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Everything that is thought and expressed in words is…

“Everything that is thought and expressed in words is one-sided, only half the truth; it all lacks totality, completeness, unity. When the Illustrious Buddha taught about the world, he had to divide it into Samsara and Nirvana, illusion and truth, into suffering and salvation. One cannot do…” quote by Hermann Hesse
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“Everything that is thought and expressed in words is one-sided, only half the truth; it all lacks totality, completeness, unity. When the Illustrious Buddha taught about the world, he had to divide it into Samsara and Nirvana, illusion and truth, into suffering and salvation. One cannot do otherwise, there is no other method for those who teach. But the world itself, being in and around us, is never one-sided. Never is a man or a deed wholly Samsara or wholly Nirvana; never is a man wholly a saint or a sinner. This only seems so because we suffer the illusion that time is something real.”

Hermann Hesse

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage reflects on the duality of truth, suggesting that language captures only half of reality, while existence transcends binary divisions.

In simple terms: Words capture only part of truth.

Key Takeaway

Seek holistic understanding beyond dualities.

Themes

philosophy truth duality

Mood

contemplative thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • spiritual practice
  • academic study
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

metaphysics Buddhist thought epistemology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we integrate opposing perspectives?
  • What practices help perceive wholeness?
A Different Perspective

Dualistic thinking can oversimplify complex reality.

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