--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a person seeks,\" Siddhartha said…" description: "\"“When a person seeks,\" Siddhartha said, \"it can easily happen that his eye sees only the thing he is seeking; he is incapable of finding anything, of a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/hermann-hesse-130_finding_when-a-person-seeks-siddhartha-said-it-c_269023.jpg" --- # When a person seeks," Siddhartha said, "it can easily… ![“When a person seeks," Siddhartha said, "it can easily happen that his eye sees only the thing he is seeking; he is incapable of finding anything, of allowing anything to enter into him, because he is always thinking only of what he is looking for, because he has a goal, because he is possessed by…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/hermann-hesse-130_finding_when-a-person-seeks-siddhartha-said-it-c_269023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/hermann-hesse-130_finding_when-a-person-seeks-siddhartha-said-it-c_269023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/hermann-hesse-130_finding_when-a-person-seeks-siddhartha-said-it-c_269023.jpg) > ““When a person seeks," Siddhartha said, "it can easily happen that his eye sees only the thing he is seeking; he is incapable of finding anything, of allowing anything to enter into him, because he is always thinking only of what he is looking for, because he has a goal, because he is possessed by his goal. Seeking means having a goal. Finding means being free, being open, having no goal. You, Venerable One, are perhaps indeed a seeker, for, striving to reach your goal, you overlook many things that lie close before your eyes.”” [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. Fixating on a specific goal narrows perception, preventing openness to unexpected insights and experiences. **In simple terms:** Goal focus blocks openness. Key Takeaway Cultivate openness, release rigid goals. Themes mindfulness perception goal-setting Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - creative problem solving Key Concepts attachment awareness non-attachment Questions to Reflect On - What would you notice if you let go of a specific outcome? - How can openness enhance your decision‑making? A Different Perspective Being goal‑oriented can limit serendipity and holistic understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [When someone is seeking,” said Siddartha, “It happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-someone-is-seeking-said-siddartha-it-happens-quite-easily-that/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [When someone seeks," said Siddhartha, "then it easily happens that his eyes see only the thing that he seeks, and he is able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-someone-seeks-said-siddhartha-then-it-easily-happens-that-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [It's time for you to move, realizing that the thing you are seeking is also seeking you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/it-s-time-for-you-to-move-realizing-that-the-thing-you-are-seeking-is/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Man is a goal-seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/man-is-a-goal-seeking-animal-his-life-only-has-meaning-if-he-is/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Seeing ourselves as we want to be is a key to personal growth. To successfully bring about change in our lives we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/seeing-ourselves-as-we-want-to-be-is-a-key-to-personal-growth-to/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Your future and mine are determined by this one thing: seeking after the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/your-future-and-mine-are-determined-by-this-one-thing-seeking-after/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [If we seek something, that same thing is seeking us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-we-seek-something-that-same-thing-is-seeking-us/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I must work harder to achieve my goal of not seeking approval from those whose approval I'm not even sure is important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-must-work-harder-to-achieve-my-goal-of-not-seeking-approval-from/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [“Getting closer to the truth is the result of hard work. Truth-seeking means analyzing presuppositions and propositions. It means criticizing evidence as harshly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/getting-closer-to-the-truth-is-the-result-of-hard-work-truth-seeking/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeking-means-to-have-a-goal-but-finding-means-to-be-free-to-be-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of what we strive for in our modern life uses the apparatus of goal seeking that was originally set up to seek goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/most-of-what-we-strive-for-in-our-modern-life-uses-the-apparatus-of/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Seeking means admitting that you do not know. Once you have cleared your slate, truth can imprint itself upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/seeking-means-admitting-that-you-do-not-know-once-you-have-cleared/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [“Searching means having a goal, but finding means being free, being open, having no goal ... because in striving for your goal there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/searching-means-having-a-goal-but-finding-means-being-free-being-open/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When someone is searching then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-someone-is-searching-then-it-might-easily-happen-that-the-only/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## 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 Finding quotes > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I'm finding out that I'm not squeamish whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gehlfuss/i-m-finding-out-that-i-m-not-squeamish-whatsoever/) [Nick Gehlfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gehlfuss/) > [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/) > [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [The key to finding protein for your snacks when you're on the go is making sure said snacks don't need to be refrigerated, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-pasternak/the-key-to-finding-protein-for-your-snacks-when-you-re-on-the-go-is/) [Harley Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-pasternak/) > [Just a decade after 'Living in Bondage,' Nollywood films, made in some 300 languages, were being watched in both urban and rural areas, distributed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-flock/just-a-decade-after-living-in-bondage-nollywood-films-made-in-some/) [Elizabeth Flock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-flock/) > [I have always been interested in finding new ways to play and have looked at handball keepers and ice hockey goal-minders. It helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-neuer/i-have-always-been-interested-in-finding-new-ways-to-play-and-have/) [Manuel Neuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-neuer/) > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [An important finding is that by determining the genome sequences of an entire family, one can identify many DNA sequencing errors and thus greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/an-important-finding-is-that-by-determining-the-genome-sequences-of/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-take-my-wife-everywhere-but-she-keeps-finding-her-way-back/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Although I'm perceived as very optimistic and upbeat, it comes out of being the opposite of that - feeling isolated or lonely, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/although-i-m-perceived-as-very-optimistic-and-upbeat-it-comes-out-of/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I've never had trouble finding inspiration for new songs, no matter what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/i-ve-never-had-trouble-finding-inspiration-for-new-songs-no-matter/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [It's true, I'm the youngest, highest-grossing French director. I have a few records, but no one knows or simply doesn't care. That's good, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/it-s-true-i-m-the-youngest-highest-grossing-french-director-i-have-a/) [Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/) > [There is a promise land. Just don't give up finding it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emel-oner/there-is-a-promise-land-just-don-t-give-up-finding-it/) Emel oner Browse all 1,256 Finding quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When a person seeks,\" Siddhartha said, \"it can easily happen that his eye sees only the thing he is seeking; he is incapable of finding anything, of allowing anything to enter into him, because he is always thinking only of what he is looking for, because he has a goal, because he is possessed by his goal. Seeking means having a goal. Finding means being free, being open, having no goal. 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