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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