We are so fond of being out among nature, because it has no opinions about us.

Immortal is the moment when I engendered the recurrence. For the sake of this moment I bear the recurrence.

Some mothers need happy children; others need unhappy ones-otherwise they cannot prove their maternal virtues.

Nothing on earth consumes a man more quickly than the passion of resentment.

Rational thought is interpretation according to a scheme which we cannot escape.

Over immense periods of time the intellect produced nothing but errors. A few of these proved to be useful and helped to preserve the species: those who hit upon or inherited these had better luck in their struggle for themselves and their progeny. Such erroneous articles of faith... include the following: that there are things, substances, bodies; that a thing is what it appears to be; that our will is free; that what is good for me is also good in itself.

These four, however, seek the freedom of their will at the very point where they are most securely chained. It is as if the silkworm sought freedom of will in spinning. What is the reason?