Man is a self-balancing, 28-jointed adapter-base biped, and electro-chemical reduction plant, integral with the segregated stowages of special energy extracts in storage batteries, for subsequent activation of thousands of hydraulic and pneumatic pumps, with motors attached; 62,000 miles of capillaries, millions of warning signal, railroad and conveyor systems, crushers and cranes, and a universally distributed telephone system needing no service for seventy years if well managed, the whole extraordinary complex mechanism guided with exquisite precision from a turret in which are located telescopic and microscopic self-registering and recording range-finders, a spectroscope, etc. .. the turret control being closely allied with an air-conditioning intake and exhaust, and a main fuel intake.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
Your body is the church where Nature asks to be reverenced.
—Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Political leader, Revolutionary, Novelist, Poet, Critic
Man is to man all kinds of beasts; a fawning dog, a roaring lion, a thieving fox, a robbing wolf, a dissembling crocodile, a treacherous decoy, and a rapacious vulture.
—Abraham Cowley (1618–67) English Poet, Essayist
Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A dissenting minority feels free only when it can impose its will on the majority; what it abominates most is the dissent of the majority.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
A man must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Man is an animal that cooks his victuals.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
‘Know thyself’ was written over the portal of the antique world. Over the portal of the new world, ‘Be thyself’ shall be written.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Many things about our bodies would not seem to us so filthy and obscene if we did not have the idea of nobility in our heads.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
He who is wise, sensible, has a clear understanding, and is quick-witted can suddenly free himself (from suffering). Do not be afraid. He will come back.
—Buddhist Teaching
Our generation is realistic for we have come to know man as he really is.
After all, man is that being who has invented the gas chambers of Auschwitz; however, he is also that being who has entered those gas chambers upright, with the Lord’s Prayer or Shema Yisrael on his lips.
—Viktor Frankl (1905–97) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
An ill-fated person may accumulate wealth, but a (more) fortunate person, whether skilful or not, will come to use it (will benefit by it).
—Buddhist Teaching
The world will only, in the end, follow those who have despised as well as served it.
—Samuel Butler
Man can climb to the highest summits but he cannot dwell there long.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
He who has conquered Mara (the Evil One) together with his army has the last birth because he has perfected his mental forces, calmed down his mind and put it to rest.
—Buddhist Teaching
Since he has evil desire, does not listen to his own conscience nor pay attention to the doctrine, he will have to face sin and thereby enter the lower plane of existence.
—Buddhist Teaching
Man is a reasoning, rather than a reasonable, animal.
—Alexander Hamilton (c.1757–1804) American Federalist Politician, Statesman
A fool suffers because he thinks that he has children, and he possesses wealth. Since he himself is not his own, how can a “son” or “wealth” belong to him?
—Buddhist Teaching
The multitude which is not brought to act as unity, is confusion. That unity which has not its origin in the multitude is tyranny.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
The Master was entirely free from four things: prejudice, foregone conclusions, obstinacy, and egoism.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
There is a cropping-time in the races of men, as in the fruits of the field; and sometimes, if the shock be good, there springs up for a time a succession of splendid men; and then comes a period of barrenness.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
An impersonal and scientific knowledge of the structure of our bodies is the surest safeguard against prurient curiosity and lascivious gloating.
—Marie Stopes (1880–1958) British Author, Social Activist
There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
I mean to make myself a man, and if I succeed in that, I shall succeed in everything else.
—James A. Garfield (1831–81) American Head of State, Lawyer, Educator
It is a cause of ruin to be proud of one’s birth, wealth and family name and then to despise even one’s own relatives.
—Buddhist Teaching
The human body is not a thing or substance, given, but a continuous creation. The human body is an energy system which is never a complete structure; never static; is in perpetual inner self-construction and self-destruction; we destroy in order to make it new.
—Norman O. Brown (1913–2002) American Philosopher
A wise man who is grateful, faithfully keeps good company and duly gives a helping hand to those who are in trouble is called a virtuous person.
—Buddhist Teaching
Never does a wise man commit a sin for the sake of his happiness. Never will he discard Morality because of his personal love or hatred, even though he may suffer and meet with a failure.
—Buddhist Teaching
The body is mortal, but the person dwelling in the body is immortal and immeasurable.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
The virtuous, like the Himalayas, appear from far away, while the vicious, like an arrow shot into the dark of the night, always disappears.
—Buddhist Teaching