The crime of murder remains a crime, whoever might have sanctioned it and whatever excuse might be found to justify it. And therefore those people who have committed murder or who have prepared to do so are criminals, and the attitude we need to adopt towards them should not be one of respect, approval or delight, but regret, and exhortation to imp

To be an oppressive master is worse than being a submissive slave. Don’t be weighed down by poverty, be weighed down by over-indulgence. Tolstoy

If someone has offended me that is his business – that is the sort of person he is and that is the kind of thing he does. I have my own way of doing things, which in my opinion comes naturally to all human beings, and I will remain faithful to that principle in everything I do. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The person who fears nothing and who is always ready to give up his life for the truth is much stronger than the person who is afraid of everything and who holds the life of others in his hands. Tolstoy

We are aware of the spiritual, divine principle in our lives in two ways: firstly, through our reason, and, secondly, through love. Tolstoy

In order to achieve saintliness there is nothing more important than abstinence. Abstinence must become a habit that is adopted in early life. Whenever that is the case, it becomes a virtue. For those whose virtue has been confirmed in this way, there is nothing they cannot overcome. Lao-tzu

Knowledge is like currency. A man may have some right to be proud of possessing it, if he has worked for the gold of it, and assayed it, and stamped it, so that it may be received by all men as true; or earned it fairly as being already assayed; but if he has done none of these things, but only had it thrown in his face by a passer-by, what cause h

If you are able to teach someone to behave in an upright way and yet do not do so, you will lose a brother. Chinese wisdom

Some of your friends will censure you, some will praise you. Keep the company of those who censure you, and avoid those who praise you. The Talmud