128 Monk Quotes
Following is our list of monk quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about old monk.
Quick Jump To
Famous Monk Quotes
A habit does not a monk make. — Francois Rabelais
Becoming a monk was a hard decision. Leaving being a monk was harder, but it's given me so much faith in my ability to transition, and that what I learned as a monk can still serve me. — Jay Shetty
I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. — Dalai Lama
Then are they truly monks when they live by the labor of their hands. — Benedict of Nursia
That I am a monk and you are a layman is of no importance ... rather that we are both in the light of the Holy Spirit ... Acquire peace, and thousands around you will be saved. — Seraphim of Sarov
The monk mindset is, ‘How do I just place this next step?’ Not perfectly, but how do I place this next step with my best intention, process, and habits possible? — Jay Shetty
You haven't partied until you've partied at dawn in complete silence with Buddhist monks. — Cameron Diaz
An apprentice near a temple will recite the scriptures untaught. — Japanese Proverbs
The prayer of the monk is not perfect until he no longer recognizes himself or the fact that he is praying. — Anthony of Padua
At the age of 15, I was obsessed with monasteries… I wanted to be a nun for a while. That’s maybe reflected in my work as a scientist: many hours are spent alone, cut off from the world. — Emmanuelle Charpentier
Short Monk Quotes
- All is lost. Monks, monks, monks! — Henry VIII of England
- The more you know the less you talk. — A. R. Rahman
- Just because you're not a drummer doesn't mean you don't have to keep time. — Thelonious Monk
- The outfit doesn't make the monk. — French Proverbs
- I don't have a definition of Jazz. You're just supposed to know it when you hear it. — Thelonious Monk
- A genius is the one most like himself. — Thelonious Monk
- The habit does not make the monk — Spanish Proverbs
- My imagination is a monastery and I am its monk. — John Keats
- You can’t be what you can’t see. If I never saw a monk, I would’ve never wanted to be a monk. — Jay Shetty
- The monk gets married to please his friend. — Albanian Proverbs
Thelonious Monk Quotes
I went through the whole number, you know. The swing era, the boogie woogie era, the bebop era. Thelonious Monk is still one of my favorites. So a lot of these people had their effect on me. — Mose Allison
His name, even, is part of the marketing scheme, I mean, Thelonious Sphere Monk - how can you think of a better name to fit his style of playing? — Matthew Shipp
I'm very gratified that I had my little 15 minutes,or whatever [at the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition]. It certainly didn't make me rich and famous. But it helped a little bit for a while. — Jon Gordon
I love Thelonious Monk's song "Just a Gigolo." It's probably a minor song for him, but whenever I hear a recording of him playing it, I'm mesmerized, because Monk clearly loved pop music. He took it very seriously and made an amazing thing out of it. — Glenn Ligon
Thelonious Sphere Monk: there's not a more perfect name to fit his compositions than that name. — Matthew Shipp
The first jazz pianist I heard was Thelonious Monk. My father was listening to an album of his called 'Monk's Dream' almost every day from the time I was born. — Benny Green
The more original something is, the more of a threat it seems until the people catch up with it. That happened with Thelonious Monk. It happened with anybody who is really original. — Steve Lacy
I was [ on Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition] with Ralph Bowen, and Joel Frahm, Jimmy Greene, John Ellis. You can't play the saxophone better than any of those guys play. So many of those things that those guys could do I wish I could do now, let alone then. — Jon Gordon
[Winning the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition]definitely opened some doors. — Jon Gordon
This [Thelonious Monk: The Life And Times Of An American Original] is another one of those books with the perfect blend of anecdote and analysis. The analysis is built into the anecdote. It has that right feel about it. It's not too scholarly, either. — Scott McClanahan
Old Monk Quotes
In the desert, an old monk had once advised a traveler, the voices of God and the Devil are scarcely distinguishable. — Loren Eiseley
As for poetry 'belonging' in the classroom, it's like the way they taught us sex in those old hygiene classes: not performance but semiotics. If it I had taken Hygiene 71 seriously, I would have become a monk; & if I had taken college English seriously, I would have become an accountant. — Jerome Rothenberg
If you can get a twelve year-old kid to go listen to Thelonius Monk, what more do you want? Do you want a big pile of cash, too? That's a home run for me. — Jimmy Chamberlin
If you understand why a monkey in a family is always mocked and harassed, you understand why monks are rejected by all--both old and young. — Francois Rabelais
Perhaps the old monks were right when they tried to root love out; perhaps the poets are right when they try to water it. It is a blood-red flower, with the color of sin; but there is always the scent of a god about it. — Olive Schreiner
I envy them, those monks of old; Their books they read, and their beads they told. — George Payne Rainsford James
The Monk Quotes
The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path. — Saint John Chrysostom
I desire to go to Hell and not to Heaven. In the former I shall enjoy the company of popes, kings and princes, while in the latter are only beggars, monks and apostles — Niccolo Machiavelli
My heart has become capable of every form: It is a pasture for gazelles And a monastery for Christian monks, And the pilgrim's Ka'ba, And the tablets of the Torah, And the book of the Koran. I follow the religion of Love: Whatever way love's camel takes, That is my religion, my faith. — Ibn Arabi
