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Max Muller

74quotes

Max Muller: A Pioneering Scholar of Comparative Mythology and Language


Full Name and Common Aliases


Max Müller was born Friedrich Max Müller on December 6, 1823, in Dessau, Germany. He is commonly known as Max Müller.

Birth and Death Dates


December 6, 1823 – October 28, 1900

Nationality and Profession(s)


Müller was a German-born British scholar of comparative mythology, language, and Sanskrit studies. He held the position of Professor of Comparative Philology at Oxford University from 1854 to 1875.

Early Life and Background


Max Müller was born into an aristocratic family in Dessau, Germany. His father, Baron Max von Müller, was a diplomat and a member of the nobility. Müller's early life was marked by education and intellectual pursuits, which laid the foundation for his future academic career. He attended the University of Leipzig, where he studied law, philosophy, and philology.

Major Accomplishments


Müller made significant contributions to the fields of comparative mythology, language, and Sanskrit studies. His most notable accomplishments include:

Introduction to the Science of Language (1861), a comprehensive work on linguistics that laid the foundation for modern linguistic theory.
 Comparative Mythology (1856-1880), a series of lectures delivered at Oxford University that explored the similarities and differences between mythologies from various cultures.
Rigveda-Samhita: The Sacred Hymns of the Ancient Brahmans (1849-1854), a translation of the Rigveda, one of the most important texts in Hinduism.

Notable Works or Actions


Müller's notable works include:

_Chips from a German Workshop_ (1867-1891), a collection of essays that explored various aspects of comparative mythology and language.
_Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion*_ (1878), which examined the development of religion in ancient cultures.

Impact and Legacy


Max Müller's contributions to comparative mythology, language, and Sanskrit studies have had a lasting impact on academic fields. His work has influenced generations of scholars, including famous linguists such as Friedrich Nietzsche and Ferdinand de Saussure. Müller's legacy extends beyond academia; his writings have inspired thinkers and philosophers across various disciplines.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Max Müller is widely quoted and remembered for his groundbreaking work in comparative mythology and language. His innovative approach to understanding cultural and linguistic similarities has inspired a wide range of disciplines, from anthropology to philosophy.

Quotes by Max Muller

Max Muller's insights on:

Would not the child’s heart break in despair when the first cold storm of the world sweeps over it, if the warm sunlight of love from the eyes of mother and father did not shine upon him like the soft reflection of divine light and love?
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Would not the child’s heart break in despair when the first cold storm of the world sweeps over it, if the warm sunlight of love from the eyes of mother and father did not shine upon him like the soft reflection of divine light and love?
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I spend my happiest hours in reading Vedantic books. They are to me like the light of the morning, like the pure air of the mountains – so simple, so true, if once understood.
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I spend my happiest hours in reading Vedantic books. They are to me like the light of the morning, like the pure air of the mountains – so simple, so true, if once understood.
MM
Although created out of nothing, that is, through and out of God, he cannot of his own power resolve himself back into this nothingness.
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Although created out of nothing, that is, through and out of God, he cannot of his own power resolve himself back into this nothingness.
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#although
Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy.
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Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy.
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#hatred
Whatever sphere of the human mind you may select for your special study, whether it be language, or religion, or mythology, or philosophy, whether it be laws or customs, primitive art or primitive science, everywhere, you have to go to India, whether you like it or not, because some of the most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India, and in India only.
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Whatever sphere of the human mind you may select for your special study, whether it be language, or religion, or mythology, or philosophy, whether it be laws or customs, primitive art or primitive science, everywhere, you have to go to India, whether you like it or not, because some of the most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India, and in India only.
MM
#men
...universities were not meant entirely, or even chiefly, as stepping-stones to an examination, but that there is something else which universities can teach and ought to teach-nay, which I feel quite sure they were originally meant to teach-something that may not have a marketable value before a Board of Examiners, but which has a permanent value for the whole of our life, and that is a real interest in our work, and, more than that, a love of our work, and, more than that, a true joy and happiness in our work...
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...universities were not meant entirely, or even chiefly, as stepping-stones to an examination, but that there is something else which universities can teach and ought to teach-nay, which I feel quite sure they were originally meant to teach-something that may not have a marketable value before a Board of Examiners, but which has a permanent value for the whole of our life, and that is a real interest in our work, and, more than that, a love of our work, and, more than that, a true joy and happiness in our work...
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#origin-of-life
He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is quiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with all other beings, he indeed is an ascetic.
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He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is quiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with all other beings, he indeed is an ascetic.
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#faults
There is no book in the world that is so thrilling, stirring and inspiring as the Upanishads.
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There is no book in the world that is so thrilling, stirring and inspiring as the Upanishads.
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#india
Samskrit is the greatest language of the world.
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Samskrit is the greatest language of the world.
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#world
The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who control their mind, are indeed well controlled.
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The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who control their mind, are indeed well controlled.
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#wise
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