledge of it; It’s better to please oneself in the practice of the Truth, than the simple love towards it.
If in every business and venture we previously plan the stages of our action, we will achive success with ease.
True wisdom consists in knowing that you know what you really know, and that you ignore what you really ignore.