Quotes About Virtue

Better is that temptation which humbles me, than that duty which makes me proud.

Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, born 551 B. C., said: "Obey Heaven, and follow the orders of Him who governs it. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do to another what you would he should do unto you; and do not unto another what you would should not be done unto you; thou only needest this law alone, it is the foundation and principle of all the rest. Acknowledge thy benefits by the return of other benefits, but never revenge injuries." [415:1]

He discovered in his heart the first faint whispering of pure Christianity, and in some way he continued to keep his virtue intact by keeping his vices active.

If a man has no vices, he's in great danger of making vices out of his virtues, and there's a spectacle. We've all seen them: men who were monsters of philanthropy and women who were dragons of purity. ... No, no - nurse one vice in your bosom. Give it the attention it deserves and let your virtues spring up modesly around it.

After all, a girl's biggest asset is her virtue.

Como línea maestra, Buda aconsejó que evitásemos diez acciones que destruyen nuestra felicidad y la de los demás. Tres de ellas son físicas: matar, robar, y mantener una conducta sexual imprudente o poco aconsejable. Otras cuatro son verbales: mentir, calumniar, insultar, y conversar de un modo frívolo. Y tres son mentales: codiciar las posesiones ajenas, pensar con malicia y mantener visiones erróneas.

We are lovers of beauty without extravagance, and lovers of wisdom without unmanliness. Wealth to us is not mere material for vainglory but an opportunity for achievement; and poverty we think it no disgrace to acknowledge but a real degradation to make no effort to overcome.

May the sufferings of all sentient beings and those sufferings' causes ripen upon me, and may my own self be subdued and annihilated. May my virtues ripen on all sentient beings, and may they become endowed with happiness.

the Collection of Aphorisms (sometimes referred to as the Tibetan Dhammapada).

Do not boast to anyone, ever, when you engage in the practice of your good deeds.

Instead you recognize all such tasks as obligations, so boastfulness toward others simply does not occur.

pursuing virtuous activities in the pure realms. Therefore, those capable of training the mind are not vulnerable to the proliferation of the five degenerations and remain contented. If you know how to train the mind, even your body, the body of a mind training yogi, is known as the "city that is a source of joy." For all happiness—of this and future lives, of self and others—comes

Alternatively, you can recite the following when no one is around: "May the sufferings of all sentient beings and those sufferings' causes ripen upon me, and may my own self be subdued and annihilated. May my virtues ripen on all sentient beings, and may they become endowed with happiness." From the depth of your bones, cultivate the thought "O my dear mother, my dear brother [and sister] sentient beings!

He is not dead who departs from life with a high and noble fame; but he is dead, even while living, whose brow is branded with infamy.

He is not dead who departs this life with high fame; dead is he, though living, whose brow is branded with infamy.

The virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family.

It's like teachers. They know they're decent folk who are going to do it anyway. And when people are that virtuous, there's only one thing to do under our system: shit on 'em each paycheck.

There are many roads to dignity, and one is called character—

Better not be at all than not be noble.

Noble bold is an accident of fortune; noble actions characterize the great.

A noble heart will always capitulate to reason.

It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.

To do no evil is good, to intend none better.

A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.