sdi

Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.

(Laozi, Tao Te Ching LXVII; as translated by Stephen Mitchell)

Riches are a weak anchor, and glory yet a weaker; beauty and strength of body, posts, dignities, authority, and reputation are anchors too, but most brittle and faithless. What then are the good anchors? Piety, prudence, magnanimity, and courage. These are anchors no tempest can loosen or unmoor: for such is the law of God, that there shall be no true strength in anything but virtue, and all the rest shall be weakness and misery.

(Pythagoras of Samos, as adapted by Manly P. Hall)

There are four first principles that must be upheld concerning God—faith, truth, love, hope. We must have faith that our only salvation is in turning to God. And having faith, we must strive with all our might to know the truth about God. And when we know this, we must love Him we do know. And when we love Him we must nourish our souls on good hopes for our life, for it is by their good hopes good men are superior to bad ones. Let then these four principles be firmly held.

(Porphyry to Marcella, as translated by Alice Zimmern)

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(Jesus of Nazareth; as quoted by Matthew the Apostle, Gospel of Matthew VI 19, NKJV)