--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Did you hear about the Buddhist who…" description: "\"Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.\" — Nikhil Saluja" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/nikhil-saluja-26_buddhism_did-you-hear-about-the-buddhist-who-refu_2244985.jpg" --- # Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain… ![“Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.” quote by Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/nikhil-saluja-26_buddhism_did-you-hear-about-the-buddhist-who-refu_2244985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/nikhil-saluja-26_buddhism_did-you-hear-about-the-buddhist-who-refu_2244985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/nikhil-saluja-26_buddhism_did-you-hear-about-the-buddhist-who-refu_2244985.jpg) > “Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.” [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A Buddhist refuses pain relief to seek higher spiritual transcendence, illustrating extreme dedication. **In simple terms:** Refusing pain relief for spiritual growth shows deep commitment. Key Takeaway Consider the purpose behind suffering. Themes spirituality commitment pain Mood humorous thought‑provoking Type anecdotal comedic When to use this quote - meditation retreats - pain management discussions - personal growth workshops Key Concepts mindfulness detachment Questions to Reflect On - Is suffering always a path to enlightenment? - When is it wise to endure pain? A Different Perspective Extreme self‑denial can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [“undergoing anaesthetic-free root canal treatment at the hands of a drunk, Parkinson’s Disease-suffering dentist, for instance. Would have been a treat compared with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-engelbrecht/undergoing-anaesthetic-free-root-canal-treatment-at-the-hands-of-a/) Tracy Engelbrecht > [I had rather get a root canal without anesthesia than to call your customer service office for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-had-rather-get-a-root-canal-without-anesthesia-than-to-call-your/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [“Working with your ex-husband was almost as much fun as a double root canal. Without anesthesia. Doing it in front of television cameras was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wax/working-with-your-ex-husband-was-almost-as-much-fun-as-a-double-root/) [Wendy Wax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wax/) > [I hate dentists. That's why my tooth fell out. 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In 1705.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-lee-corthron/i-have-no-interest-in-looking-at-all-of-that-shit-written-down-i/) [Kara Lee Corthron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-lee-corthron/) > [The last time I had this much fun was a root-canal operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-ziegler/the-last-time-i-had-this-much-fun-was-a-root-canal-operation/) Larry Ziegler > [Married sex is like being awake during your own autopsy. It is root canal work without anesthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-goldstein/married-sex-is-like-being-awake-during-your-own-autopsy-it-is-root/) [Al Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-goldstein/) > [I've come to look upon death the same way I look upon root-canal work. 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All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) ## More by Nikhil Saluja > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I'm am an expert at reading lips especially when it's not moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-m-am-an-expert-at-reading-lips-especially-when-it-s-not-moving/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Yes yes you can count on me - Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/yes-yes-you-can-count-on-me-fingers/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/she-was-only-a-whiskey-maker-but-he-loved-her-still/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I won't be tweeting this sunday. 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Men know what they want before they see it. Women don't know what they want until they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-and-women-shop-differently-men-know-what-they-want-before-they/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I used to receive virtual smiles, sweet morning and night greetings. Now all I have is silence, and a blistered heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-used-to-receive-virtual-smiles-sweet-morning-and-night-greetings/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [You are the love of my twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-are-the-love-of-my-twitter/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Do girls really look at penises and say Wow, I can't wait to put that in my mouth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/do-girls-really-look-at-penises-and-say-wow-i-can-t-wait-to-put-that/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Failure doesnt mean you are inferior¦¦ it does mean you are not perfect!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/failure-doesnt-mean-you-are-inferior-it-does-mean-you-are-not-perfect/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) [Explore all 3,120 Nikhil Saluja quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More Buddhism quotes > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. 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I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [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/) > [My mom and my aunties are really devout Christians. My mom married a Muslim when I was 12, so I got teachings from both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/my-mom-and-my-aunties-are-really-devout-christians-my-mom-married-a/) [Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sorensen/the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d-teachings-from-their-broader/) [Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sorensen/) > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. 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