--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the…" description: "\"“Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the spiritual life is based on ‘knowing’. One does the action and the other ‘sees’. The ‘doer’ and the ‘knower’ ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/dada-bhagwan-31_doer_worldly-life-is-based-on-action-and-the_892986.jpg" --- # Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the spiritual life… ![“Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the spiritual life is based on ‘knowing’. One does the action and the other ‘sees’. The ‘doer’ and the ‘knower’ can never be the same, they are always separate. They were separate, they are separate and they will remain separate.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/dada-bhagwan-31_doer_worldly-life-is-based-on-action-and-the_892986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/dada-bhagwan-31_doer_worldly-life-is-based-on-action-and-the_892986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/dada-bhagwan-31_doer_worldly-life-is-based-on-action-and-the_892986.jpg) > ““Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the spiritual life is based on ‘knowing’. One does the action and the other ‘sees’. The ‘doer’ and the ‘knower’ can never be the same, they are always separate. They were separate, they are separate and they will remain separate.”” [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The material world operates through doing, while the inner spiritual realm operates through insight; the two aspects of self are fundamentally distinct and cannot be unified. **In simple terms:** Action drives the outer life; knowledge guides the inner life. Key Takeaway Recognize the separation of doing and knowing. Themes spirituality dualism self action knowledge Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - meditation practice - leadership decisions - conflict resolution Key Concepts Nondualism philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance action with inner awareness? - Can one embody both roles simultaneously? A Different Perspective The division may be more fluid in integrated practices like mindfulness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doer/) [Knower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knower/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-based-1046313/) [Separate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-life/) [Worldly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldly/) [Worldly life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldly-life/) ## Related quotes > [ “I’ do not know \[how to do\] anything in the worldly life. ‘I’ do not know anything at all. ‘I’ know only about the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/i-do-not-know-how-to-do-anything-in-the-worldly-life-i-do-not-know/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“What is this worldly life based on? Ignorance (of the Self). The world gives support to good habits and tries to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/what-is-this-worldly-life-based-on-ignorance-of-the-self-the-world/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“If a prisoner paints his cell in the prison, does it mean that he likes the prison? Why does he do so? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-a-prisoner-paints-his-cell-in-the-prison-does-it-mean-that-he/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Those who believe the worldly life interactions (vyavahaar) to be the real/true; developed high blood pressure, heart attacks and other such ailments. And those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/those-who-believe-the-worldly-life-interactions-vyavahaar-to-be-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“In marriage, at home and everywhere else, one is to remain superfluous. That is where people go in deep into; that is called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-marriage-at-home-and-everywhere-else-one-is-to-remain-superfluous/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “The worldly life \[the relative\] means 'superfluous'. Instead of superfluous, people believe it to be real (of nischaya) and then they even say, ‘this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-life-the-relative-means-superfluous-instead-of/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The ‘one’ who does no ‘egoism’, the worldly life ends for him!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-one-who-does-no-egoism-the-worldly-life-ends-for-him/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Wherever one has to ‘do’ anything, there is worldly life (sansaar) there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/wherever-one-has-to-do-anything-there-is-worldly-life-sansaar-there/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The worldly life means a puzzle of ‘wrong beliefs’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-life-means-a-puzzle-of-wrong-beliefs/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Do your worldly life things through the instruments of the worldly life. And You are to ‘see’ and ‘know’ all that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/do-your-worldly-life-things-through-the-instruments-of-the-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The worldly life means a factory of pain and pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-life-means-a-factory-of-pain-and-pleasure/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Worldly Life \[sansaar\] means continuous-flow. The worldly life is that which is always changing \[transforming\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/worldly-life-sansaar-means-continuous-flow-the-worldly-life-is-that/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Vyavahaar (worldly interactions) means to bring about satisfaction for the other person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/vyavahaar-worldly-interactions-means-to-bring-about-satisfaction-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The worldly life is mandatory. ‘One’ has never come into the ‘voluntary’ realm even for a second.