"The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast"
About this Quote
The subtext is quietly polemical against moral cherry-picking. People love to claim one shining value (honor, truth-telling, devotion) while excusing the rest, as if a solitary virtue can absolve cruelty, greed, or vanity. Buddha’s phrasing punctures that self-flattery. It also carries a diagnostic edge: when a person advertises a single principle loudly, it may be compensating for the absence of the supporting cast. Virtue that doesn’t proliferate is suspect.
Context matters: in early Buddhist teaching, ethics (sila) is inseparable from mental discipline and wisdom. Conduct isn’t a separate “moral wing” of the self; it’s braided with attention, intention, and understanding of craving. That’s why the claim lands with the weight of leadership: it’s not a Hallmark sentiment but a warning about spiritual shortcuts. If the mind is still run by grasping, any “principle” you hold will be lonely - and loneliness, here, is another name for delusion.
Quote Details
| Topic | Ethics & Morality |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Buddha. (2026, January 17). The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-virtues-like-the-muses-are-always-seen-in-25705/
Chicago Style
Buddha. "The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-virtues-like-the-muses-are-always-seen-in-25705/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-virtues-like-the-muses-are-always-seen-in-25705/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
