---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On his death bed, he wrote his famous…"
description: "\"“On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final principles for the students of his school. The third principle is, “In all things, have no pre..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg"
---

#  On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final…

![“On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final principles for the students of his school. The third principle is, “In all things, have no preferences.” The fourth principle is, “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.” These two, to me, elegantly defend against the downsides of…” quote by Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg)

> ““On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final principles for the students of his school.   The third principle is, “In all things, have no preferences.”   The fourth principle is, “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.”   These two, to me, elegantly defend against the downsides of naive intuition.””

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He advises avoiding personal bias and maintaining humility, encouraging a balanced view of self and world.

**In simple terms:** No preferences and humility protect against naive intuition.

Key Takeaway

Practice impartiality and deep reflection.

Themes

philosophy self‑discipline humility

Mood

calm thoughtful

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- meditation
- conflict resolution
- leadership training

Key Concepts

bias introspection mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- How can one stay engaged without bias?
- What practices foster deep world understanding?

A Different Perspective

Over‑detachment may hinder passion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/)

## Related quotes

> [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [It is a universal principle that you get more of what you think about, talk about, and feel strongly about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/it-is-a-universal-principle-that-you-get-more-of-what-you-think-about/)

[Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/)

> [“first principle: • Think for yourself to decide 1) what you want, 2) what is true, and 3) what you should do to achieve #1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/first-principle-think-for-yourself-to-decide-1-what-you-want-2-what/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [“The style of a soul. Do you remember the famous philosopher who spoke of the style of a civilization? He called it 'style.' He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-style-of-a-soul-do-you-remember-the-famous-philosopher-who-spoke/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/happiness-and-freedom-begin-with-a-clear-understanding-of-one/)

[Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/)

> [I'm not against censorship in principle. Not at all. Some things should be censored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morrissey/i-m-not-against-censorship-in-principle-not-at-all-some-things-should/)

[Paul Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morrissey/)

> [“Everything that happens is always simple. And there’s a principle to how things proceed, assuming that they last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herta-m-ller/everything-that-happens-is-always-simple-and-there-s-a-principle-to/)

[Herta Müller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herta-m-ller/)

> [Design principle: Take things away until the design breaks, then put that last thing back in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/design-principle-take-things-away-until-the-design-breaks-then-put/)

[Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/)

> [Art is actually based on the notion that if you would really celebrate an idea or a principle, you must think, you must plan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-deren/art-is-actually-based-on-the-notion-that-if-you-would-really/)

[Maya Deren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-deren/)

> [I've done really well on one core principle which is, I think I have an intuitive ability to understand consumer behavior more than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-ve-done-really-well-on-one-core-principle-which-is-i-think-i-have/)

[Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/)

> [“There is another Brain Principle to go with ‘First Things First’: that of ‘Last Things Too’. This states that, all other things being equal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-buzan/there-is-another-brain-principle-to-go-with-first-things-first-that/)

[Tony Buzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-buzan/)

> [“It is the principle of the things, Jess. That is what you have got to understand. You have to stop people like that. Otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/it-is-the-principle-of-the-things-jess-that-is-what-you-have-got-to/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/)

[Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/)

> [I'm a guy of strong principles and I think people respect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-morgan/i-m-a-guy-of-strong-principles-and-i-think-people-respect-that/)

[Eoin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-morgan/)

> [Too much principle is often more harmful than too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/too-much-principle-is-often-more-harmful-than-too-little/)

[Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/)

## More by Sebastian Marshall

> [“Third-order consequences: Toyota winds up with the highest quality rates, lowest defect rates, and most efficient factories in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/third-order-consequences-toyota-winds-up-with-the-highest-quality/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“The foreman carpenter allots his men work according to their ability. Floor layers, makers of sliding doors, thresholds and lintels, ceilings and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-foreman-carpenter-allots-his-men-work-according-to-their-ability/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“It really actually doesn't take much time to run small experiments, and the payoff is greater levels of energy and more thriving across your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/it-really-actually-doesn-t-take-much-time-to-run-small-experiments/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“start with a baseline of how often a habit or practice atrophies or breaks down, and then you start stacking up advantages to increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/start-with-a-baseline-of-how-often-a-habit-or-practice-atrophies-or/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“People who live at subsistence level want first things to be put first. They are not particularly interested in freedom of religion, freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/people-who-live-at-subsistence-level-want-first-things-to-be-put/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“ENTRAINMENT IS STUPIDLY EASY TO DO   It’s stupidly easy to start doing entrainment for yourself.    You pick a single type of action,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/entrainment-is-stupidly-easy-to-do-it-s-stupidly-easy-to-start-doing/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“That’s where operational skill comes in. It’s about those seemingly basic but utterly critical skills: scheduling, planning things out, communicating, checking and making adjustments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/that-s-where-operational-skill-comes-in-it-s-about-those-seemingly/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“First-order consequences of Prohibition: alcohol is made illegal, legitimate producers of alcohol go out of business, decrease in drinking.   Second-order consequences of Prohibition:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/first-order-consequences-of-prohibition-alcohol-is-made-illegal/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“The first is one that I’ve been surprised to see many top performers independently arrive at: wake up at least 3+ hours before your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-first-is-one-that-i-ve-been-surprised-to-see-many-top-performers/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“When things are going poorly or going excellently, one’s judgment tends to get compromised and it becomes harder to think clearly. You need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/when-things-are-going-poorly-or-going-excellently-one-s-judgment/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“To modernize it a bit, lavish and excessive benefits during boom times won’t be remembered enough if you ask for pay cuts or do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/to-modernize-it-a-bit-lavish-and-excessive-benefits-during-boom-times/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“You can eat before you go out to a restaurant so you’re not hungry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/you-can-eat-before-you-go-out-to-a-restaurant-so-you-re-not-hungry/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“No matter how hard I try, I produce better work when I’m healthier, planned, and my environment is set up correctly.  Yes, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/no-matter-how-hard-i-try-i-produce-better-work-when-i-m-healthier/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“Intelligence is the decisive factor in planning guerrilla operations. Where is the enemy? In what strength? What does he propose to do? What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/intelligence-is-the-decisive-factor-in-planning-guerrilla-operations/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

> [“Issue #1: Failure to Face Reality ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/issue-1-failure-to-face-reality/)

[Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

[Explore all 118 Sebastian Marshall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/)

## More Death quotes

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/)

J. Anthony Torino

> [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/)

Alan W. Powers

> [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/)

[Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/)

> [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/)

[Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/)

> [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/)

[Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/)

[Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final principles for the students of his school.   The third principle is, “In all things, have no preferences.”   The fourth principle is, “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.”   These two, to me, elegantly defend against the downsides of naive intuition.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sebastian Marshall"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dokkodo-final-principles-for-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Death"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dokkodo-final-principles-for-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d7/sebastian-marshall-3923_death_on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dok_683692.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“On his death bed, he wrote his famous Dokkodo – final principles for the students of his school. The third…” — Sebastian Marshall",
                "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": "Sebastian Marshall",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“On his death bed, he wrote...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dokkodo-final-principles-for-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/on-his-death-bed-he-wrote-his-famous-dokkodo-final-principles-for-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
