<blockquote>
  <p><code>A fool with a sense of his foolishness
  is — at least to that extent — wise.[the "teacher"]
  But a fool who thinks himself wise
  really deserves to be called
      a fool. [most of his follower]</code> <a href="http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/tipitaka/sut/kn/dhp/dhp.05.than" rel="nofollow noreferrer">dhp</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-19T08:47:54.090Z
2020-01-19T08:47:54.090Z
Samana Johann
<p>Possibly related topics but from the Theravada tradition:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254">What is the difference between &#39;compassion&#39; and &#39;pity&#39;?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13770/254">What is right gifting?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254">How are &#39;conceit&#39; and &#39;identity-view&#39; not the same?</a></li>
</ul>

<hr>

<p>I'm not sure what "negative thoughts" are -- though I know the term is used in <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=positive+negative+thinking" rel="nofollow noreferrer">pop psychology</a> -- which teaches or uses "negative" as a synonym of "defeatist" ...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>a person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure</p>
</blockquote>

<p>... and perhaps also as a symptom of stress and depression and conflict (and maybe loss of focus or "unwise attention").</p>

<p>The phrase is, literally or grammatically, negative ("nothing" ... "nor" ... "no") -- so it is "negative", but beneficially so, in the sense that it negates the arising of unskilful mental states like "conceit" etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-18T21:08:56.253Z
2020-01-18T23:45:26.267Z
2020-01-18T23:45:26.267Z
ChrisW
<p>To my knowledge, Bodhicaryāvatāra expressed the <code>Nothing new will be said here, nor have I any skill in composition. Therefore I do not imagine that I can benefit others. I have done this to perfume my own mind.</code>.</p>

<p>In my limited understanding, it refers to the negative thoughts although I do not have complete comprehension of it. </p>

<p>What does it refer to, what is the intention and what is to be practiced?</p>

<mind><thoughtprocess>
What is the meaning of "Nothing new will be said here, nor have I any skill in composition. Therefore I do not imagine that I can benefit others."
# What is the meaning of "Nothing new will be said here, nor have I any skill in composition. Therefore I do not imagine that I can benefit others."

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-18)

To my knowledge, Bodhicaryāvatāra expressed the `Nothing new will be said here, nor have I any skill in composition. Therefore I do not imagine that I can benefit others. I have done this to perfume my own mind.`.

In my limited understanding, it refers to the negative thoughts although I do not have complete comprehension of it.

What does it refer to, what is the intention and what is to be practiced?

**Tags:** mind, thoughtprocess


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-01-19. Score: 0

> `A fool with a sense of his foolishness
> is — at least to that extent — wise.[the "teacher"]
> But a fool who thinks himself wise
> really deserves to be called
> a fool. [most of his follower]` [dhp](http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/tipitaka/sut/kn/dhp/dhp.05.than)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-18. Score: 0

Possibly related topics but from the Theravada tradition:

* [What is the difference between 'compassion' and 'pity'?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254)
* [What is right gifting?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13770/254)
* [How are 'conceit' and 'identity-view' not the same?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9415/254)

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I'm not sure what "negative thoughts" are -- though I know the term is used in [pop psychology](https://www.google.com/search?q=positive+negative+thinking) -- which teaches or uses "negative" as a synonym of "defeatist" ...

> a person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure

... and perhaps also as a symptom of stress and depression and conflict (and maybe loss of focus or "unwise attention").

The phrase is, literally or grammatically, negative ("nothing" ... "nor" ... "no") -- so it is "negative", but beneficially so, in the sense that it negates the arising of unskilful mental states like "conceit" etc.


---

