Quotes of famous people
Popular topics
Authors
Tupac Shakur154
rapper and actor 1971–1996
Barack Obama1158
44th President of the United States of America 1961
William Shakespeare699
English playwright and poet 1564–1616
George Orwell473
English author and journalist 1903–1950
Oscar Wilde812
Irish writer and poet 1854–1900Recommended quotes
“Pain is the opposite of strength, and so is anger.”
Marcus Aurelius book Meditations
Hays translation
XI, 18
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book XI
Marcus Aurelius book Meditations
Variant: If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.
Source: Meditations
“Yesterday's clarity is today's stupidity
The universe has dark and light, entrust oneself to change”
Ikkyu (1394–1481) Japanese Buddhist monk
As quoted in Ikkyū and The Crazy Cloud Anthology : A Zen Poet of Medieval Japan (1986) by Sonja Arntzen.
Context: Natural, reckless, correct skill;
Yesterday's clarity is today's stupidity
The universe has dark and light, entrust oneself to change
One time, shade the eyes and gaze afar at the road of heaven.
Silvio Berlusconi (1936) Italian politician
As quoted in "Did I say This? in The Observer (20 April 2008) http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/20/italy <br class="br">2006
“Every one of us is marvellous and complicated and interesting and gorgeous just as we are.”
Alan Watts (1915–1973) British philosopher, writer and speaker
Source: Out of Your Mind: Tricksters, Interdependence, and the Cosmic Game of Hide-and-Seek (2017), p. 42
Context: Have you really looked at a seashell? There's not an aesthetic fault in it anywhere - it's absolutely perfect. Now, do you think that shells look at each other and critique each other's appearance? "Well, your markings are a little crooked and not very well spaced." Of course not, but that's what we do. Every one of us is marvellous and complicated and interesting and gorgeous just as we are. Really take a look at another person's eyes. They are jewelry beyond compare - just beautiful!
“No amount of anxiety makes any difference to anything that is going to happen.”
Alan Watts (1915–1973) British philosopher, writer and speaker
“I am writing graffiti on your body.
I am drawing the story of how hard we tried.”
Ani DiFranco (1970) musician and activist
Both Hands
Song lyrics
Banksy pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, and painter
Existencilism (2002)
“An intelligent society would have made of them people like everybody else!”
Ravachol (1859–1892) French anarchist
Une société intelligente en aurait fait des gens comme tout le monde!
Trial statement
“We call reality
to madness that remains
and madness to reality that vanishes”
Jorge Majfud (1969) Uruguayan-American writer
La ciudad de la Luna (2009)
Lady Gaga (1986) American singer, songwriter, and actress
Lady Gaga Says 'Judas' Video 'Celebrates Faith' in MTV News (26 Apr 26 2011) http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662707/lady-gaga-judas-music-video.jhtml.
“Meditate upon the Knowledge and Bliss Eternal, and you will also have bliss.”
Ramakrishna (1836–1886) Indian mystic and religious preacher
As quoted in Hindu Psychology : Its Meaning for the West (1946) by Swami Akhilananda, p. 204
Variant translation: Meditate upon the Knowledge and Bliss Eternal, and you also will have bliss. Bliss indeed is eternal, only it is covered and obscured by ignorance. The less your attachment is to the senses, the more will be your love to God.
Saying 806, in Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna (1948) edited by Swami Vireswarananda
Context: Meditate upon the Knowledge and Bliss Eternal, and you will also have bliss. The Bliss indeed is eternal, only it is covered and obscured by ignorance. The less your attachment is towards the senses, the more will be your love towards God.
Oliver Sykes (1986) British musician
Straight away, I said, "That's it – I'm going vegetarian".<br><br> "Oli Sykes joins animal rights campaign" https://web.archive.org/web/20131105210441/http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2008/10/oli_sykes_joins_animal_rights.html, interview with Kerrang! (30 October 2008).