I say, play your own way. Don't play what the public want - you play what you want and let the public pick up on what you doing - even if it does take them fifteen, twenty years. — Thelonious Monk
My heart can be pasture for deer and a convent for monks, a temple for idols and a Kaaba for the pilgrims. It is both the tables of the Torah and the Koran. It professes the religion of Love wherever its caravans are heading. Love is my law. Love is my faith. — Ibn Arabi
My heart can take on any form: A meadow for gazelles, A cloister for monks, For the idols, sacred ground, Ka'ba for the circling pilgrim, The tables of the Torah, The scrolls of the Quran. My creed is Love; Wherever its caravan turns along the way, That is my belief, My faith. — Ibn Arabi
Start your day with a quote that you love. Start your day by looking at a picture of someone that you love. Start your day with a work of art that inspires you. Make the first thing that you see so closely connected to your purpose that your monk-mind naturally comes alive. — Jay Shetty
My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso. — Pablo Picasso
A monk asks:Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?The master answers:Yes, your awareness of the wonders of nature. — Angelus Silesius
When I was a child, my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general. if you become a monk you'll end up as the pope.' Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso. — Pablo Picasso
Buddhist Monk Quotes
I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go. — Sheng-yen
The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life. — Nhat Hanh
Anger and hatred are the real enemies that we must confront and defeat, not the 'enemies' who appear from time to time in our lives. — Dalai Lama
No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change. — Nhat Hanh
Buddhist monks have known for centuries that meditation can change the mind. Now we are inspired by His Holiness to examine with our technology the precise brain changes that occur with practice... The unique collaboration on meditation is just beginning. — Richard Davidson
I can't tell how moving it is to open my email and see a picture of 1,500 Buddhist monks and nuns in the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh forming a human 350 against the backdrop of the melting glaciers. This is not their fault, and yet they're stepping up to be part of the solution. — Bill McKibben
He who can curb his wrath as soon as it arises, as a timely antidote will check snake's venom that so quickly spreads, - such a monk gives up the here and the beyond, just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin. — Buddha
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be in a group, or I wanted to work for Greenpeace, or I wanted to be a Buddhist monk. Those were the only three things I really wanted to do. I was doing some sort of soul searching in life. — Dave Wakeling
Originally, I was interested in athletic pursuits like snowboarding, martial arts and surfing. When I went to the Himalayas and met a number of Buddhist monks I was introduced to a new way of looking at life. — Frederick Lenz
There is, Oh Monks, a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. Monks, if that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be no escape from this here that is born, become, made and compounded. — Buddha
Monastic Quotes
I have devoted my energies to the study of the scriptures, observing monastic discipline, and singing the daily services in church; study, teaching, and writing have always been my delight. — Venerable Bede
If you have an idea of what you want to do in your future, you must go at it with almost monastic obsession. [...] You have to go at it single-mindedly and let nothing get in your way. — Henry Rollins
Cooperation in the most natural thing in the world — Janine Benyus
The God of the incarnation is more domestic than monastic. — Ronald Rolheiser
The curse should no longer rest upon the world itself, but upon that which is sinful in it, and instead of monastic flight from the world the duty is now emphasized of serving God in the world, in every position in life. — Abraham Kuyper
You know, I live a monastic lifestyle. No, I do. I do live in extremes, basically. I go back and forth. Once every six months, I'll have a day where I eat more chocolate than has ever been consumed by a human being. — Jim Carrey
Working conditions for me have always been those of the monastic life: solitude and frugality. Except for frugality, they are contrary to my nature, so much so that work is a violence I do to myself. — Albert Camus
I like the monastic life... in the prayer and the praising... this has charged me with new energy, spiritual energy. This is very important for my ministry outside the monastery. — Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria
Monastic incarceration is castration. — Victor Hugo
I like the church, I like a cowl, I love a prophet of the soul; And on my heart monastic aisles Fall like sweet strains or pensive smiles; Yet not for all his faith can see, Would I that cowled churchman be. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Monastic Life Quotes
Working in film, I'm sure you have insight into this, there's something great that only comes by way of interactions with others that a monastic life does not afford. — John Maus
Monastic life cuts off the distractions and emotional entanglements one becomes involved in, in the lay life. — Tenzin Palmo
There is a basic problem that a lot of Western monks and nuns become ordained without really understanding or appreciating what the monastic life is all about. — Tenzin Palmo
