--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle…" description: "\"The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the saint in a selfish human being.\" — Anthony de Mello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg" --- # The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the… ![“The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the saint in a selfish human being.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg) > “The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the saint in a selfish human being.” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Potential for greatness exists within every being, even if hidden by current form. **In simple terms:** Greatness is inside us all. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture inner potential. Themes potential growth transformation spirituality Mood hopeful encouraging Type inspirational metaphorical When to use this quote - personal development - education - coaching - creative projects Key Concepts metaphor inner self evolution Questions to Reflect On - What hidden strengths can you cultivate? - How does recognizing inner potential change your actions? A Different Perspective Potential may be suppressed by external expectations or self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) [Butterfly Caterpillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly-caterpillar-1679578/) [Caterpillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caterpillar/) [Caterpillar Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caterpillar-eagle-3025984/) [Caterpillars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caterpillars/) [Eagles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagles/) [Eggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfish Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-human-1600581/) ## Related quotes > [Although the butterfly and the caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/although-the-butterfly-and-the-caterpillar-are-completely-different/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [When someone comes to you with big dreams, don't be too quick to belittle their ambition and dreams. Inspire and help them in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-zahara/when-someone-comes-to-you-with-big-dreams-don-t-be-too-quick-to/) [Rita Zahara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-zahara/) > [“Caterpillar dun' become butterfly-caterpillar die so butterfly can be. A new thing. We all must let ourselves die to be what we will be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/caterpillar-dun-become-butterfly-caterpillar-die-so-butterfly-can-be/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“A butterfly is a caterpillar who never gave up on his dream to fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-butterfly-is-a-caterpillar-who-never-gave-up-on-his-dream-to-fly/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [There is nothing more comfortable than a caterpillar and nothing more made for love than a butterfly. We need dresses that crawl and dresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/there-is-nothing-more-comfortable-than-a-caterpillar-and-nothing-more/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) > [A writer arrived at the monastery to write a book about the Master. "People say you are a genius . Are you?" he asked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-writer-arrived-at-the-monastery-to-write-a-book-about-the-master/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/a-caterpillar-who-seeks-to-know-himself-would-never-become-a-butterfly/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-caterpillar-and-alice-looked-at-each-other-for-some-time-in/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I would love to have access to a company like Caterpillar. I would make all their stuff remote controlled and work ten times as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-would-love-to-have-access-to-a-company-like-caterpillar-i-would/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [The butterfly does not look back upon its caterpillar self, either fondly or wistfully; it simply flies on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/the-butterfly-does-not-look-back-upon-its-caterpillar-self-either/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [The three states of the caterpillar, larva, and butterfly have, since the time of the Greek poets, been applied to typify the human being,--its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphry-davy/the-three-states-of-the-caterpillar-larva-and-butterfly-have-since/) [Humphry Davy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphry-davy/) > [If a caterpillar doesn't know its future has wings, it hardly experiences itself as land-bound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kagan/if-a-caterpillar-doesn-t-know-its-future-has-wings-it-hardly/) [Robert Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kagan/) > [Since when does the butterfly ask about the caterpillar?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/since-when-does-the-butterfly-ask-about-the-caterpillar/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [My most interesting memory is of my first real dream. I was a caterpillar, wriggling around in the earth, just the way a caterpillar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/my-most-interesting-memory-is-of-my-first-real-dream-i-was-a/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Why is Caterpillar bad if we create a new job in India or China to receive U.S. exports? It makes no sense to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/why-is-caterpillar-bad-if-we-create-a-new-job-in-india-or-china-to/) [Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Butterfly quotes > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Story is a butterfly whose wings transport us to another world where we receive gifts that change who we are and who we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/story-is-a-butterfly-whose-wings-transport-us-to-another-world-where/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it-is-ugly-whoever-studies/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [When, within our souls and psyches we are made aware of a safe but insistent drum beat, repeated like butterfly wings in motion, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-meeker/when-within-our-souls-and-psyches-we-are-made-aware-of-a-safe-but/) [Mary Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-meeker/) > [I just think about what I am doing on my side of the net, which requires focus. Even after all the years I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-just-think-about-what-i-am-doing-on-my-side-of-the-net-which/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [My loneliness...still comes over me sometimes...It's a liminal, lost sensation of having wandered wide, endless boulevards, among rows of orange trees, winter butterflies, seasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-roth/my-loneliness-still-comes-over-me-sometimes-it-s-a-liminal-lost/) [Marco Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-roth/) > [I used to watch old clips of Muhammad Ali, where he'd be talking the jive during interviews, you know, 'Float like a butterfly, sting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/i-used-to-watch-old-clips-of-muhammad-ali-where-he-d-be-talking-the/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [Pleasure's a Moth, that sleeps by day And dances by false glare at night; But Joy's a Butterfly, that loves To spread its wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-davies/pleasure-s-a-moth-that-sleeps-by-day-and-dances-by-false-glare-at/) [W. H. Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-davies/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-only-ask-to-be-free-the-butterflies-are-free-mankind-will-surely/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Browse all 1,033 Butterfly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the saint in a selfish human being.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle-in-an-egg-the-saint-in-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Butterfly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle-in-an-egg-the-saint-in-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/anthony-de-mello-1331_butterfly_the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle_1931506.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The butterfly in a caterpillar: the eagle in an egg; the saint in a selfish human being.” — Anthony de Mello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The butterfly in a caterpillar: the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle-in-an-egg-the-saint-in-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-butterfly-in-a-caterpillar-the-eagle-in-an-egg-the-saint-in-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```