Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man’s power to live long.
What does it mean to live nobly? To be a hero? To do great things? To protect the weak? To fight for justice? Well, I’m sure it can mean all of those things but for me, a noble life is one dedicated to the pursuit of virtue, generosity and wisdom.
Am I living a noble life now? If such a life consists of the constant striving towards those goals rather than one’s attainment thereof, then, it is quite possible that my life is being lived as nobly as is possible at present. And, yet, there is something that’s not quite right about that assertion. Call it fear of complacency or pride, but it almost seems too much to say that my life is being lived nobly. Perhaps I’ll settle for living my life in pursuit of path of the Noble Ones (the arahants).
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
Leave a Reply