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
Men of the world who value the Way all turn to books. But books are nothing more than words. Words have value; what is of value in words is meaning. Meaning has something it is pursuing, but the thing that it is pursuing cannot be put into words and handed down. The world values words and hands down books but, though the world values them, I do not think them worth valuing. What the world takes to be values is not real value.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinction between the superficial value of words and the deeper meaning they can convey.
Zhuangzi's quote reflects on the difference between mere words and the profound meanings they attempt to communicate. He suggests that while society places great importance on books and the words within them, true value lies in the understanding and pursuit of the deeper meanings behind those words, which cannot be fully captured or conveyed through language alone. This critique invites readers to seek wisdom beyond the written word and recognize that genuine understanding transcends mere verbal expression.
Themes
WordsMeaningValueBooksWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about literature, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of understanding deeper themes over just reading texts superficially.
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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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