James Clavell Quotes

Perhaps that is why we love life so much, Anjin-san. You see, we have to. Death is part of our air and sea and earth. You should know, Anjin-san, in this Land of Tears, death is our heritage.

Why is it there is always such violence between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law? Doesn't daughter-in-law, in time, become mother-in-law? Why does she then always treat her own daughter-in-law to a lashing tongue and make her life a misery, and why does that girl do the same in her turn? Doesn't anyone learn?

he’s not very pro-American and it drives him mad that the British Empire’s no more, that the U.S. is arbiter of the world’s fate and making obvious mistakes,

To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline and training is all about.

A wise man prepares for treachery.

Karma is the beginning of knowledge. Next is patience. Patience is very important. The strong are the patient ones, Anjin-san. patience means holding back your inclination to the seven emotions: hate, adoration, joy, anxiety, anger, grief, fear. If you don't give way to the seven, you're patient, then you'll soon understand all manner of things and be in harmony with Eternity.

Kill, torture, burn! Just so long as it’s in the name of God, you’re all right. What a lot of hypocrisy! Don’t give me faith! It’s nothing!

- Отново съм хванат на тясно. Каквото и да правя, някой все ще умре. А ако не науча езика ви, цяло едно село ще загине. Не правя ли каквото искате от мен, все някой невинен умира. Не виждам изход.
- Изходът е лесен, Анджин-сан. Умрете. Не сте длъжен да понасяте непоносимото.

I was a teenager when that [referring to WW2] started and of course wars are fought by teenagers. Do you realize that? They really should be fought by the politicians and the old people who start these wars.

How can a man be so brave and so stupid, so gentle and so cruel, so warming and so detestable — all at the same time?

I get so scared sometimes. The suddenness of our age! Electronics, rockets, earth satellites, supersonic flight, and now this. It's not so much who invents them. It's the fact they exist. … Everything's going so fast, I'm just not ready to take it all in. It's, it's all so quick

He had long since discovered that peaceful sleep could provide the answer to most puzzles, and if not, what did it really matter? Wasn’t life just a dewdrop within a dewdrop?

«Karma es el principio del conocimiento. Después, está la paciencia. La paciencia es muy importante. Los pacientes son fuertes, Anjín-san. Paciencia significa dominar nuestra inclinación hacia las siete emociones: odio, adoración, gozo, ansiedad, irritación, dolor y miedo. Si las resistes, eres paciente, y pronto comprenderás todas las cosas y estarás en armonía con la Eternidad.»

It is a very pretty flag. … I wish I could have a piece of it. I know! If it's so important, I think we should all have a piece of it. Don't you? … Now we should decide — who should be allowed to cut the first piece off!