Skip to content

Nicholas of Cusa Quotes

1401–1464 Germany

Nicholas of Cusa (1401 – August 11, 1464), also referred to as Nicolaus Cusanus and Nicholas of Kues, was a German philosopher, theologian, jurist, astronomer, cardinal and mystic of the Catholic Church. One of the first German proponents of Renaissance humanism, he made spiritual and political contributions in European history.

Germany
Astronomers
Mathematicians
Philosophers
Theologians

Random Nicholas of Cusa quote

21 quotes

God, therefore, is the one most simple essence of the entire universe.

Within itself the soul sees all things more truly than as they exist in different things outside itself. And the more it goes out unto other things in order to know them, the more it enters into itself in order to know itself.

For a persistent and continued ascent to [the Principle and Source of] life is the constituent element of increased happiness.

De Docta Ignorantia (On Learned Ignorance) (1440)

With the senses man measures perceptible things, with the intellect he measures intelligible things, and he attains unto supra-intelligible things transcendently.

For we see that man is a civil and political animal, and is naturally inclined to civilization.

De concordantia catholica (The Catholic Concordance) (1434)

Of the inhabitants then of worlds other than our own we can know still less having no standards by which to appraise them.

To the various nations, however, You have sent various prophets and masters, the one for this, the other for another time.

De Pace Fidei (The Peace of Faith) (1453)

All we know of the truth is that the absolute truth, such as it is, is beyond our reach.

De Docta Ignorantia (On Learned Ignorance) (1440)

All men strive and hope for nothing other than eternal life in their human nature. For this they instituted purgations of souls and sacred rites, in order to be better adapted in their nature to that eternal life.

De Pace Fidei (The Peace of Faith) (1453)

Even though you acknowledge diverse religions, you all presuppose in all of this diversity the one, which you call wisdom

De Pace Fidei (The Peace of Faith) (1453)

It is you, O God, who is being sought in various religions in various ways, and named with various names. For you remain as you are, to all incomprehensible and inexpressible. When you will graciously grant it then sword, jealous hatred and evil will cease and all will come to know that there is but one religion in the variety of religious rites.

You will not find another faith, but rather one and the same single religion presupposed everywhere

De Pace Fidei (The Peace of Faith) (1453)

In God, absolute unity is absolute multiplicity, absolute identity is absolute diversity; absolute actuality is absolute potentiality

De Docta Ignorantia (On Learned Ignorance) (1440)

I am a -living shadow and Thou the Truth... Therefore, my God, Thou art alike shadow and Truth; Thou art alike the image and the Exemplar of myself and all men.

De Docta Ignorantia (On Learned Ignorance) (1440)

There can only be one wisdom. For if it were possible that there be several wisdoms, then these would have to be from one. Namely, unity is prior to all plurality

De Pace Fidei (The Peace of Faith) (1453)

Therefore in the Qur'an the splendour of the Gospel shines forth to the wise, to those who are led by the Spirit of Christ

We find passages in the Qur'an that are useful for us

Thus, while I am borne to loftiest heights, I behold Thee as Infinity

De visione Dei (On The Vision of God) (1453)

I behold Thee, 0 Lord my God, in a kind of mental trance

De visione Dei (On The Vision of God) (1453)

I see, Lord, through Thine infinite mercy, that Thou art Infinity encompassing all things. Nothing exists outside Thee, and all things -in Thee are not other than Thee

De visione Dei (On The Vision of God) (1453)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Nicholas of Cusa (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.