Mahatma Gandhi Quotes

If you want to be happy, live discreetly. Does that make sense in English?

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.

Man falls from the pursuit of the ideal of plan living and high thinking the moment he wants to multiply his daily wants. Man's happiness really lies in contentment.

When ambitious desires arise in thy heart, recall the days of extremity thou have passed through. Forbearance is the root of all quietness and assurance forever.

I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.

Do not follow vain desires; for verily he who prospers is preserved from lust, greed and anger.

In moderating, not satisfying desires, lies peace.

I love the idea of living a life that is completely humble and quiet.

I try and live my life simply and purely.

We shall have to practise to lead our life on the basis of our needs, not under the influence of our greed.

What is necessary is not to seek after some fantastic ideal, utterly unsuited to our real needs, but to discover the true nature of those needs, to fulfill them, and rejoice therein.

Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.

For it is better to suffer a little want than to have too much.

Civilization, in the real sense of the term, consists not in the multiplication, but in the deliberate and voluntary reduction of wants.

There is no real joy that does not involve self-denial and self-discipline

In general, it can be said that no contemplative life is possible without ascetic self-discipline. One must learn to survive without the habit-forming luxuries which get such a hold on men today. I do not say that to be a contemplative one absolutely has to go without smoking or without alcohol, but certainly one must be able to use these things without being dominated by an uncontrolled need for them.

Freedom is not having everything we crave, it's being able to go without the things we crave and being OK with it.

All should be taught that the highest ambition is to be happy, and to add to the well-being of others; that place and power are not necessary to success; that the desire to acquire great wealth is a kind of insanity. They should be taught that it is a waste of energy, a waste of thought, a waste of life, to acquire what you do not need and what you do not really use for the benefit of yourself or others.

Do not be eager for things above.

Though it is folly to suppose that happiness is a matter of volition, and that we can make ourselves content and cheerful whenever we choose - a theory that many poor hypochondriacs are taunted with till they are nigh driven mad - yet, on the other hand, no sane mind is ever left without the power of self-discipline and self-control in a measure, which measure increases in proportion as it is exercised.

There is no greater sin than desire, No greater curse than discontent, No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

He who understands the limits of life knows that it is easy to obtain that which removes the pain of want and makes the whole of life complete and perfect. Thus he has no longer any need of things which involve struggle.

Learn to live more in the Self. Come down a little bit to eat and talk as necessary.

Such power there is in clear-eyed self-restraint.

The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.