March 29

If sometimes you feel that in spite of all your wishes to gain triumph over your passions, they gain victory over you, do not think that you cannot conquer them at all. You have only proven that you weren’t able to this one time.

A good groom does not drop his reins when he cannot stop his horses at once but tries again to pull the reins, and eventually the horses stop. So if you could not resist the temptations once, continue your fight, and in the end not your passion but you will gain the victory.

Try to be the master over greed, sloth, lechery, and rage.

A victory over oneself is a bigger and a better victory than a victory over thousands of people in a score of battles. Those who have achieved victory over other people can be defeated in future battles, but those who have achieved victory over themselves become victors forever.

— DHAMMAPADA, A BOOK Of BUDDHIST WISDOM

A passion in a person’s heart is like a spider’s web. At the beginning it is an alien visitor, then it becomes a regular guest; then it becomes master of the house.

— After the TALMUD

He who has achieved victory over himself has real power.

— EASTERN WISDOM

Abstention cannot be achieved at once, but it should be a process, and a constant effort. The life of a person who makes this effort is directed not to the calming of his passions but to the mastery of them.

Time and persistence help you in these efforts.