Empty Quote by Laozi
“The real is empty and the empty real”
About This Quote
Source Book: Tao Te Ching, Laozi, c. 400 BC
The essence of reality is void, and what we perceive as empty is itself a form of reality.
In simple terms: Reality and emptiness are intertwined.
Key Takeaway
Recognize value in both presence and absence.
Themes
philosophy
existence
duality
Mood
contemplative
neutral
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- meditation
- creative work
- problem solving
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
Taoism
emptiness
perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How does embracing emptiness change your view of success?
- What does “real” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
It may be misinterpreted as nihilism.
![“[T]he changing, functional, causal, and conditioned world, present to ordinary sensory and mental experience, was what was ultimately real. To be real [...] means to be capable of producing effects in the concrete world. Thus a seed, a jug, wind in the trees, a desire, a thought, the pain in one’s…” quote by Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6bd/stephen-batchelor-5328_atheism_t-he-changing-functional-causal-and-cond_2931131.jpg)
