--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The seeker is that which is being sought." description: "\"The seeker is that which is being sought.\" — Gautama Buddha" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg" --- # The seeker is that which is being sought. ![“The seeker is that which is being sought.” quote by Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg) > “The seeker is that which is being sought.” [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The object of seeking is the very thing being pursued, indicating self‑realization. **In simple terms:** The seeker is what is sought. Key Takeaway Seek within. Themes self‑discovery mindfulness identity Mood calm thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation practice - personal coaching - spiritual quests Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - What are you truly seeking? - How does recognizing the seeker change your path? A Different Perspective One may chase external goals without recognizing inner truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Seeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeker/) [Seeker Sought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeker-sought-1170056/) [Seekers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seekers/) [Sought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sought/) ## Related quotes > [For thirty years I sought God. But when I looked carefully I found that in reality God was the seeker and I the sought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayazid-bastami/for-thirty-years-i-sought-god-but-when-i-looked-carefully-i-found/) [Bayazid Bastami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayazid-bastami/) > [Seek for the endless life in the world, because with death, there remains neither the seeker nor the sought! The other world is altogether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/seek-for-the-endless-life-in-the-world-because-with-death-there/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The seeker is never so popular as the sought. People want what they can't get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-seeker-is-never-so-popular-as-the-sought-people-want-what-they/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Thank you, restlessness, as challenging a traveling companion as there could be. In the end, my embrace of you was what sent me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/thank-you-restlessness-as-challenging-a-traveling-companion-as-there/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [However young, the seeker who sets out upon the way Shines bright over the world. But day and night the person who is awake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/however-young-the-seeker-who-sets-out-upon-the-way-shines-bright-over/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [O seeker! Rely on nothing until you want nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/o-seeker-rely-on-nothing-until-you-want-nothing/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Who is an authentic seeker, but someone who has understood that there is nothing else to do but practice? Enthusiastic or discouraged, he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-lozowick/who-is-an-authentic-seeker-but-someone-who-has-understood-that-there/) [Lee Lozowick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-lozowick/) > [The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-seeker-after-truth-should-be-humbler-than-the-dust/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [A true spiritual seeker should exercise control all the time, throughout the day and night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/a-true-spiritual-seeker-should-exercise-control-all-the-time/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-have-been-a-seeker-and-i-still-am-but-i-stopped-asking-the-books/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“The true seekers pursued their goal so single-mindedly, they felt no urge to tamper with the faith of others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-husain/the-true-seekers-pursued-their-goal-so-single-mindedly-they-felt-no/) [Shahrukh Husain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-husain/) > [ GOD Has Planted in Your Heart \[ \] The Desire To Search For HIM. Do Not Look At Your Weaknesses But Focus on The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/god-has-planted-in-your-heart-the-desire-to-search-for-him-do-not/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I think that notion of being a seeker, somebody who never felt totally fulfilled, but was always passionate about the search, that comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/i-think-that-notion-of-being-a-seeker-somebody-who-never-felt-totally/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The seeker asking, Where is God? Is really God saying, Where indeed is the seeker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-seeker-asking-where-is-god-is-really-god-saying-where-indeed-is/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) ## More by Gautama Buddha > [Before you've seen it, and when you first see it, it is the greatest thing; afterwards, it is ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-you-ve-seen-it-and-when-you-first-see-it-it-is-the-greatest/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Give thanks for what had been given to you, However little. Be pure, never falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/give-thanks-for-what-had-been-given-to-you-however-little-be-pure/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/be-lamps-unto-yourselves-be-refuges-unto-yourselves-take-yourself-no/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Pain is the outcome of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/pain-is-the-outcome-of-sin/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [It is because I perceive the danger in the practice of mystic wonders, that I loath, abhor, and am ashamed thereof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/it-is-because-i-perceive-the-danger-in-the-practice-of-mystic-wonders/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If one is the master of oneself, one is the resort one can depend on; therefore, one should control oneself of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-one-is-the-master-of-oneself-one-is-the-resort-one-can-depend-on/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/watch-the-thought-and-its-ways-with-care-and-let-it-spring-from-love/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [One is not low because of birth nor does birth make one holy. Deeds alone make one low, deeds alone make one holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-is-not-low-because-of-birth-nor-does-birth-make-one-holy-deeds/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [He who causes suffering shall suffer. There is no escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/he-who-causes-suffering-shall-suffer-there-is-no-escape/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If a person does not harm any living being...and does not kill or cause others to kill - that person is a true spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-a-person-does-not-harm-any-living-being-and-does-not-kill-or-cause/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The fool says, "These are my sons, this is my land, this is my money." In reality, the fool does not own himself, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-fool-says-these-are-my-sons-this-is-my-land-this-is-my-money-in/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) [Explore all 1,043 Gautama Buddha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## More Seeker quotes > [Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal. You, O worthy one, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeking-means-to-have-a-goal-but-finding-means-to-be-free-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The seeker asking, Where is God? Is really God saying, Where indeed is the seeker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-seeker-asking-where-is-god-is-really-god-saying-where-indeed-is/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [For thirty years I sought God. But when I looked carefully I found that in reality God was the seeker and I the sought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayazid-bastami/for-thirty-years-i-sought-god-but-when-i-looked-carefully-i-found/) [Bayazid Bastami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayazid-bastami/) > [“I do not consider myself less ignorant than most people. I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-do-not-consider-myself-less-ignorant-than-most-people-i-have-been/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I think that notion of being a seeker, somebody who never felt totally fulfilled, but was always passionate about the search, that comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/i-think-that-notion-of-being-a-seeker-somebody-who-never-felt-totally/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“You don't need an entire garden bed, to notice the beauty of a flower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/you-don-t-need-an-entire-garden-bed-to-notice-the-beauty-of-a-flower/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [ “I am a 'Light' seeker with a 'tude'!." ~R. Alan Woods \[2013\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/i-am-a-light-seeker-with-a-tude-r-alan-woods-2013/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [ GOD Has Planted in Your Heart \[ \] The Desire To Search For HIM. Do Not Look At Your Weaknesses But Focus on The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/god-has-planted-in-your-heart-the-desire-to-search-for-him-do-not/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Do not fear the dark, even when life is dim. A true seeker will always find light from within”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-enyo/do-not-fear-the-dark-even-when-life-is-dim-a-true-seeker-will-always/) [C. Enyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-enyo/) > [Be a Seeker of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naqi-mirza/be-a-seeker-of-knowledge/) [Naqi Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naqi-mirza/) > [“The true seekers pursued their goal so single-mindedly, they felt no urge to tamper with the faith of others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-husain/the-true-seekers-pursued-their-goal-so-single-mindedly-they-felt-no/) [Shahrukh Husain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-husain/) > [I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-have-been-a-seeker-and-i-still-am-but-i-stopped-asking-the-books/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [His face set in grim determination, Richard slogged ahead, his fingers reaching up to touch the tooth under his shirt. Loneliness, deeper than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/his-face-set-in-grim-determination-richard-slogged-ahead-his-fingers/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“The greatest book is one written by your pen, but not exactly from your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-greatest-book-is-one-written-by-your-pen-but-not-exactly-from/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) [Browse all 128 Seeker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeker/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The seeker is that which is being sought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gautama Buddha" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Seeker" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2c/gautama-buddha-163_seekers_the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought_1058677.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The seeker is that which is being sought.” — Gautama Buddha", "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": "Gautama Buddha", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The seeker is that which is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-seeker-is-that-which-is-being-sought/#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 } } ] } ```