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Anyone can see that an ass laden with books remains a donkey. A human being laden with the undigested results of a tussle with thoughts and books, however, still passes for wise.

Idries Shah

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Idries Shah
Age: 72 †
Born: 1924
Born: June 16
Died: 1996
Died: November 23
Author
Collector Of Fairy Tales
Teacher
Writer
Simla
Arkon Daraul
Humans
Thoughts
Book
Wise
Undigested
Results
Donkey
Books
Laden
Anyone
Passes
Stills
Ass
Still
Remains
Human
However

More quotes by Idries Shah

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One of the tragedies of modern times is that people have come to believe that something said by someone in the past, perhaps for illustrative or provocation purposes, actually represents that person's beliefs at the time.
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People today are in danger of drowning in information but, because they have been taught that information is useful, they are more willing to drown than they need be. If they could handle information, they would not have to drown at all.
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Better to be safe than to be sorry' is a remark of value only when these are the actual alternatives.
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It is not only a matter of not caring who knows - it is also a matter of knowing who cares.
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There is a Persian proverb: 'To test that which has been tested is ignorance.' To try to test something without the means of testing is even worse.
Idries Shah
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The learned person who only talks will never Penetrate to the inner heart of humans.
Idries Shah
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The Sufi way is through knowledge and practice, not through intellect and talk.
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You need not wonder whether you should have an unreliable person as a friend. An unreliable person is nobody's friend.
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Exercise power by means of kindness, and you may be causing more damage than you could by cruelty. Neither approach is correct.
Idries Shah
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Learn to be as analytical about things of which you are credulous as you are of those which you criticise.
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The Path is not to be found anywhere except in human service
Idries Shah
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If you can turn a murderer into a mere thief, you are making progress.
Idries Shah
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The sufis believe that they can experience something more complete.
Idries Shah
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Worry is a cloud which rains destruction.
Idries Shah
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If you want to make an ordinary man happy, or think that he is happy, give him money, power, flattery, gifts, honours. If you want to make a wise man happy - improve yourself!
Idries Shah
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People used to play with toys. Now the toys play with them.
Idries Shah
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One cannot learn from someone whom one distrusts.
Idries Shah
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There is a succession of experiences which together constitute the educational and developmental ripening of the learner, according to the Sufis. People who think that each gain is the goal itself will freeze at any such stage, and cannot learn through successive and superseding lessons.
Idries Shah
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Effort makes some great men famous. Even greater effort enables other great men to remain unknown.
Idries Shah
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A generous person may not have wisdom: but, unlike others, he has the means to gain it.
Idries Shah