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-life-is-mandatory-one-has-never-come-into-the-voluntary/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Nothing can touch the one who is oodasin (one unperturbed by worldly life). After attaining Knowledge of the Self, if one applies awareness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/nothing-can-touch-the-one-who-is-oodasin-one-unperturbed-by-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Dada Bhagwan > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “The worldly \[spiritual\] science is methodic (kramic) in nature; one progresses “step by step”; one has to ascent one step at a time. Whereas… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-spiritual-science-is-methodic-kramic-in-nature-one/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Skills (learning) or lack of skills is all egoistic knowledge (ego based knowledge). Ego-free Knowledge is called (true) Knowledge \[Gnan\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/skills-learning-or-lack-of-skills-is-all-egoistic-knowledge-ego-based/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“A variety of difficulties will come your way. But at the time of difficulty, you will be able to find a ready made medicine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/a-variety-of-difficulties-will-come-your-way-but-at-the-time-of/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Suppose you want to go to Juhu (suburb in Mumbai) from here, and you come across two paths, which of the two paths is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/suppose-you-want-to-go-to-juhu-suburb-in-mumbai-from-here-and-you/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The Soul (our true Self) has to be experienced, the Soul known through scriptures will not do. Work will not be completed through scriptural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-soul-our-true-self-has-to-be-experienced-the-soul-known-through/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“If God were the doer, when will there be an end?! (If) God is the creator and he made us, we become his toys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-god-were-the-doer-when-will-there-be-an-end-if-god-is-the-creator/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“For those people whose association is harmful to the Self (kusangi), there is no better respectful fear (taap) than that of satsang (spiritual company).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/for-those-people-whose-association-is-harmful-to-the-self-kusangi/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Forgiveness is not to be given by speaking. Forgiveness is natural and spontaneously there. Spontaneous forgiveness is a sign of having attained the Self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/forgiveness-is-not-to-be-given-by-speaking-forgiveness-is-natural-and/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Remaining absolutely non-acquisitive (aparigrahi) amidst all possessions is the ultimate ‘test examination’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/remaining-absolutely-non-acquisitive-aparigrahi-amidst-all/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Explore all 2,468 Dada Bhagwan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More Doer quotes > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [“There is nothing we could add to that which has already been created…perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-amis/there-is-nothing-we-could-add-to-that-which-has-already-been-created/) [Vivian Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-amis/) > [As long as one feels that he is the doer, he cannot escape from the wheel of births.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/as-long-as-one-feels-that-he-is-the-doer-he-cannot-escape-from-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Of the two, only one can be the doer. If God is the doer; then there is nothing for us to do. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/of-the-two-only-one-can-be-the-doer-if-god-is-the-doer-then-there-is/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [I'm not a talker. I'm a doer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-holloway/i-m-not-a-talker-i-m-a-doer/) [Max Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-holloway/) > [Be a doer, not a stewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/be-a-doer-not-a-stewer/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [All performances are different. I don't think it's necessary to compare one with another. I am just me playing the role of Lear. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-holm/all-performances-are-different-i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to/) [Ian Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-holm/) > [Jesus was a doer, and not only a talker. He led the way by example. He showed us how to live and minister to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-pawlowski/jesus-was-a-doer-and-not-only-a-talker-he-led-the-way-by-example-he/) [Artur Pawlowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-pawlowski/) > [“If you believe God (Ishwar) to be the doer, then why do you believe yourself to be doer?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-you-believe-god-ishwar-to-be-the-doer-then-why-do-you-believe/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“My Belle. I'm so proud of you. Look at what you created here." Belle blushed. "I didn't create it, Papa. It's Hugo's shop." "But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/random-house-disney/my-belle-i-m-so-proud-of-you-look-at-what-you-created-here-belle/) [Random House Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/random-house-disney/) > [I would not have one turntable if my brother didn't buy the turntable. I was the dreamer; he was the doer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-would-not-have-one-turntable-if-my-brother-didn-t-buy-the-turntable/) [Rza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [The Hollywood model is to develop scripts for 10 years, sell them, transfer them, attach this actor, then attach a director. This isn't what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/the-hollywood-model-is-to-develop-scripts-for-10-years-sell-them/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR, BE A DOER FIRST. IT TAKES “YOU” TO BE THAT!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanshu-joshi/to-be-an-entrepreneur-be-a-doer-first-it-takes-you-to-be-that/) [PRIYANSHU JOSHI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanshu-joshi/) > [“The wrong is never the only thing a wrong-doer has done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/the-wrong-is-never-the-only-thing-a-wrong-doer-has-done/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [“Whenever He answers prayers, God usually prioritizes those by people who, instead of their mouths, have prayed with their hands and/or feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/whenever-he-answers-prayers-god-usually-prioritizes-those-by-people/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 48 Doer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Worldly life is based on ‘action’ and the spiritual life is based on ‘knowing’. 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