--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We protect virtue so that virtue will…" description: "\"We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us.\" — Ajahn Chah" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/ajahn-chah-4829_character_we-protect-virtue-so-that-virtue-will-pr_1171880.png" --- # We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us. ![“We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us.” quote by Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/ajahn-chah-4829_character_we-protect-virtue-so-that-virtue-will-pr_1171880.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/ajahn-chah-4829_character_we-protect-virtue-so-that-virtue-will-pr_1171880.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/ajahn-chah-4829_character_we-protect-virtue-so-that-virtue-will-pr_1171880.png) > “We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us.” [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Protecting moral conduct creates a protective shield for the individual, fostering inner safety. **In simple terms:** Virtue safeguards you. Key Takeaway Cultivate ethical behavior to protect yourself. Themes ethics spirituality self‑protection Mood calm reflective Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - daily meditation - community service - conflict avoidance - personal decision‑making Key Concepts karma mindfulness moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does ethical conduct influence personal resilience? - Can virtue become a source of ego? A Different Perspective Moral rigidity may lead to judgmental attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-virtue-3399884/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-protect-3399885/) [Virtue Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-virtue-654187/) ## Related quotes > [“You're perfectly safe. Emily is here to protect your virtue." "That's too bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kady-cross/you-re-perfectly-safe-emily-is-here-to-protect-your-virtue-that-s-too/) [Kady Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kady-cross/) > [Which is more misshapen,--religion without virtue, or virtue without religion?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/which-is-more-misshapen-religion-without-virtue-or-virtue-without/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Virtue could see to do what virtue would By her own radiant light, though sun and moon Were in the flat sea sunk. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/virtue-could-see-to-do-what-virtue-would-by-her-own-radiant-light/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Happiness is not the reward of virtue, but is virtue itself; nor do we delight in happiness because we restrain from our lusts; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-not-the-reward-of-virtue-but-is-virtue-itself-nor-do-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Virtue is virtue only when it is spontaneous; virtue is virtue only when it is natural, unpractised - when it comes out of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/virtue-is-virtue-only-when-it-is-spontaneous-virtue-is-virtue-only/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Blessedness is not the reward of virtue but virtue itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/blessedness-is-not-the-reward-of-virtue-but-virtue-itself/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [I love him who loveth his virtue: for virtue is the will to down-going, and an arrow of longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-loveth-his-virtue-for-virtue-is-the-will-to-down-going/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Good is good in the final hour, in the deepest pit – without hope, without witness, without reward. Virtue is only virtue in extremis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/good-is-good-in-the-final-hour-in-the-deepest-pit-without-hope/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [I love him who desireth not too many virtues. One virtue is more of a virtue than two, because it is more of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-desireth-not-too-many-virtues-one-virtue-is-more-of-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Money is the product of virtue, but it will not give you virtue and it will not redeem your vices”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/money-is-the-product-of-virtue-but-it-will-not-give-you-virtue-and-it/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Virtue could see to do what Virtue would by her own radiant light, though sun and moon where in the flat sea sunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/virtue-could-see-to-do-what-virtue-would-by-her-own-radiant-light-2/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Any of us can achieve virtue, if by virtue we merely mean the avoidance of the vices that do not attract us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-staughton-lynd/any-of-us-can-achieve-virtue-if-by-virtue-we-merely-mean-the/) [Robert Staughton Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-staughton-lynd/) > [O let us still the secret joy partake, To follow virtue even for virtue's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/o-let-us-still-the-secret-joy-partake-to-follow-virtue-even-for/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [The only reward of virtue is virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-only-reward-of-virtue-is-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [When we see a special reformer we feel like asking him, What right have you, sir, to your own virtue? Is virtue piecemeal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-we-see-a-special-reformer-we-feel-like-asking-him-what-right/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Ajahn Chah > [If you have time to be mindful, you have time to meditate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-you-have-time-to-be-mindful-you-have-time-to-meditate/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Letting go a little brings a little peace. Letting go a lot brings a lot of peace. Letting go completely brings complete peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/letting-go-a-little-brings-a-little-peace-letting-go-a-lot-brings-a/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Mindfulness is life. Whenever we don’t have mindfulness, when we are heedless, it’s as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/mindfulness-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-mindfulness-when-we-are/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [We don't meditate to see heaven, but to end suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-don-t-meditate-to-see-heaven-but-to-end-suffering/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel they will be taken advantage of or oppressed. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/some-people-are-afraid-of-generosity-they-feel-they-will-be-taken/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Anything which is troubling you, anything which is irritating you, THAT is your teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/anything-which-is-troubling-you-anything-which-is-irritating-you-that/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Know and watch your heart. It's pure but emotions come to colour it. So let your mind be like a tightly woven net to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/know-and-watch-your-heart-it-s-pure-but-emotions-come-to-colour-it-so/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [A woman wanted to know how to deal with anger. I asked when anger arose whose anger it was. She said it was hers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/a-woman-wanted-to-know-how-to-deal-with-anger-i-asked-when-anger/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Sati is life. Whenever we don't have sati, when we are heedless, it's as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/sati-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-sati-when-we-are-heedless-it-s-as/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [When sitting in meditation, say, "That's not my business!" with every thought that comes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/when-sitting-in-meditation-say-that-s-not-my-business-with-every/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake each moment, the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/proper-effort-is-not-the-effort-to-make-something-particular-happen/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Regarding this Dhamma, it is not something that we can simply talk about or take another's word for it. We need to develop meditation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/regarding-this-dhamma-it-is-not-something-that-we-can-simply-talk/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [These days people don't search for the Truth. People study simply in order to find knowledge necessary to make a living, raise families and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/these-days-people-don-t-search-for-the-truth-people-study-simply-in/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Things are simply the way they are. They don't give us suffering. Like a thorn: Does a sharp thorn give us suffering? No. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/things-are-simply-the-way-they-are-they-don-t-give-us-suffering-like/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) [Explore all 105 Ajahn Chah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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