Question about Buddha quote

[green1]

The quote in question is:

To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.

How do we conquer ourself?

In my opinion we conquer ourself by changing our wishes. For example not wishing to be someone else.

I wonder what I can learn from you folks.

Thanks!

[Unseeking Seeker]

In my view, this alludes to overcoming our lower nature, energetically correspondent to the three lower chakras or we may say, animal instincts like being material/territorial, lustful/carnal, power hungry/dominating.

[Miss Hepburn]

Yes, overcoming our lower ego nature. What would that be?
Pride, jealousy, indignation, self-loathing, depression, guilt, shame, anger, vengeance,
hatred, bigotry, greed, lust, gluttony, fear, worry, blame, loneliness, complaining, irritability, confusion, hopelessness....
things like that. Imo.
And that's just off the top of my head!

[green1]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Yes, overcoming our lower ego nature.

Via self-love?

Thanks!

[sky]

Originally Posted by green1

To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.
How do we conquer ourself?

It's not a Buddhist Quote green 1 but the idea of it has come from,

The Dhammapada chapter on “The Thousand Verses include the following.

103. Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.

104. Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct.

Hope this helps

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by green1

Via self-love?

Well, I suppose that is a way to put it if you consider the battles we have between our ears
and disciplining ourselves to not feel anger, jealousy, depression, greed, selfishness, indignations, pride and guilt.
Sure, that's a form of self love being a Spiritual Warrior; placing our desire to reach our goal of peace and happiness
and patience and love and compassion and kindness, and joy and confidence, first.
imo :)

[Starman]

A Zen Buddhist koan:
”It is better to see yourself clearly than to be concerned about how others see you.”

Self-mastery is an art and a science, which includes among many other things self-love. It also involves forming a conscious relationship with the various components of yourself.

Know Thyself has been the cornerstone of my spiritual practice for many decades. It would be difficult to conquer or master our being without knowing what it is we wish to master. Is it our thoughts and emotions, our relationships with others, our lifestyle, etc. It is my experience that when we gain even a little self-mastery our outer life follows and falls into place.

We have a conversation going on in our head, often called our internal dialogue, and what we tell ourselves has more power over us than what we may hear from others. Yet control is an illusion. Self-mastery occurs when we are aligned with the divine. We conquer ourselves when we surrender and align all of our subtle bodies, a fine tuning takes place. In my opinion it has to be more than words or what we may think.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by green1

In my opinion we conquer ourself by changing our wishes. For example not wishing to be someone else.

If my review of your opinion was a Metacritic rating it would be a green(1) square with the number 100 inside.

Allow yourself to be beautiful.
Say not, "I would be fine this way."
Say, "I am. I am."
Close your eyes and say to yourself, now:
"I am."
Look at all your stuff and just let it be.
Don't wish it any other way than it is.
Just say, "I am."
Just allow.
Allow your personality.
~Ram Dass

[green1]

Originally Posted by Baile

If my review of your opinion was a Metacritic rating it would be a green(1) square with the number 100 inside.

Thank you Baile. Thank you all.