Reference · 74 terms
The words the quotations use.
The collection draws on traditions that arrived with their own vocabulary. A line from the Analects assumes you know what the Analects is; a line about equanimity assumes the word means something more specific than calm. This is the short version of all of it, in plain English, so a quotation can be read without a second tab open.
6 of the 74 are also headwords in the dictionary next door. Those entries link across rather than defining the same word twice on the same domain.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Indian aerospace scientist and the 11th President of India (1931–2015), beloved as the 'People's President' for inspiring students.
Aesop
Legendary ancient Greek storyteller whose fables carry timeless moral lessons.
Analects
A collection of the sayings and ideas of Confucius, compiled by his followers.
Angela Duckworth
American psychologist and author of Grit, researching perseverance and passion.
Aristotle
Greek philosopher (384–322 BCE), student of Plato, whose work spans ethics, logic, and the nature of happiness.
Bhagavad Gita
A revered Hindu scripture presenting teachings on duty and acting without attachment to results.
Bhagavad Gita
A revered 700-verse Hindu scripture, part of the Mahabharata, presenting timeless teachings on duty and selfless action.
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama (c. 5th century BCE), the spiritual teacher whose teachings on mindfulness and compassion founded Buddhism.
C.S. Lewis
British writer and scholar (1898–1963), author of essays, fiction, and reflections on meaning.
Carl Jung
Swiss psychiatrist (1875–1961) who founded analytical psychology and explored the inner self.
Chanakya
Ancient Indian teacher, economist, and strategist (c. 350–283 BCE), author of the Arthashastra.
Chinese Proverb
A traditional saying passed down through Chinese culture, distilling collective wisdom.
Cicero
Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher (106–43 BCE) whose writings shaped Western thought on ethics and friendship.
Confucian
Relating to the teachings of Confucius, emphasizing virtue, learning, family, and social harmony.
Confucius
Chinese philosopher (551–479 BCE) whose teachings on virtue, learning, and harmony, recorded in the Analects, shaped East Asian thought for millennia.
Dharma
In Indian thought, one's duty, purpose, or the right way of living.
The dictionary has a full entry — dharma
Eleanor Roosevelt
American diplomat and humanitarian (1884–1962), a champion of human rights and courage.
Equanimity
A calm, balanced state of mind that remains steady through life's ups and downs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
32nd President of the United States (1882–1945), known for steadfast optimism through hard times.
Friedrich Nietzsche
German philosopher (1844–1900) known for incisive reflections on strength, meaning, and self-overcoming.
Grit
Sustained passion and perseverance toward long-term goals, even through setbacks.
The dictionary has a full entry — grit
Haruki Murakami
Contemporary Japanese novelist acclaimed worldwide for his imaginative, reflective fiction.
Helen Keller
American author and activist (1880–1968) who, deaf and blind, became a global symbol of perseverance.
Henry Ford
American industrialist (1863–1947), founder of Ford Motor Company.
Horace
Roman lyric poet (65–8 BCE) celebrated for graceful reflections on living well.
I Ching (Book of Changes)
One of the oldest Chinese classics, a book of wisdom on change and the cycles of nature.
James Clear
Contemporary author of Atomic Habits, known for writing on habits and systems.
Japanese Proverb
A traditional saying from Japanese culture, often capturing resilience and humility.
John Quincy Adams
6th President of the United States (1767–1848) and a lifelong public servant.
Kabir
15th-century Indian mystic poet whose couplets (dohas) on truth and devotion are loved across faiths.
Karma
In Indian philosophy, the principle that one's actions shape future experience.
Lao Tzu
Ancient Chinese sage, traditionally the author of the Tao Te Ching and founder of Taoism, who taught humility, stillness, and harmony with nature.
Leo Tolstoy
Russian novelist (1828–1910), author of War and Peace, who wrote deeply on patience and meaning.
Mahatma Gandhi
Leader of India's nonviolent independence movement (1869–1948), revered worldwide for the philosophy of nonviolence (ahimsa).
Mantra
A word or phrase repeated to focus and steady the mind.
Marcus Aurelius
Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher (121–180 CE), author of the personal reflections known as Meditations.
Mark Twain
American author and humorist (1835–1910), a sharp and warm observer of human nature.
