Leo Tolstoy
Circle of Reading
Translated by Dmitry Fadeyev

March 13

The prerequisite for wisdom is moral purity; its consequence is spiritual tranquility.

1

A good human being cares more about doing what must be done than about what happens to him. “My business is to do that which must be done,” such a person would say, “what happens is up to God. And no matter what happens, nothing can prevent me from doing that which I must do.”

2

The one who sets a rule for himself to only do the things he wants to do will not want to do that which he is doing for very long.

3

When we feel ourselves weakest in body, we can be strongest in spirit.

— Lucy Mallory

4

The best proof of wisdom is a perpetually good disposition.

— Montaigne

5

Do only the things that lift you up spiritually, and you can be sure that this will make you most useful to society.

6

When you are saddened or tormented by something, think: 1) of the many things that are even worse that could happen to you and are happening to other people; 2) remember how in the past you were saddened by events and circumstances, just as you are now, which you can now recall calmly and with complete indifference; and 3) most important, realize that the thing that saddens and torments you is only a trial, an opportunity to manifest and fortify your spiritual strength.

7

At times human souls enter a state of highest perfection, at other times a state of lowest depravity. Cherish the good hours, hold onto them and drive away the bad, and you will begin spending more and more time in the good hours and less and less time in the bad.

— After Bacon

8

Only the one who does not think that he is wise can be wise. And only the one who always sees before him the perfection of God can think himself not wise.

9

The one who has nothing to lose is very rich.

— Chinese saying


Wisdom is infinite—the more you move towards it, the more necessary it becomes.

A human being can always improve himself.