--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first step in the mental training is…" description: "\"“The first step in the mental training is to become the master of external things. He who is addicted to worldly pleasures, however learned or ignorant..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/kaiten-nukariya-793_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-mental-training-is_2200529.jpg" --- # The first step in the mental training is to become the… ![“The first step in the mental training is to become the master of external things. He who is addicted to worldly pleasures, however learned or ignorant he may be, however high or low his social position may be, is a servant to mere things. He cannot adapt the external world to his own end, but he…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/kaiten-nukariya-793_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-mental-training-is_2200529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/kaiten-nukariya-793_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-mental-training-is_2200529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/kaiten-nukariya-793_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-mental-training-is_2200529.jpg) > ““The first step in the mental training is to become the master of external things. He who is addicted to worldly pleasures, however learned or ignorant he may be, however high or low his social position may be, is a servant to mere things. He cannot adapt the external world to his own end, but he adapts himself to it. He is constantly employed, ordered, driven by sensual objects. Instead of taking possession of wealth, he is possessed by wealth. Instead of drinking liquors, he is swallowed up by his liquors. Balls and music bid him to run mad. Games and shows order him not to stay at home. Houses, furniture, pictures, watches, chains, hats, bonnets, rings, bracelets, shoes—in short, everything has a word to command him. How can such a person be the master of things? To Ju (Na-kae) says: "There is a great jail, not a jail for criminals, that contains the world in it. Fame, gain, pride, and bigotry form its four walls. Those who are confined in it fall a prey to sorrow and sigh for ever." To”” [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that being enslaved by material desires prevents true mastery over life; one must control external temptations rather than be controlled by them. **In simple terms:** Being owned by possessions stops self‑mastery. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner freedom over external cravings. Themes self‑control materialism mastery attachment freedom Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - spiritual practice - daily mindfulness - financial independence - relationship boundaries Key Concepts Stoicism detachment inner discipline Questions to Reflect On - What external desire dominates your life? - How can you reclaim autonomy from it? A Different Perspective The advice may overlook systemic constraints that limit personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Master Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/master-things-1903123/) [Mental Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-training-545380/) [Person Master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-master-1586000/) [Possessed Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessed-wealth-4831915/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Wealth Possessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-possessed-4831914/) [Worldly pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldly-pleasures/) ## Related quotes > [Among the wealthy, compassionate men claim the richest wealth, For material wealth is possessed by even contemptible men. 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I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/i-have-to-be-realistic-about-what-i-can-and-can-t-do-so-whatever-i-do/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [I consider how little man is, yet, in his own mind, how great. He is lord and master of all things, yet scarce can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/i-consider-how-little-man-is-yet-in-his-own-mind-how-great-he-is-lord/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/a-man-has-to-learn-that-he-cannot-command-things-but-that-he-can/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [“You’re a master when things go well, you’re a victim when they go out of control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-re-a-master-when-things-go-well-you-re-a-victim-when-they-go-out/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [If you find a Tantric master - he has you go and do all the things you hate to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-find-a-tantric-master-he-has-you-go-and-do-all-the-things-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The great wisdom of life is to realize that we can be the master of the things that try to enslave us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-great-wisdom-of-life-is-to-realize-that-we-can-be-the-master-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Glory to Man in the highest! For Man is the master of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/glory-to-man-in-the-highest-for-man-is-the-master-of-things/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Practice, the master of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus/practice-the-master-of-all-things/) [Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus/) > [“It was her pleasure, her joy, to make me still the master in all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-was-her-pleasure-her-joy-to-make-me-still-the-master-in-all-things/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) ## More by Kaiten Nukariya > [“the new theory of matter has entirely over thrown the old conception of the unchanging atoms, and they are now regarded to be composed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/the-new-theory-of-matter-has-entirely-over-thrown-the-old-conception/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“5. Nature is the Mother of All Things. Furthermore, man has come into existence out of Nature. He is her child. She provided him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/5-nature-is-the-mother-of-all-things-furthermore-man-has-come-into/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [ “Rin-zai also says: "Spirit is formless, but it penetrates through the world in the ten directions."