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
The true man of the past waited upon Heaven when dealing with people and did not wait upon people when dealing with Heaven.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of valuing spiritual or divine guidance over human opinions in matters of ethics and morality.
Zhuangzi's quote reflects a deep philosophical belief that true wisdom comes from aligning oneself with higher principles, such as those imparted by Heaven or the universe, especially when interacting with others. It suggests that one should prioritize these eternal truths rather than being swayed by the fluctuating opinions and judgments of people, promoting a sense of moral integrity and authenticity in relationships and actions.
Themes
WisdomGuidanceTruthIntegritySpirituality
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophical discussion about ethics in a classroom setting.
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 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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Where is that man who has forgotten words that I may have a word with him?
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