A Calendar of Wisdom

Look at all of your knowledge as a gift, as a means of helping other people. A strong and wise person uses his gifts to support other people.

Help should be mutual. Moreover, those who accept help and assistance from their brothers should pay them back, not only with money, but with love, respect, and gratitude.

The most important change that can occur in a person’s life is a change in his faith.

Individuals die, but the wisdom they have obtained in their lives does not die with them. Mankind keeps all this wisdom, and a person uses the wisdom of those who lived before him. The education of mankind reminds me of the creation of the ancient pyramids, in that everyone who lives puts another stone in the foundation.

We are temporary visitors in this world; after we are educated, we are called to different places, and we pass away. But the general education of mankind goes on, very slowly but without interruption.

It is a big mistake to think that faith is immutable, that it does not change over generations. The longer mankind exists, its faith becomes simpler and stronger. And the simpler and stronger our faith becomes, the better we live. If you believe that faith is the same for all times and that it cannot be changed, you might just as well believe that those fairy tales and proverbs and children's stories which your grandmother told you when you were a small baby are real, and that you ought to believe in them all your life.

The more a person believes in God, the less he is afraid of other people.

Do not despair. Do not be disappointed if you see that you cannot accomplish all the good which you would like to accomplish. If you fall, try to stand up; try to overcome the obstacle before you. Get to the heart of the matter, to the essence of things.

Those who fear people do not fear God; those who fear God do not fear people.

He who is not afraid of anything, and who is ready to give his life for a righteous cause, is much stronger than he whom other people fear and who has the lives of other people in his power.

Look for the better men among those who are despised.

Do what you think is necessary, and do not expect reward. Remember that a stupid person is a bad judge of clever deeds.

You want to save yourself from the power of other people - give yourself to the power of God. If you see yourself as being in the power of God, then people cannot do anything to you.

Wisdom can be achieved by inner work, through solitary communication with yourself; it also can be achieved when you communicate with other people.

Listen and be attentive, but do not speak too much; and when you are asked a question, answer briefly. Do not be ashamed to accept that sometimes you do not know an answer to what you were asked. Do not get into an argu- ment just for the sake of argument; and do not boast.

You can view your own drawbacks only through the eyes of other people.

I have learned many things from my teachers; I have learned many things from my friends; and I have learned even more from my students.

If you see a holy man, think: how could I become like him? If you see a dissipated man, think: don’t I have the same vices?

Real love is not in words but in deeds, and only love can give you real wisdom.

When you are in company, do not forget what you have found out when you were thinking in solitude; and when you are meditating in solitude, think about what you found out by communicating with other people.

If sometimes you feel that in spite of all your wishes to gain triumph over your passions, they gain victory over you, do not think that you cannot conquer them at all. You have only proven that you weren’t able to do this one time. A good groom does not drop his reins when he cannot stop his horses at once but tries again to pull the reins, and eventually the horses stop. So if you could not resist the temptations once, continue your fight, and in the end not your passion but you will gain the victory.

Try to be the master over greed, sloth, lechery, and rage.

A victory over oneself is a bigger and a better victory than a victory over thousands of people in a score of battles. Those who have achieved victory over other people can be defeated in future battles, but those who have achieved victory over themselves become victors forever.

A passion in a person’s heart is like a spider’s web. At the beginning it is an alien visitor; then it becomes a regular guest; then it becomes master of the house.

He who has achieved victory over himself has real power.

Abstention cannot be achieved at once, but it should be a process, and a constant effort. The life of a person who makes these efforts is directed not to the calming of his passions but to the mastery of them. Time and persistence help you in these efforts.

The truth is not only a joy, it is an instrument in conflict much more powerful than violence.

If you want to demonstrate some truth to your listeners, do not be irritated, and do not say unkind or abusive words.

If you notice someone in error, then correct this person and his mistake in a humble way. If he does not listen to you, blame yourself only; or, even better, do not blame anybody, but continue to be humble.

If you have parted from a person, and he was not satisfied with you, or did not agree with you when you were right, he is not to blame, but probably it is you who are to blame, because you were not kind enough with this man.