The surface meaning is straightforward: it is more admirable to get back up after a setback than to never experience one at all. This speaks to resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Within the Buddhist framework, this quote points towards the nature of suffering (dukkha) and the path to awakening. The "falling" represents the inevitable experiences of dissatisfaction, impermanence, and the ego's attachment to outcomes. "Never falling" is an illusion, a denial of the conditioned nature of existence. The "rising" is the practice of mindfulness and the cultivation of wisdom, recognizing that each fall is an opportunity to understand the causes of suffering and to loosen the grip of craving and aversion. It is through repeated engagement with these cycles, rather than avoidance, that one develops the equanimity and insight necessary for liberation. The Buddha's own life, from his renunciation to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree after overcoming Mara's temptations, exemplifies this principle of rising after profound challenges.

In your life: When you face a setback, view it not as a final defeat, but as a chance to practice letting go of attachment to the desired outcome and to strengthen your resolve through mindful awareness.