“A charity is only then a real charity when it involves sacrifice.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 70)
“To tell the truth is the same as to be a good tailor, or to be a good farmer, or to write beautifully. To be good at any activity requires practice: no matter how hard you try, you cannot do naturally what you have not done repeatedly. In order to get accustomed to speaking the truth, you should tell only the truth, even in the smallest of things.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 67)
“The killing and eating of animals is a prejudice accepted by those who think that animals were given to people by God to eat, so that there is nothing wrong in killing them. This is not true. It may be written in some books that it is not a sin to kill an animal, but it is written in our own hearts more clearly than in any books—that we should take pity on animals in the same way as we do on each other. And we all know this, if we do not deaden the voice of our conscience inside of us.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 64)
“A child meets another child with a smile, displaying his friendly attitude and joy. This same behavior lives in all sincere people. But very often, a man from one nation already hates a man from another nation, and is ready to cause him sufferings and even death, even before he meets him. Those who create these feelings in nations commit a terrible crime!”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 52)
“Remember how passionately you yearned in the past for many of the things which you hate or despise now. Remember how many things you lost trying to satisfy your former desires. The same thing could happen now, with the desires which excite you at present. Try to tame your present desires, calm them; this is most beneficial, and most achievable.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 49)
“Many people worry, and suffer, because they have been involved in so many bad things in their lives. In truth, though, good things often happen in spite of our wishes, and sometimes even in opposition to our wishes, and often after our excitement and suffering over unworthy things.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 49)
“A man condemned to immediate execution will not think about the growth of his estate, or about achieving glory, or about the victory of one group over another, or about the discovery of a new planet. But one minute before his death a man may wish to console an abused person, or help an old person to stand up, or to put a bandage on someone’s injury, or to repair a toy for a child.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 46)
“A man consists of body and soul. Thus often, especially in his youth, he is interested only in his body, but nevertheless, the most essential part of every man is not his body, but his soul. It is your soul that you must take care of, not your body. You must learn this over time, and remember that your real life is in your spirit, that is, in your soul. Save it from everyday dirt and do not let your flesh guide it; subdue your body to your soul, and then you will fulfill your destiny and live a happy life.”
Marcus Aurelius, via A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 44)
“A wise man loves not because he wants to profit from it but because he finds bliss in love itself.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 39)
“It is better to know several basic rules of life than to study many unnecessary sciences. The major rules of life will stop you from evil and show you the good path in life; but the knowledge of many unnecessary sciences may lead you into the temptation of pride, and stop you from understanding the basic rules of life.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 37)
“It seems to us that the most important work in the world is the work which is visible, which we can see: building a house, plowing the land, feeding cattle, gathering fruits; and that the work which is invisible, the work done by our soul, is not important. But our invisible work at the improvement of our soul is the most important work in the world, and all other visible kinds of work are useful only when we do this major work.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 33)
“We would think a man insane who, instead of covering his house with a roof and putting windows in his window frames, goes out in stormy weather, and scolds the wind, the rain, and the clouds. But we all do the same when we scold and blame the evil in other people instead of fighting the evil which exists in us. It is possible to get rid of the evil inside of us, as it is possible to make a roof and windows for our house. This is possible. But it is not possible for us to destroy evil in this world, just as we cannot order the weather to change and the clouds to disappear. If, instead of teaching others, we would educate and improve ourselves, then there would be less evil in this world, and all people would live better lives.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 33)
“There are a limitless number of different sciences, but without one basic science, that is, what is the meaning of life and what is good for the people, all other forms of knowledge and art become idle and harmful entertainment.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 30)
“A scholar knows many books; a well-educated person has knowledge and skills; an enlightened person understands the meaning and purpose of his life.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 30)
“Live for your soul, and without trying or even understanding that you’re doing it, you will contribute to the improvement of society.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 29)
“A thought can advance your life in the right direction only when it answers questions which were asked by your soul. A thought which was first borrowed from someone else and then accepted by your mind and memory does not really much influence your life, and sometimes leads you in the wrong direction.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 21)
“Christ expressed all His teachings in His last commandment: ‘Love each other, as I loved you. Everyone will see that you are my disciples, if you love each other.’ He did not say, ‘If you believe,’ but ‘If you love.’ Faith can change with time, because our knowledge is constantly changing. Love, on the contrary, never changes; love is eternal.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 20)
“Kindness enriches our life; with kindness mysterious things become clear, difficult things become easy, and dull things become cheerful.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 19)
“It’s important to strive to do good, and even more important to strive to abstain from evil.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 18)
“Be afraid to destroy the unity of people by stirring bad feelings amongst them against another with your words.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 17)