Quoting Phaedrus

(Originally noted a few months back in a repeat reading of Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, I've nothing more to add since the author of the book puts it perfectly well)

Mountains like these and travelers in the mountains and events that happen to them here are found not only in Zen literature but in the tales of every major religion. The allegory of a physical mountain for the spiritual one that stands between each soul and its goal is an easy and natural one to make. Like those in the valley behind us, most people stand in sight of the spiritual mountains all their lives and never enter them, being content to listen to others who have been there and thus avoid the hardships. Some travel into the mountains accompanied by experienced guides who know the best and least dangerous routes by which they arrive at their destination. Still others, inexperienced and untrusting, attempt to make their own routes. Few of these are successful, but occasionally some, by sheer will and luck and grace, do make it. Once there they become more aware than any of the others that there’s no single or fixed number of routes. There are as many routes as there are individual souls.

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14. From the perspective of a lazy lion, every leopard is hyperactive.
My take: A lazy lion having a perspective is not lazy enough.

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13. If you work on your mind with your mind, how can you avoid immense confusion? --Seng-Ts'an
My take: If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail --Bernard Baruch

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11. The obstacle is the path --Zen saying (quoted by Harish)
My take: (And) The journey is the reward --Steve Jobs

12. Be kind whenever possible. Its always possible --Dalai Lama

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9. Doing good is noble; telling others to good is also noble, only less trouble. :)

10. Those who can't do, teach!
My take: (strongly disagree) If all only practised, who would preach?

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Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. --Stephen Wright.
My take: No matter where you go, there you are!

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There are many things in life that money can't buy. And there are many things in life that can't be bought without money.
My take: When money talks, morals walk!

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5. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
My take: ... or food!

6. A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.
My take: It loses anyway, by burning out. And the other candle loses too!

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4. Believe nothing... unless it agrees with your own reasoning and your own common sense --Buddha
My take: And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is bad - need we ask anyone else to tell us that? --Richard M. Pirsig, Zen & The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance.

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I was gifted a-word-a-day by someone some 7-8 years back. More than learning these words, memory not helping, I started focusing on the quotes that end each day's mail. Having a liking for such, I started collecting them and then thinking all sorts of things on them, forwarding people hand-picked quotes, arguing over these and even making some people believe that I run a list of quotations! :) When I stopped at one point, I received a mail from a friend asking me to restart it.

In the past six odd months, we've had trainees/freshers here who found a whiteboard to scribble daily quotes on. I picked up a habit of commenting on these boards (in hiding)... I haven't spoken to these kids at all! Unfortunately, they're on vacation or something and I'd to find another board where another chap has started QOTD. To no one's surprise, I leave junk on these quotations too.

I can't recall all but now on, I'll register these. With this entry, I'm starting a series of these nonsensical twisting of quotes. This is something that I intended to do since a long time now!

Lets start by ones I can dig back:
0. Good judgement comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.
My take 1: In short, good judgement comes from bad judgement.
My take 2: Over time, you don't make bad judgements anymore; so you're not making good judgements either!

1. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
My take: Use someone else's feet
Rag's take: Use your head, instead! (I like this one better :)

2. Train your mind to what the situation demands.
My take 1: Have an empty mind? :)
My take 2: Free your mind --Morpheus, Matrix

3. A conscience does not prevent sin. It only prevents you from enjoying it.
My take: Conscience and sin are, both, subjective.