--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If someone has a gun and is trying to…" description: "\"“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun. Not at the head, where a fatal wound might res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_guns_if-someone-has-a-gun-and-is-trying-to-ki_1131285.jpg" --- # If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would… ![“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun. Not at the head, where a fatal wound might result. But at some other body part, such as a leg.” quote by Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_guns_if-someone-has-a-gun-and-is-trying-to-ki_1131285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_guns_if-someone-has-a-gun-and-is-trying-to-ki_1131285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_guns_if-someone-has-a-gun-and-is-trying-to-ki_1131285.jpg) > ““If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun. Not at the head, where a fatal wound might result. But at some other body part, such as a leg.”” [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In a life‑threatening situation, the speaker suggests aiming at a non‑fatal body part rather than the head when defending oneself. **In simple terms:** Aim lower when defending yourself. Key Takeaway Use proportional self‑defense tactics. Themes self‑defense ethics violence Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - personal safety - conflict - law enforcement - ethical debate Key Concepts moral decision‑making risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - Is non‑lethal force always justified? - How do cultural norms affect self‑defense? A Different Perspective Legal and moral implications vary by jurisdiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guns/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-someone-has-a-gun-and-is-trying-to-kill-you-it-would-be-reasonable-2/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Roxane: His face is like yours, burning with spirit and imagination. He is proud and noble and young and fearless and beautiful- Cyrano:(losing all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-rostand/roxane-his-face-is-like-yours-burning-with-spirit-and-imagination-he/) [Edmond Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-rostand/) > [“The second guy moved the gun, trying to track me, the movements overlarge and shaking. Then, maybe because he saw the cool bead I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-second-guy-moved-the-gun-trying-to-track-me-the-movements/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [I would shoot you with my gun, put you in the back of my car, take you home, and ask if your alright!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-brothers/i-would-shoot-you-with-my-gun-put-you-in-the-back-of-my-car-take-you/) [Jonas Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-brothers/) > [Any man can shoot a gun, and with practice he can draw fast and shoot accurately, but that makes no difference. What counts is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/any-man-can-shoot-a-gun-and-with-practice-he-can-draw-fast-and-shoot/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“You let us out right now, o r Gabe is going to shoot you with his gun! I mean it! He’s got a million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/you-let-us-out-right-now-o-r-gabe-is-going-to-shoot-you-with-his-gun/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I learned from my community how to shoot a gun, how to shoot it well. I learned how to make a damn good biscuit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-learned-from-my-community-how-to-shoot-a-gun-how-to-shoot-it-well-i/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [To shoot a gun proficiently, including speed shooting, is much less of a skill than typing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-goetz/to-shoot-a-gun-proficiently-including-speed-shooting-is-much-less-of/) [Bernhard Goetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-goetz/) > [I'd really like to get the girl, shoot the gun, drive the car, have fun. 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I have crap in my repertoire that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-peterman/dwayne-can-you-shoot-a-gun-dwayne-rolled-his-eyes-hanky-poo-dwayne/) [Robyn Peterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-peterman/) > [I'll write your name in the sand, put your hand with mine. Come on baby, shoot your gun in the sky!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shwayze/i-ll-write-your-name-in-the-sand-put-your-hand-with-mine-come-on-baby/) [Shwayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shwayze/) > [“Don't shoot me with my own gun!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallahassee/don-t-shoot-me-with-my-own-gun/) Tallahassee > [I wanna buy a house where I can shoot my gun that shoots knives!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-burton/i-wanna-buy-a-house-where-i-can-shoot-my-gun-that-shoots-knives/) [Cliff Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-burton/) ## More by Dalai Lama XIV > [This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/this-is-my-simple-religion-no-need-for-temples-no-need-for/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Transforming the mind involves first learning to know it, then identifying how it functions so as to eliminate the three main mental poisons, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/transforming-the-mind-involves-first-learning-to-know-it-then/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“our ability to reframe our situation more positively”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/our-ability-to-reframe-our-situation-more-positively/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“The fourth and final circuit is “our ability to be generous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/the-fourth-and-final-circuit-is-our-ability-to-be-generous/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“In general, if we carefully examine any given situation in a very unbiased and honest way, we will realize that to a large extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/in-general-if-we-carefully-examine-any-given-situation-in-a-very/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“No matter what activity or practice we are pursuing, there isn't anything that isn't made easier through constant familiarity and training. 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This is the essence of spirituality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-is-important-to-consider-others-at-least-as-important-as-ourselves/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“I maintain that Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism all hold up love as an ideal, seek to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/i-maintain-that-buddhism-christianity-confucianism-hinduism-islam/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Marriages, even the best ones—perhaps especially the best ones—are an ongoing process of spoken and unspoken forgiveness. •”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/marriages-even-the-best-ones-perhaps-especially-the-best-ones-are-an/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“You see, if there are no difficulties and you are always relaxed, then you complain more”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/you-see-if-there-are-no-difficulties-and-you-are-always-relaxed-then/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-is-not-happiness-that-makes-us-grateful-it-is-gratefulness-that/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Joy can span from the pleasure of others’ good fortune, what Buddhists call mudita, to the pleasure in others’ misfortune, what the Germans call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/joy-can-span-from-the-pleasure-of-others-good-fortune-what-buddhists/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“If you think only of yourself, if you forget the rights and well-being of others, or, worse still, if you exploit others, ultimately you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/if-you-think-only-of-yourself-if-you-forget-the-rights-and-well-being/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“It seems that scientific research reaches deeper and deeper. But it also seems that more and more people, at least scientists, are beginning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-seems-that-scientific-research-reaches-deeper-and-deeper-but-it/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) [Explore all 206 Dalai Lama XIV quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) ## More Guns quotes > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. 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Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [I don't know anybody that doesn't own a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manchin/i-don-t-know-anybody-that-doesn-t-own-a-gun/) [Joe Manchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manchin/) > [I once went down the Amazon and our boat got charged by Columbian policemen with guns and we all had to get on motorbikes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-skelton/i-once-went-down-the-amazon-and-our-boat-got-charged-by-columbian/) [Helen Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-skelton/) > [I have a lot of guns on my ranch. I don't use them for hunting. I'm not a hunter. It's for protection. 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