--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who don't see their nature and…" description: "\"People who don't see their nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are lairs and fools.\" — Bodhidharma" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg" --- # People who don't see their nature and imagine they can… ![“People who don't see their nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are lairs and fools.” quote by Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg) > “People who don't see their nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are lairs and fools.” [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failing to recognize one's true nature and pretending constant thoughtlessness leads to self-deception and folly. **In simple terms:** Ignoring self‑knowledge causes foolishness. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness. Themes self‑knowledge mindfulness humility Mood reflective serious Type teaching philosophical When to use this quote - meditation practice - personal growth - spiritual study Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you honestly assess your true nature? - What practices reveal hidden mental habits? A Different Perspective Such denial can hinder genuine insight and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Thoughtlessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtlessness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [People who don't see their own nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are liars and fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-own-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The greatest thing a father can do for his children is to respect the woman that gave birth to his children. It is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-greatest-thing-a-father-can-do-for-his-children-is-to-respect-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I’ve got better things to think about than thoughtlessness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-ve-got-better-things-to-think-about-than-thoughtlessness/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Carelessness is a disease.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/carelessness-is-a-disease/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [Mighty is the force of motherhood! It transforms all things by its vital heat; it turns timidity into fierce courage, and dreadless defiance into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/mighty-is-the-force-of-motherhood-it-transforms-all-things-by-its/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [All deaths before the age of 100 are accidental, caused by carelessness or thoughtlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiyo-uno/all-deaths-before-the-age-of-100-are-accidental-caused-by/) Chiyo Uno > [Avarice has ruined more men than prodigality, and the blindest thoughtlessness of expenditure has not destroyed so many fortunes as the calculating but insatiable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/avarice-has-ruined-more-men-than-prodigality-and-the-blindest/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [try to understand that there is more thoughtlessness than malice in the world. People are not out to offend you deliberately and maliciously. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-g-lovasik/try-to-understand-that-there-is-more-thoughtlessness-than-malice-in/) [Lawrence G. Lovasik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-g-lovasik/) > [Amusement allures and deceives us and leads us down imperceptibly in thoughtlessness to the grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-allures-and-deceives-us-and-leads-us-down-imperceptibly-in/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Men have made an idol of luck as an excuse for their own thoughtlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-have-made-an-idol-of-luck-as-an-excuse-for-their-own/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [When our mind works freely without any hindrance, and is at liberty to 'come' or to 'go', we attain Samadhi of Prajna, or liberation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huineng/when-our-mind-works-freely-without-any-hindrance-and-is-at-liberty-to/) [Huineng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huineng/) > [Being silly is still allowed, not excluded by adulthood. What's excluded by adulthood is thoughtlessness, so be thoughtful and silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/being-silly-is-still-allowed-not-excluded-by-adulthood-what-s/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [The taking of vows that are not feasible or that are beyond one's capacity would betray thoughtlessness and want of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-taking-of-vows-that-are-not-feasible-or-that-are-beyond-one-s/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“but without scheming to do wrong, or to make others unhappy, there may be error, and there may be misery. Thoughtlessness, want of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/but-without-scheming-to-do-wrong-or-to-make-others-unhappy-there-may/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) ## More by Bodhidharma > [Unless you see your nature, all this talk about cause & effect is nonsense. Buddhas don't practice nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/unless-you-see-your-nature-all-this-talk-about-cause-effect-is/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [“Those who worship don't know, and those who know don't worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/those-who-worship-don-t-know-and-those-who-know-don-t-worship/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [If you see your nature, you don't need to read sutras or invoke buddhas. Erudition and knowledge are not only useless but also cloud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/if-you-see-your-nature-you-don-t-need-to-read-sutras-or-invoke/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [People who don't see their own nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are liars and fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-own-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The mind is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-mind-is-the-buddha-and-the-buddha-is-the-mind/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Whoever realizes that the six senses aren't real, that the five aggregates are fictions, that no such things can be located anywhere in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/whoever-realizes-that-the-six-senses-aren-t-real-that-the-five/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [If you use your mind to study reality, you won't understand either your mind or reality. If you study reality without using your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/if-you-use-your-mind-to-study-reality-you-won-t-understand-either/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Many roads lead to the Path, but basically there are only two: reason and practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/many-roads-lead-to-the-path-but-basically-there-are-only-two-reason/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [All Buddhas preach emptiness. Why? Because they wish to crush the concrete ideas of the students. If a student even clings to an idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/all-buddhas-preach-emptiness-why-because-they-wish-to-crush-the/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Buddhas don't practice nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/buddhas-don-t-practice-nonsense/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [Not thinking about anything is Zen. Once you know this, walking, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is Zen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/not-thinking-about-anything-is-zen-once-you-know-this-walking-sitting/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [When you don't understand, you depend on reality. When you do understand, reality depends on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/when-you-don-t-understand-you-depend-on-reality-when-you-do/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [And the Buddha is the person who's free: free of plans, free of cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/and-the-buddha-is-the-person-who-s-free-free-of-plans-free-of-cares/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The Way is basically perfect. It doesn't require perfecting. The Way has no form or sound. It's subtle and hard to perceive. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-way-is-basically-perfect-it-doesn-t-require-perfecting-the-way/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) > [The Dharma is the truth that all natures are pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/the-dharma-is-the-truth-that-all-natures-are-pure/) [Bodhidharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) [Explore all 112 Bodhidharma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/) ## More Fools quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV > [“stultorum infnitus est numerus (the number of fools is infinite)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes/stultorum-infnitus-est-numerus-the-number-of-fools-is-infinite/) [Ecclesiastes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ecclesiastes/) > [Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-wise-are-wise-only-because-they-love-the-fool-are-fools-only/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The magi, as you know, were wise men — wonderfully wise men — who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-magi-as-you-know-were-wise-men-wonderfully-wise-men-who-brought/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“that's what i mean about cats. they're always trying to make fools of us humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-jackson-braun/that-s-what-i-mean-about-cats-they-re-always-trying-to-make-fools-of/) [Lilian Jackson Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-jackson-braun/) > [“I wish one half the world were not fools, and the other half idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/i-wish-one-half-the-world-were-not-fools-and-the-other-half-idiots/) [Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/) > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Today is April Fools Day. Believe nothing, and trust no one...So it's like any other day. Right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-april-fools-day-believe-nothing-and-trust-no-one-so-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,204 Fools quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People who don't see their nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are lairs and fools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bodhidharma" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fools" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/bodhidharma-4333_imagination_people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-im_1215622.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People who don't see their nature and imagine they can practice thoughtlessness all the time are lairs and…” — Bodhidharma", "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": "Bodhidharma", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bodhidharma/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People who don't see their nature...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bodhidharma/people-who-don-t-see-their-nature-and-imagine-they-can-practice/#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 } } ] } ```