My Dad used to say that the balance of the world relied on all of the monks who were living outside of society in creative isolation. I don't quite understand the ascetic life or the private life or the monastic private life. But I definitely understand privacy's value. — Sufjan Stevens
Art is a vocation, as much as anything in this world. For the real artist, it is the most natural thing in the world, not as necessary as air and water, perhaps, but as food and water. But we really do lead almost a monastic life, you know; to follow it you very often have to give up something. — Katherine Anne Porter
Monastic life thus became a living protest against the secularization of Christianity, against the cheapening of grace. — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Thinking about monastic ideals is not the same as living up to them, but at any rate such thinking has an important place in a monk's life, because you cannot begin to do anything unless you have some idea what you are trying to do. — Thomas Merton
Monastery Quotes
Let love lead your soul. Make it a place to retire to, a kind of monastery cave, a retreat for the deepest core of your being. — Farid al-Din Attar
In the monastery of your heart, you have a temple where all Buddhas unite. — Milarepa
In monasteries, seminaries, retreats and synagogues, they fear hell and seek paradise. Those who know the mysteries of God never let that seed be planted in their souls. — Omar Khayyam
The Church is not a monastery for the isolation of perfect people. It is more like a hospital provided for those who wish to get well. — Jeffrey R. Holland
Don‘t go to another monastery with your own rules. — Russian Proverbs
I made the key discovery for CRISPR there, while living in my scientific monastery in northern Sweden. At the same time, I was very interested in detective stories, searching for enigmas. — Emmanuelle Charpentier
Running is just such a monastery- a retreat, a place to commune with God and yourself, a place for psychological and spiritual renewal. — George A. Sheehan
In a few Zen monasteries, every monk has to start his morning with laughter, and has to end his night with laughter - the first thing and the last thing! You try it. . . For no reason! Because there is no reason. Simply, you are again there, still alive - it is a miracle! — Osho
Turn your car into a monastery. — Robert Barron
An order given in battle, an instruction issued by the master of a sailing ship, a cry for help, are as powerful in modifying the course of events as any other bodily act...You utter a vow or forge a signature and you may find yourself bound for life to a monastery, a woman or prison. — Bronislaw Malinowski
People Writing About Monk
More Monk Quotes
Living life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice or you’re not. It makes no sense to say you’re not good at it. It’s like saying, I’m not good at being a monk. You are either living as a monk or you’re not. We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world. — Rick Rubin
Where did you learn to kiss like that?” I said, a little breathless. He grinned and pulled me close again. “I said I was a virgin, not a monk,” he said, kissing me again. “If I find I need guidance, I’ll ask. — Diana Gabaldon
You retire by saving up enough money, becoming a monk, or by finding work that feels like play to you. — Naval Ravikant
The only way to build a meaningful life is to filter out that noise and look within. This is the first step to building your monk mind. — Jay Shetty
During a chess tournament a master must envisage himself as a cross between an ascetic monk and a beast of prey. — Alexander Alekhine
But when I lived as a monk, solitude is often spoken of as a strength. And so the first thing I'd recommend is finding one thing that you can do every single day that brings you joy. It may be reading a book you love. It may be looking at a beautiful piece of art. — Jay Shetty
A last word on slow breathing. It goes by another name: prayer. When Buddhist monks chant their most popular mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, each spoken phrase lasts six seconds, with six seconds to inhale before the chant starts again. The traditional chant of Om, the 'sacred sound of the universe' used in Jainism and other traditions, takes six seconds to sing, with a pause of about six seconds to inhale. — James Nestor
In contemplative prayer we seek to become the person we are called to be, not by thinking of God, but by being with God. Simply to be with God is to be drawn into being the person God calls us to be — John Main
Smile, breathe and go slowly." - Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen monk, author and peace activist. — Nhat Hanh
Humility has a different meaning to different people. It doesn't mean to be a priest, a monk, or a pastor. It simply means you don't know it all. — Patrick Bet-David
The habit doesn't make the monk. — Spanish Proverbs
When I became a monk, it didn't feel like I was giving up that much. I actually felt like I had made the best decision because anyone who hadn't focused on building themselves up was the one losing out. — Jay Shetty
Luther was guilty of two great crimes - he struck the Pope in his crown, and the monks in their belly. — Desiderius Erasmus
How does one stay mindful? Where feelings are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they pass away. Thoughts are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they pass away. Perceptions are known they arise, known as they persist, known as they pass away. This is how a monk stays awake. — Buddha
In Conclusion
Which quotation resonated with you best? Did you enjoy our collection of monk quotes? Or may be you have a slogan about monk to suggest. Let us know using our contact form.
Citation
Feel free to cite and use any of the quotes in this collection of monk quotations. For popular citation styles(APA, Chicago, MLA), please use this citation page.
Embed HTML Link
Copy and paste this HTML code in your webpage