--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ‎You only lose that which you cling to." description: "\"‎You only lose that which you cling to.\" — Gautama Buddha" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg" --- # ‎You only lose that which you cling to. ![“‎You only lose that which you cling to.” quote by Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg) > “‎You only lose that which you cling to.” [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clinging creates suffering; releasing attachment prevents loss. **In simple terms:** Let go to avoid pain. Key Takeaway Practice non‑attachment. Themes attachment loss mindfulness Mood calm peaceful Type spiritual mindful When to use this quote - meditation - grief coping - relationship dynamics Key Concepts impermanence self‑release Questions to Reflect On - What are you clinging to? - How can you release it gently? A Different Perspective Some losses are inevitable despite detachment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cling/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Lose Cling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-cling-1857445/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) ## Related quotes > [You can only lose what you cling to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-can-only-lose-what-you-cling-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [You only lose what you cling to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-only-lose-what-you-cling-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If a man who has committed many a misdemeanor does not repent and cleanse his heart of the evil, retribution will come upon his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-a-man-who-has-committed-many-a-misdemeanor-does-not-repent-and/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“A man should cling to hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-man-should-cling-to-hope/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Hope is often bitter, but it drives us, and we cling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/hope-is-often-bitter-but-it-drives-us-and-we-cling/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [Characteristics cling to families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/characteristics-cling-to-families/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [“It is that to which we cling that drags us to the bottom of the abyss. There is real power at having nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/it-is-that-to-which-we-cling-that-drags-us-to-the-bottom-of-the-abyss/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [I'm attached to my children with whatever flaws they have, and if some glorious angel broke through the living room ceiling and offered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-m-attached-to-my-children-with-whatever-flaws-they-have-and-if-some/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [This is suicidal... our home is the biosphere. That's a very thin layer of air, water and land where all life exists. It's fixed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/this-is-suicidal-our-home-is-the-biosphere-that-s-a-very-thin-layer/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [I always cling to things that remind me of being a kid again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-always-cling-to-things-that-remind-me-of-being-a-kid-again/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) > [I won't cling to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/i-won-t-cling-to-the-past/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [Cling to your insecurity, in this world, it's the only thing you can be sure of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/cling-to-your-insecurity-in-this-world-it-s-the-only-thing-you-can-be/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [I cling to the idea that Herman Melville had to work at the end of his career watching ships in a dock, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-cling-to-the-idea-that-herman-melville-had-to-work-at-the-end-of/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [To me, nothing ever feels like a sure thing. I cling to that because it's very important you don't ever think anything is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/to-me-nothing-ever-feels-like-a-sure-thing-i-cling-to-that-because-it/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [In this kind of situation, we tend to cling to his convictions, we believe that, by magic, we are going to recover. Then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-ickx/in-this-kind-of-situation-we-tend-to-cling-to-his-convictions-we/) [Jacky Ickx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-ickx/) ## More by Gautama Buddha > [Before you've seen it, and when you first see it, it is the greatest thing; afterwards, it is ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-you-ve-seen-it-and-when-you-first-see-it-it-is-the-greatest/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Give thanks for what had been given to you, However little. Be pure, never falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/give-thanks-for-what-had-been-given-to-you-however-little-be-pure/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/be-lamps-unto-yourselves-be-refuges-unto-yourselves-take-yourself-no/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Pain is the outcome of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/pain-is-the-outcome-of-sin/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [It is because I perceive the danger in the practice of mystic wonders, that I loath, abhor, and am ashamed thereof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/it-is-because-i-perceive-the-danger-in-the-practice-of-mystic-wonders/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If one is the master of oneself, one is the resort one can depend on; therefore, one should control oneself of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-one-is-the-master-of-oneself-one-is-the-resort-one-can-depend-on/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/watch-the-thought-and-its-ways-with-care-and-let-it-spring-from-love/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-is-not-low-because-of-birth-nor-does-birth-make-one-holy-deeds/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [He who causes suffering shall suffer. There is no escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/he-who-causes-suffering-shall-suffer-there-is-no-escape/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If a person does not harm any living being...and does not kill or cause others to kill - that person is a true spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-a-person-does-not-harm-any-living-being-and-does-not-kill-or-cause/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The fool says, "These are my sons, this is my land, this is my money." In reality, the fool does not own himself, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-fool-says-these-are-my-sons-this-is-my-land-this-is-my-money-in/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) [Explore all 1,043 Gautama Buddha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## More Cling quotes > [In this kind of situation, we tend to cling to his convictions, we believe that, by magic, we are going to recover. Then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-ickx/in-this-kind-of-situation-we-tend-to-cling-to-his-convictions-we/) [Jacky Ickx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-ickx/) > [To me, nothing ever feels like a sure thing. I cling to that because it's very important you don't ever think anything is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/to-me-nothing-ever-feels-like-a-sure-thing-i-cling-to-that-because-it/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I cling to the idea that Herman Melville had to work at the end of his career watching ships in a dock, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/i-cling-to-the-idea-that-herman-melville-had-to-work-at-the-end-of/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Cling to your insecurity, in this world, it's the only thing you can be sure of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/cling-to-your-insecurity-in-this-world-it-s-the-only-thing-you-can-be/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [I won't cling to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/i-won-t-cling-to-the-past/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [I always cling to things that remind me of being a kid again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-always-cling-to-things-that-remind-me-of-being-a-kid-again/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) > [This is suicidal... our home is the biosphere. That's a very thin layer of air, water and land where all life exists. It's fixed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/this-is-suicidal-our-home-is-the-biosphere-that-s-a-very-thin-layer/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [I'm attached to my children with whatever flaws they have, and if some glorious angel broke through the living room ceiling and offered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-m-attached-to-my-children-with-whatever-flaws-they-have-and-if-some/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [“It is that to which we cling that drags us to the bottom of the abyss. There is real power at having nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/it-is-that-to-which-we-cling-that-drags-us-to-the-bottom-of-the-abyss/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [Characteristics cling to families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/characteristics-cling-to-families/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Hope is often bitter, but it drives us, and we cling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/hope-is-often-bitter-but-it-drives-us-and-we-cling/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [“A man should cling to hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-man-should-cling-to-hope/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Well, what I try to do is throw as much mud on the wall as I possibly can and just see what sticks, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-ritchie/well-what-i-try-to-do-is-throw-as-much-mud-on-the-wall-as-i-possibly/) [Guy Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-ritchie/) > [You can only lose what you cling to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-can-only-lose-what-you-cling-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Experience everything but cling to what is right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/experience-everything-but-cling-to-what-is-right/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) [Browse all 94 Cling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "‎You only lose that which you cling to.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gautama Buddha" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/gautama-buddha-163_loses_you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to-14_1448620.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“‎You only lose that which you cling to.” — Gautama Buddha", "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": "Gautama Buddha", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "‎You only lose that which you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-only-lose-that-which-you-cling-to/#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 } } ] } ```