Poker gems, #342

Dalai Lama, as quoted by David Apostolico in Card Player magazine column, January 27, 2010 (vol. 23, #2), p. 25.


To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else.


[Note: Mr. Apostolico did not provide a reference for the quotation. I'm always suspicious of such things. Sure, one can find this attributed to Dalai Lama all over the web, but is it genuine, or a misattribution? Fortunately, with a little probing around I found the source. It's from The Path to Tranquility, by Renuka Singh and Dalai Lama, 2002, page 5. Although less relevant to poker, the rest of the thought is also worth considering: "Rather than speaking badly about people and in ways that will produce friction and unrest in their lives, we should practice a purer perception of them, and when we speak of others, speak of their good qualities. If you find yourself slandering anybody, first imagine that your mouth is filled with excrement. It will break you of the habit quickly enough."]