Rumi Quotes on Mind
Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi was a thirteenth-century Persian poet, jurist, and Sufi mystic, born in what is now Afghanistan and settling at Konya in Anatolia. This page collects quotes attributed to Rumi on the topic of mind, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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Attributed to Rumi:
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
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“He whose intellect overcomes his desire is higher than the angels; he whose desire overcomes his intellect is less than an animal.”
Kabir Helminski (ed.) The Rumi Collection: An Anthology of Translations (2000) -
“Seek truth from thought, not in mouldy books. Look in the sky to find the moon, not in the pool.”
Pebbles, Pearls and Gems of the Orient(1882) | "Knowledge and Wisdom", no. 121 -
“Our celestial spirit is free to eternity, Although for a short time we are imprisoned in forms of flesh.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 31, Diwan-i-Shams-i-Tabriz -
“Jesus, son of Mary, went to heaven and his ass remained below, I remain on the earth but my spirit has flown to the sky.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 135, Diwan-i-Shams-i-Tabriz (Nicholson) -
“Then think not lowly of thy heart, though lowly, For holy is it and there dwells the holy, God’s presence-chamber is the human breast, Ah! happy spirit with such Inmate blest.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 176, Diwan-i-Shams-i-Tabriz (Falconer) -
“If the sleeping spirit knew itself to be asleep, Whatever it might see, it would feel neither joy nor sorrow.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 244, Diwan-i-Shams-i-Tabriz (Nicholson) -
“'Twere better that the spirit which wears not true love as a garment Had not been; its being is but shame.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 248, Diwan-i-Shams-i-Tabriz (Nicholson) -
“Reason is like an officer when the King appears; The officer then loses his power and hides himself. Reason is the shadow cast by God; God is the sun.”
Masnavi | IV, Story 4 (tr. Whinfield) -
“Dwell in the place where your companions are spiritual heroes, So that they may wash the foul soot from your [heart] Don't think about their faults, for they Will know about it before you think.”
Masnavi | "Advice to the Disciple and Aspirant" (tr. Gamard and Farhadi) -
“Thought is an arrow shot by God into the air How can it stay in the air? It returns to God.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 91 (Whinfield) -
“Jesus , thy spirit, is present beside thee, Ask aid of Him for He is a sufficient helper.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 135 -
“Union exists beyond all thought and speech Between great Allah and the soul of each.”
A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations(1911) | p. 137 (Whinfield)