As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village.
Yathāpi bhamaro pupphaṁ, vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ; Paleti rasamādāya, evaṁ gāme munī care.
Dhammapada 49
The same idea in other traditions
The Master angled,—but did not use a net. He shot,—but not at birds perching.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
One who does not frighten anyone, and who is not afraid of anyone else - says Nanak, listen, mind: call him spiritually wise.
"He who thoroughly knows living beings, whether they move or not, and does not injure them in any of the three ways, him we call a Brâhmana.
O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.
He through whom the world is not agitated, and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from joy and anger and fear and agitation, he too is dear to me.
Eat in proportion to thy hunger; how can he give praises who scarce can breathe by reason of his gluttony? He whose stomach is full is void of wisdom. The prey is entrapped in the snare because of its greed. …
If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it. … Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.