--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That which you give to another will…" description: "\"That which you give to another will become your own sustenance; if you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit.\" — Nichiren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png" --- # That which you give to another will become your own… ![“That which you give to another will become your own sustenance; if you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit.” quote by Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png) > “That which you give to another will become your own sustenance; if you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit.” [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Helping others sustains you; lighting another's lamp also illuminates your own path. **In simple terms:** Helping others lights your own way. Key Takeaway Serve others to find personal fulfillment. Themes service interdependence spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - community work - mentorship - daily kindness Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does helping others affect your wellbeing? - What does personal sustenance mean to you? A Different Perspective Self‑interest may be hidden behind altruism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-others/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Sustenance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustenance/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes at night I light a lamp so as not to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/sometimes-at-night-i-light-a-lamp-so-as-not-to-see/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [You have within yourself the answer to every question you propose - if you only knew how to look for it. In the Land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-have-within-yourself-the-answer-to-every-question-you-propose-if/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-you-light-a-lamp-for-somebody-it-will-also-brighten-your-path/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [A lamp can only light another lamp when it continues to burn in its own flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/a-lamp-can-only-light-another-lamp-when-it-continues-to-burn-in-its/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Lamp as a way to show to the world at a Glance into the hearts of those guys, but they lose nothing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/lamp-as-a-way-to-show-to-the-world-at-a-glance-into-the-hearts-of/) Mak\_786 > [“A star doesn't need a lamp to find its way through the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-star-doesn-t-need-a-lamp-to-find-its-way-through-the-dark/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [When you light a lamp for somebody it will also brighten your path!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/when-you-light-a-lamp-for-somebody-it-will-also-brighten-your-path/) [Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/) > [“If you light a lamp for someone it will also brighten your path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddhist-proverb/if-you-light-a-lamp-for-someone-it-will-also-brighten-your-path/) Buddhist proverb > [“The Holy Bible is a light of a lamp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-holy-bible-is-a-light-of-a-lamp/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Love is like a light of a lamp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/love-is-like-a-light-of-a-lamp/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“As I walk , I light the lamp of my soul. As I walk, I light the wick of another’s soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-i-walk-i-light-the-lamp-of-my-soul-as-i-walk-i-light-the-wick-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you light a lamp for somebody else it will also brighten your path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-light-a-lamp-for-somebody-else-it-will-also-brighten-your-path/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Light in every lamp, light in every mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/light-in-every-lamp-light-in-every-mind/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [Let each one of us not waste electricity at home. By doing this, we will also light a lamp in the home of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/let-each-one-of-us-not-waste-electricity-at-home-by-doing-this-we/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Genius finds its own road and carries its own lamp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/genius-finds-its-own-road-and-carries-its-own-lamp/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) ## More by Nichiren > [If you light a lantern for another, it will also brighten your own way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/if-you-light-a-lantern-for-another-it-will-also-brighten-your-own-way/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Suffer what there is to suffer. Enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/suffer-what-there-is-to-suffer-enjoy-what-there-is-to-enjoy-regard/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Life in this world is limited. Never be in the least bit afraid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/life-in-this-world-is-limited-never-be-in-the-least-bit-afraid/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Life is the most precious of all treasures. Even one extra day of life is worth more than ten million ryo of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/life-is-the-most-precious-of-all-treasures-even-one-extra-day-of-life/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquility throughout the four quarters of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/if-you-care-anything-about-your-personal-security-you-should-first-of/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Summoning up the courage to take action is always the same regardless of how seemingly big or small the challenge. What may look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/summoning-up-the-courage-to-take-action-is-always-the-same-regardless/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [We ordinary people can see neither our own eyelashes, which are so close, nor the heavens in the distance...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/we-ordinary-people-can-see-neither-our-own-eyelashes-which-are-so/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Whether one has wealth or not, no treasure exceeds the one called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/whether-one-has-wealth-or-not-no-treasure-exceeds-the-one-called-life/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Faith Alone is what really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/faith-alone-is-what-really-matters/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Winter always turns into Spring. Never, from ancient times on, has anyone heard or seen of winter turning back to autumn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/winter-always-turns-into-spring-never-from-ancient-times-on-has/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Flint has the potential to produce fire, and gems have intrinsic value. We ordinary people can see neither our own eyelashes, which are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/flint-has-the-potential-to-produce-fire-and-gems-have-intrinsic-value/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [When a tree has been transplanted, though fierce winds may blow, it will not topple if it has a firm stake to hold it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/when-a-tree-has-been-transplanted-though-fierce-winds-may-blow-it/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/suffer-what-there-is-to-suffer-enjoy-what-there-is-to-enjoy-regard-2/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest joy for all humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/nam-myoho-renge-kyo-is-the-greatest-joy-for-all-humankind/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) > [The Vimalakirti Sutra states that, when one seeks the Buddhas' emancipation in the minds of ordinary beings, one finds that ordinary beings are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/the-vimalakirti-sutra-states-that-when-one-seeks-the-buddhas/) [Nichiren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) [Explore all 24 Nichiren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/) ## More Buddhist quotes > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [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/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [My family is Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist and Catholic. I don't believe in man-made religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/my-family-is-jewish-buddhist-baptist-and-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Even my Buddhist friends have been feeling despair and when they go bad, you know the end is nigh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/even-my-buddhist-friends-have-been-feeling-despair-and-when-they-go/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [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/) > [“When I think about what it would take to achieve freedom from all psychological stuff, the response that comes is this: life is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-m-ingram/when-i-think-about-what-it-would-take-to-achieve-freedom-from-all/) [Daniel M. Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-m-ingram/) > [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-my-happiness-at-this-moment-consists-largely-in-reviewing-happy/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The Buddha gave his first talks, and three or four ascetics became his first disciples. They recognized his enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-buddha-gave-his-first-talks-and-three-or-four-ascetics-became-his/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,479 Buddhist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That which you give to another will become your own sustenance; if you light a lamp for another, your own way will be lit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nichiren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/that-which-you-give-to-another-will-become-your-own-sustenance-if-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buddhist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/that-which-you-give-to-another-will-become-your-own-sustenance-if-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/nichiren-24550_buddhist_that-which-you-give-to-another-will-beco_1291566.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That which you give to another will become your own sustenance; if you light a lamp for another, your own…” — Nichiren", "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": "Nichiren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichiren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That which you give to another...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/that-which-you-give-to-another-will-become-your-own-sustenance-if-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichiren/that-which-you-give-to-another-will-become-your-own-sustenance-if-you/#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 } } ] } ```