\[FN#149\] The Sixth Patriarch expresses the same idea more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/rin-zai-also-says-spirit-is-formless-but-it-penetrates-through-the/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“(O-yo-mei) won a splendid victory over the rebel army which threatened the throne of the Ming dynasty. During that warfare Wang was giving a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/o-yo-mei-won-a-splendid-victory-over-the-rebel-army-which-threatened/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“in the use of the terms 'good' and 'bad.' Now let us examine how does good differ from bad. A good action ever promotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/in-the-use-of-the-terms-good-and-bad-now-let-us-examine-how-does-good/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“Although all sentient beings are endowed with this Enlightened Consciousness, they are not aware of its existence, excepting men who can discover it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/although-all-sentient-beings-are-endowed-with-this-enlightened/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“There are a good many people always buoyant in spirit and mirthful in appearance as if born optimists. There are also no fewer persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/there-are-a-good-many-people-always-buoyant-in-spirit-and-mirthful-in/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [ “it is the overcoming of egoism, the destroying of mean desires, the uplifting of the moral ideal, and the disclosing of inborn wisdom. \[FN#12\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/it-is-the-overcoming-of-egoism-the-destroying-of-mean-desires-the/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [ “The fourth stage is called the Rank of Co-operative Merit,\[FN#273\] in which the student 'co-operates' with other persons in order to complete his merit.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/the-fourth-stage-is-called-the-rank-of-co-operative-merit-fn-273-in/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“It is bare nonsense to say that I go to school, not to be educated as a member of society, but simply to gratify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/it-is-bare-nonsense-to-say-that-i-go-to-school-not-to-be-educated-as/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“8. The Application of the Law of Causation to Morals. Although it may be needless to state here the law of causation at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/8-the-application-of-the-law-of-causation-to-morals-although-it-may/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“Men of longevity never carried troubles to their beds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/men-of-longevity-never-carried-troubles-to-their-beds/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [ “2. The Errors of Philosophical Pessimists and Religious Optimists. Philosophical pessimists\[FN#214\] maintain that there are on earth many more causes of pain than of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/2-the-errors-of-philosophical-pessimists-and-religious-optimists/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [ “4. Man is neither Good-natured nor Bad-natured according to Su Shih (So-shoku).\[FN#164\] The difficulty may be avoided by a theory given by Su Shih… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/4-man-is-neither-good-natured-nor-bad-natured-according-to-su-shih-so/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“Over against these generalizations we raise no objection, but there are many cases, in practical life, of doubtful nature. An act of charity, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/over-against-these-generalizations-we-raise-no-objection-but-there/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) [Explore all 367 Kaiten Nukariya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) ## More First step quotes > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. 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My first step will blow by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-can-turn-an-idea-into-a-business-before-you-know-it-s-going-to-be/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [“So, how do you make value flow? The first step, once value is defined and the entire value stream is identified, is to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-womack/so-how-do-you-make-value-flow-the-first-step-once-value-is-defined/) [James P. Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-womack/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) [Browse all 1,815 First step quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The first step in the mental training is to become the master of external things. He who is addicted to worldly pleasures, however learned or ignorant he may be, however high or low his social position may be, is a servant to mere things. He cannot adapt the external world to his own end, but he adapts himself to it. He is constantly employed, ordered, driven by sensual objects. Instead of taking possession of wealth, he is possessed by wealth. Instead of drinking liquors, he is swallowed up by his liquors. Balls and music bid him to run mad. Games and shows order him not to stay at home. Houses, furniture, pictures, watches, chains, hats, bonnets, rings, bracelets, shoes—in short, everything has a word to command him. How can such a person be the master of things? To Ju (Na-kae) says: \"There is a great jail, not a jail for criminals, that contains the world in it. Fame, gain, pride, and bigotry form its four walls. 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