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
Heaven does without doing through its purity, Earth does without doing through its calmness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the power of being rather than doing, highlighting the inherent qualities of heaven and earth.
Zhuangzi's quote suggests that both heaven and earth possess intrinsic qualities that allow them to exist and operate effectively without direct action. Heaven's purity and earth's calmness exemplify a state of being that contrasts with human tendencies to force actions, encouraging a philosophical perspective that values tranquility and inherent nature over exertion.
Themes
PurityCalmnessBeingNaturePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, this quote can inspire participants to embrace the power of stillness.
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.
ZhuangziRead
When people do not ignore what they should ignore, but ignore what they should not ignore, this is known as ignorance.
ZhuangziRead
The true man of the past waited upon Heaven when dealing with people and did not wait upon people when dealing with Heaven.
ZhuangziRead
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
ZhuangziRead
All the fish needs is to get lost in the water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao.
ZhuangziRead
Similar quotes
Alterius non sit qui suus esse potest. (Let no man belong to another that can belong to himself.)
ParacelsusRead
...In another time, What cannot be seen will define us, and we shall be prompted To say that language is error, and all things are wronged By representation. The self, we shall say, can never be Seen with a disguise, and never be seen without one.
Mark StrandRead
Whatever is silenced will clamor to be heard, though silently.
Margaret AtwoodRead
If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
Winston ChurchillRead
Every beginning is only a sequel, after all, and the book of events is always open halfway through.
Wislawa SzymborskaRead
You are living in a dream of your own creation. Let it be the dream of a lifetime, for that is exactly what it is.
Neale Donald WalschRead