---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Therefore, I see whatever exists as good…"
description: "\"“Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everyth..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png"
---

#  Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me…

![“Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everything only requires my consent, only my willingness, my loving agreement, to be good for me, to do nothing but work for my benefit, to be unable to…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png)

> ““Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everything only requires my consent, only my willingness, my loving agreement, to be good for me, to do nothing but work for my benefit, to be unable to ever harm me. I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity, and needed the most shameful despair, in order to learn how to give up all resistance, in order to learn how to love the world, in order to stop comparing it to some world I wished, I imagined, some kind of perfection I had made up, but to leave it as it is and to love it and to enjoy being a part of it.””

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 describes a radical acceptance of existence, seeing all experiences—good, bad, life, death, sin, wisdom—as necessary and ultimately beneficial, leading to inner peace through surrender and love of the world.

**In simple terms:** Accept all of life as it is, seeing every experience as a teacher.

Key Takeaway

Embrace surrender, love the present, release resistance.

Themes

acceptance spirituality self‑realization inner peace love

Mood

contemplative reflective serene

Type

philosophical spiritual inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- spiritual practice
- therapy
- mindfulness
- creative work

Key Concepts

non‑duality transcendence ego dissolution detachment

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you practice acceptance without neglecting self‑care?
- What does surrender mean in everyday decisions?

A Different Perspective

Such total acceptance may ignore harmful patterns and can be unrealistic without boundaries.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lust/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [“I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-have-experienced-on-my-body-and-on-my-soul-that-i-needed-sin-very/)

[hermann hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [I learned through my body and soul that it was necessary to sin, that I needed lust, that I had to strive for property…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-learned-through-my-body-and-soul-that-it-was-necessary-to-sin-that/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [I learned through my body and soul that it was necessary for me to sin, that I needed lust, that I had to strive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-learned-through-my-body-and-soul-that-it-was-necessary-for-me-to/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“I experienced by observing my own body and my own soul that I sorely needed sin, sorely needed concupiscence, needed greed, vanity, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-experienced-by-observing-my-own-body-and-my-own-soul-that-i-sorely/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“Elsewhere in Scripture we learn that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:2222), and the life of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/elsewhere-in-scripture-we-learn-that-without-the-shedding-of-blood/)

[Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/)

> [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“Sin as little as possible-that is the law of mankind. Not to sin at all is the dream of the angel. All earthly things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/sin-as-little-as-possible-that-is-the-law-of-mankind-not-to-sin-at/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [Sin is like an incredible meal that becomes poisonous venom in your stomach. What you eat on Earth you may digest in Hell...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/sin-is-like-an-incredible-meal-that-becomes-poisonous-venom-in-your/)

[LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/)

> [In the beginning, sin is like a thread of a spider's web. But in the end, it becomes like the cable of a ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabbi-akiva/in-the-beginning-sin-is-like-a-thread-of-a-spider-s-web-but-in-the/)

[Rabbi Akiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabbi-akiva/)

> [“Forgive me, God, for I'm about to sin like fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-wild/forgive-me-god-for-i-m-about-to-sin-like-fuck/)

[Clarissa Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-wild/)

> [I sin like crazy, but I protect my people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-sin-like-crazy-but-i-protect-my-people/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [In Catholicism, you learn to worship a superior god that creates, who organizes and creates. And when you do novels, you have this illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-boullosa/in-catholicism-you-learn-to-worship-a-superior-god-that-creates-who/)

[Carmen Boullosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-boullosa/)

> [Oh, the solitariness of sin! There is nothing like it, except, perhaps, the solitariness of death. In that isolation none can reach you, none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-reginald-haweis/oh-the-solitariness-of-sin-there-is-nothing-like-it-except-perhaps/)

[Hugh Reginald Haweis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-reginald-haweis/)

> [Sin is like a journey, it begins with one step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/sin-is-like-a-journey-it-begins-with-one-step/)

[Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/)

> [It is the goodly outside that sin puts on which tempteth to destruction. It has been said that sin is like the bee, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/it-is-the-goodly-outside-that-sin-puts-on-which-tempteth-to/)

[Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/)

## More by Hermann Hesse

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

[Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

## More Death quotes

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/)

J. Anthony Torino

> [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/)

Alan W. Powers

> [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/)

[Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/)

> [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/)

[Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/)

> [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/)

[Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/)

[Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everything only requires my consent, only my willingness, my loving agreement, to be good for me, to do nothing but work for my benefit, to be unable to ever harm me. I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity, and needed the most shameful despair, in order to learn how to give up all resistance, in order to learn how to love the world, in order to stop comparing it to some world I wished, I imagined, some kind of perfection I had made up, but to leave it as it is and to love it and to enjoy being a part of it.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hermann Hesse"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Death"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/hermann-hesse-130_death_therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good_1372700.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like…” — Hermann Hesse",
                "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": "Hermann Hesse",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Therefore, I see whatever exists as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
