Ambition Quote by Rajneesh
“This is a very fundamental reason why man cannot become meditative - or why very few men have dared to become meditative. Our training is of the mind. Our education is for the mind. Our ambitions, our desires, can only be fulfilled by the mind. You can become president of a country, prime minister, not by being meditative but by cultivating a very cunning mind. The whole education is geared by your parents, by your society, so that you can fulfill your desires, your ambitions. You want to become somebody. Meditation can only make you a nobody.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: The Art of Living, 1978
Societal systems train minds for ambition and power, viewing meditation as a threat to personal advancement.
In simple terms: Education pushes for success, while meditation seems to diminish personal drive.
Key Takeaway
Question the purpose of your ambitions.
Themes
ambition
mindfulness
education
power
society
Mood
contemplative
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- career planning
- personal development
- leadership training
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
cognitive conditioning
spirituality
personal fulfillment
social expectations
Questions to Reflect On
- Do your goals serve personal growth or external validation?
- Can meditation coexist with ambition?
A Different Perspective
Meditation may be misunderstood as passivity rather than empowerment.