Maya Angelou
American poet and memoirist (1928–2014), celebrated for works on resilience, dignity, and the human spirit.
Melody Beattie
American author known for writing on gratitude, healing, and self-care.
Mencius
Confucian philosopher (c. 372–289 BCE) who argued that human nature is fundamentally good and championed benevolence.
Mindfulness
The practice of paying gentle, sustained attention to the present moment without judgment.
The dictionary has a full entry — mindfulness
Napoleon Hill
American author (1883–1970) of early self-development classics on desire and persistence.
Nelson Mandela
South African leader (1918–2013) whose perseverance and reconciliation inspired the world.
Nishkama Karma
The Hindu principle of performing one's duty selflessly, without attachment to the outcome.
Norman Vincent Peale
American minister and author (1898–1993) who popularized positive thinking.
Oscar Wilde
Irish poet and playwright (1854–1900) famed for wit and a love of beauty.
Peter Drucker
Austrian-American writer (1909–2005) regarded as the founder of modern management thinking.
Rabindranath Tagore
Bengali poet, writer, and composer (1861–1941), the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
American essayist and poet (1803–1882), a leader of Transcendentalism and champion of self-reliance.
Resilience
The capacity to recover from difficulty and adapt well in the face of adversity.
The dictionary has a full entry — resilience
Rumi
13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic (1207–1273) whose verses on love and the soul are cherished worldwide.
Saadi
Persian poet (1210–1291) of Shiraz, one of the great medieval voices on wisdom and patience.
Seneca
Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman (c. 4 BCE–65 CE) known for his essays and letters on living well.
Sharon Salzberg
American teacher and author, a leading voice in modern mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation.
Socrates
Classical Greek philosopher (c. 470–399 BCE) regarded as a founder of Western philosophy and the Socratic method.
Stoic
Relating to Stoicism — focusing only on what is within your control and meeting hardship with composure.
Stoicism
An ancient Greek and Roman philosophy teaching that virtue and inner control bring tranquility, regardless of external events.
The dictionary has a full entry — stoicism
Sufi
Relating to Sufism, the mystical tradition within Islam that seeks direct, loving experience of the divine.
Sufism
The mystical dimension of Islam, emphasizing love, devotion, and inner transformation.
Sun Tzu
Chinese strategist (c. 5th century BCE), traditionally credited with The Art of War, widely studied today for self-mastery and strategy.
Swami Vivekananda
Indian monk and philosopher (1863–1902) who introduced Vedanta and Yoga to the West and called youth to strength and purpose.
Tao Te Ching
The foundational text of Taoism, traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, on simplicity and the natural way.
Taoism
A Chinese philosophy and tradition centered on living in harmony with the Tao, the natural way of the universe.
The Upanishads
Ancient Indian philosophical texts forming the spiritual core of the Vedas, exploring consciousness and truth.
Theodore Roosevelt
26th President of the United States (1858–1919), an advocate of vigorous, purposeful living.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Vietnamese Zen master (1926–2022) who taught mindfulness and peace to a global audience.
Upanishads
Ancient Indian philosophical texts forming the spiritual core of the Vedas.
Vedanta
One of the major schools of Hindu philosophy, exploring the nature of reality and the self.
Viktor Frankl
Austrian psychiatrist (1905–1997) and Holocaust survivor, author of Man's Search for Meaning.
Willpower
The inner strength to direct your attention and actions toward a chosen goal.
Winston Churchill
British statesman and orator (1874–1965) remembered for resolve and stirring wartime speeches.
Wu Wei
A Taoist principle of effortless action — moving in harmony with the natural flow rather than forcing.
Xunzi
Confucian philosopher (c. 310–235 BCE) who emphasized effort, study, and self-cultivation over innate talent.
Zen
A school of Buddhism emphasizing meditation, direct experience, and presence in the moment.
The dictionary has a full entry — zen
Frequently asked
What is this list for? The collection quotes from traditions that come with their own vocabulary. This explains the 74 terms that turn up most often, so a line can be read without a second tab open.
Is this the same as the 404meanings dictionary? No. The dictionary defines rare and difficult English words at length. This is a short reference for the terms these particular quotations use, and where the dictionary already has one of them, the entry links to it instead of repeating it — 6 of the 74 do.