1,220 Quotes About Greed

In reality, our needs are very few. Our basic needs of food, water, clothing and shelter can be fulfilled by only a small amount of money. However, there is no limit to our greed and megalomania.

Where anger-pride-deceit-greed is absent, the worldly interactions are pure. Or else, if there is attentive awareness [upayog] over them, till then it is acceptable.

If the kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed) decrease, it is called a religion; and if the kashays increase, it is called irreligion. When the kashays are gone, that is indeed ‘swadharma’ (religion of the Self).

Those with a nose for success will always be distracted by the whiff of lucre.

Greed is an invitation to destruction, the unsinkable canoe that will help greedy people in conveying destruction to their own doorstep.

Who can chase a lion out of his den? Who can trust a coward with the throne? The old people in politics have seen the seat of power as their own inheritance, and the timid youths are busy chasing after crumbs.

Ethics, morals and values keep freedom from devolving into license. For license is greed unleashed. And we would be quite wise to remember that greed unleashed is certain to turn and kill the thing that unleashed it.

When the exercise of my freedom results in my destruction or the destruction of those around me, what I’ve exercised is the freedom to be selfish. And if such an exercise of freedom leads to my destruction, I should be quick to realize the frightening similarities between selfishness and stupidity.

At the point that I have confused ‘rights’ with ‘privileges,’ I will have lost both.