Our character is not so much the product of race and heredity as of those circumstances by which nature forms our habits, by which we are nurtured and live.

Nature abhors annihilation.

The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.

Peace is liberty in tranquillity.

An unjust peace is better than a just war.

The only excuse for war is that we may live in peace unharmed.

In a republic this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power.

Live as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts.

Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms nature.

Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.

In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.

This is the truth: as from a fire aflame thousands of sparks come forth, even so from the Creator an infinity of beings have life and to him return again.

Hatred is inveterate anger.

Hatred is settled anger.

While there's life, there's hope.

A man of courage is also full of faith.

A home without books is a body without soul.

It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.

To live is to think.

Old age: the crown of life, our play's last act.

There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.

Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.

The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.

Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.

Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.

He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.

As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.

We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.

The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquillity is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there.

There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is immanent what can you do?

God doesn't dwell in the wooden, stony or earthen idols. His abode is in our feelings, our thoughts.

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.

One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.

Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.

The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.

He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.

A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode.

Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.

I don't know if I've ever been in a clique. The older I've gotten, the more I've realized what a true friend really is. So my friendship circle has changed a bit.

In general I like a guy who is athletic, somebody who can teach me something. Whether it's teaching me a new way to cut on a wave or teach me a three-point conversion or teach me how to dribble a soccer ball. There's something really cool about that.

But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold.

Without wearing any mask we are conscious of, we have a special face for each friend.

There is no friend like an old friend who has shared our morning days, no greeting like his welcome, no homage like his praise.

Sweet is the scene where genial friendship plays the pleasing game of interchanging praise.

Don't flatter yourselves that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. On the contrary, the nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.

Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.

Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.

A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.