--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Death is the gate of life." description: "\"Death is the gate of life.\" — Bernard of Clairvaux" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg" --- # Death is the gate of life. ![“Death is the gate of life.” quote by Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg) > “Death is the gate of life.” [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Death transitions us to a deeper existence, suggesting life and death are parts of a continuous cycle. **In simple terms:** Death leads to a new phase of existence. Key Takeaway Embrace death as part of life's cycle. Themes spirituality life death continuity Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - rituals - personal meditation Key Concepts afterlife transcendence philosophical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your daily choices? - What practices help integrate this perspective? A Different Perspective Fear of death can hinder appreciation of life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [And to the faithful: death, the gate of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-to-the-faithful-death-the-gate-of-life/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Where else is the gate of life if not in the eyes of your soul?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/where-else-is-the-gate-of-life-if-not-in-the-eyes-of-your-soul/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“Morning is a gate, a gate to life; night is a gate, a gate to life. Use both gates to fully join the life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/morning-is-a-gate-a-gate-to-life-night-is-a-gate-a-gate-to-life-use/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Death is for many of us the gate of hell; but we are inside on the way out, not outside on the way in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/death-is-for-many-of-us-the-gate-of-hell-but-we-are-inside-on-the-way/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A woman's body is the gate to this life. A man's body is the gate to the next life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/a-woman-s-body-is-the-gate-to-this-life-a-man-s-body-is-the-gate-to/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [“Play with reason and doubt will close all the gates”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/play-with-reason-and-doubt-will-close-all-the-gates/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Each of us guard a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-of-us-guard-a-gate-of-change-that-can-only-be-opened-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to put these hooks in it, you know? You've got to make sure you got all that ear candy in it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/you-have-to-put-these-hooks-in-it-you-know-you-ve-got-to-make-sure/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [“Which gate to enter? Which path to choose? Which stairs to take? Which direction to go? These questions can be very depressive! And sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/which-gate-to-enter-which-path-to-choose-which-stairs-to-take-which/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [A gate to nature is a gate to heaven!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-gate-to-nature-is-a-gate-to-heaven/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The gate is small because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/the-gate-is-small-because-truth-guards-the-entrance-the-way-is-narrow/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [The Gate is Straight, Deep and Wide; Break On Through to the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/the-gate-is-straight-deep-and-wide-break-on-through-to-the-other-side/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [He who wants to do good knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/he-who-wants-to-do-good-knocks-at-the-gate-he-who-loves-finds-the/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [One of my favorite albums is Bob Gibson and Bob Camp, 'At the Gate of Horn.' It was a really dynamic album, almost like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/one-of-my-favorite-albums-is-bob-gibson-and-bob-camp-at-the-gate-of/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) ## More by Bernard of Clairvaux > [Slander is a poison which kills charity, both in the slanderer and the one who listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/slander-is-a-poison-which-kills-charity-both-in-the-slanderer-and-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-anyone-makes-himself-his-own-master-in-the-spiritual-life-he-makes/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [“To shame our sins He blushed in blood; He closed His eyes to show us God; Let all the world fall down and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-shame-our-sins-he-blushed-in-blood-he-closed-his-eyes-to-show-us/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I know by myself how incomprehensible God is, seeing I cannot comprehend the parts of my own being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/i-know-by-myself-how-incomprehensible-god-is-seeing-i-cannot/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [The tears of those repenting are the wine of angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/the-tears-of-those-repenting-are-the-wine-of-angels/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [The Christian glories in the death of a pagan, because thereby Christ himself is glorified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/the-christian-glories-in-the-death-of-a-pagan-because-thereby-christ/) [Bernard Of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Let us then cast ourselves at the feet of this good Mother, and embracing them let us not depart until she blesses us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/let-us-then-cast-ourselves-at-the-feet-of-this-good-mother-and/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/we-are-to-love-god-for-himself-because-of-a-twofold-reason-nothing-is/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Who loves me will love my dog also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/who-loves-me-will-love-my-dog-also/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Ingratitude is the soul's enemy... Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/ingratitude-is-the-soul-s-enemy-ingratitude-is-a-burning-wind-that/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/many-appear-full-of-mildness-and-sweetness-as-long-as-everything-goes/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [To serve Mary is a mark of eternal salvation to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-serve-mary-is-a-mark-of-eternal-salvation-to-come/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Inordinate love for the flesh is cruelty, because under the appearance of pleasing the body, we kill the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/inordinate-love-for-the-flesh-is-cruelty-because-under-the-appearance/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [What I know of the divine sciences and Holy Scriptures, I learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/what-i-know-of-the-divine-sciences-and-holy-scriptures-i-learned-in/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Humility in furs is better than pride in tunics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/humility-in-furs-is-better-than-pride-in-tunics/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) [Explore all 120 Bernard of Clairvaux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Death is the gate of life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernard of Clairvaux" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/death-is-the-gate-of-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/death-is-the-gate-of-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_death_death-is-the-gate-of-life-1088190_1088190.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Death is the gate of life.” — Bernard of Clairvaux", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bernard of Clairvaux", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Death is the gate of life.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/death-is-the-gate-of-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/death-is-the-gate-of-life/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```