The hearing that is only in the ears is one thing. The hearing of the understanding is another. But the hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty to the ear, or to the mind.
ZhuangziRead
Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True happiness comes from letting go of the pursuit of it.
This quote by Zhuangzi emphasizes that genuine happiness arises when one stops actively seeking it. It suggests that the constant striving to be happy can create pressure and dissatisfaction, and that a more profound form of contentment can be found in acceptance and being present in the moment.
Themes
HappinessContentmentAcceptanceAbsenceStriving
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental well-being, I would reference this quote to inspire listeners to embrace contentment.
More from Zhuangzi
All quotes βEither in conflict with others or in harmony with them, we go through life like a runaway horse, unable to stop.
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When people do not ignore what they should ignore, but ignore what they should not ignore, this is known as ignorance.
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The true man of the past waited upon Heaven when dealing with people and did not wait upon people when dealing with Heaven.
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The mind remains undetermined in the great Void. Here the highest knowledge is unbounded. That which gives things their thusness cannot be delimited by things. So when we speak of 'limits', we remain confined to limited things. The limit of the unlimited is called 'fullness.' The limitlessness of the limited is called 'emptiness.' Tao is the source of both. But it is itself neither fullness nor emptiness
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All the fish needs is to get lost in the water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao.
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Similar quotes
Happiness is often presented as being very dull but, he thought, lying awake, that is because dull people are sometimes very happy and intelligent people can and do go around making themselves and everyone else miserable. He had never found happiness dull. It always seemed more exciting than any other thing and capable of as great intensity as sorrow to those people who were capable of having it.
Ernest HemingwayRead
I was always a happy kid. I'd play the piano fairly well. I did all sorts of things fairly well. But who the hell wants to be happy all the time? It's a miserable state to be in permanently. Can you imagine how dreary that would be?
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The right to happiness is fundamental; men live so little time and die alone.
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For joy, apparently, it was all Franny could do to hold the phone, even with both hands.
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The only truly affluent are those who do not want more than they have.
Erich FrommRead