--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: they say that everything in the world is…" description: "\"“they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that it’s not real. but how’s it an illusion? who’d say those real, material things right there ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg" --- # they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that… ![“they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that it’s not real. but how’s it an illusion? who’d say those real, material things right there in front of you are fake, right? the form that material things exist in is one way, while the form they manifest in, it turns out, is different. and…” quote by li hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg) > ““they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that it’s not real. but how’s it an illusion? who’d say those real, material things right there in front of you are fake, right? the form that material things exist in is one way, while the form they manifest in, it turns out, is different. and our eyes have an ability: they can fix the material things in our material dimension so that they appear to be in the state we now see. but actually, that’s not their state. that’s not even their state in our dimension. for example, what does a human being look like under a microscope? his whole body is loose and made up of little molecules, just like grains of sand, and they’re granular and in motion, electrons are orbiting nuclei, the whole body is wriggling and in motion, and the surface of the body isn’t smooth, it’s irregular. the same goes for every material thing in the universe, be it steel, iron, stone, or whatever, all the molecular elements inside them are in motion. you really can’t see the overall form of it, and the truth is, none of those things are static. this table is wriggling too, but your eyes can’t see the reality of it. so this pair of eyes can give you a false image.”” [li hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical reality is composed of constantly moving particles, so our senses perceive a static illusion rather than true dynamic nature. **In simple terms:** Our eyes see a static picture, but everything is in motion. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of perception. Themes perception reality illusion physics spirituality Mood curious reflective skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Science education - meditation practice - critical thinking - artistic observation Key Concepts Quantum mechanics philosophy of mind materialism Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your trust in sensory information? - What practices help perceive beyond illusion? A Different Perspective Our senses can be deceiving; deeper investigation may reveal complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Material things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-things/) ## Related quotes > [“Most people's reality is an illusion, a great big illusion. You automatically have to succumb to the illusion that 'I am this body'. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/most-people-s-reality-is-an-illusion-a-great-big-illusion-you/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [“Reality is funny, Your's will always be different than mine. This turns the truth into an illusion. They say everyone lies so what do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-riley/reality-is-funny-your-s-will-always-be-different-than-mine-this-turns/) J.S. Riley > [God alone is real, and all else is illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/god-alone-is-real-and-all-else-is-illusion/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [God made the Illusion look Real and the Real an Illusion !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/god-made-the-illusion-look-real-and-the-real-an-illusion/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Yes, the world is an illusion. But Truth is always being shown there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/yes-the-world-is-an-illusion-but-truth-is-always-being-shown-there/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The beast is the modern world that we live in! The material world. The physical world. The world of illusion that we think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/the-beast-is-the-modern-world-that-we-live-in-the-material-world-the/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [This world may be only illusion -- but it's the only illusion we've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/this-world-may-be-only-illusion-but-it-s-the-only-illusion-we-ve-got/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“In this world that is an illusion, every emotion is real. In this world that is real, every truth is illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-neelakantan/in-this-world-that-is-an-illusion-every-emotion-is-real-in-this-world/) [Anand Neelakantan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-neelakantan/) > [Is not this whole world an illusion? And yet it fools everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/is-not-this-whole-world-an-illusion-and-yet-it-fools-everybody/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [The problem with our role is Americans live in a world of illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/the-problem-with-our-role-is-americans-live-in-a-world-of-illusion/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [Illusion doesn't mean that something is not real. Illusion simply means that something is less real than something else. This life and this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/illusion-doesn-t-mean-that-something-is-not-real-illusion-simply/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [None of this is real. All of this is an illusion and your acceptance of that fact is the beginning of the pathway to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/none-of-this-is-real-all-of-this-is-an-illusion-and-your-acceptance/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“You are off on a winding and difficult road, which you conceive to be wide and straight, an Autobahn you can travel at your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/you-are-off-on-a-winding-and-difficult-road-which-you-conceive-to-be/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [“But though she’s told a longer version of the story a thousand times before to a thousand different people, she gets the feeling that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/but-though-she-s-told-a-longer-version-of-the-story-a-thousand-times/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [Allah made the illusion look real and the real an illusion. He concealed the sea and made the foam visible, the wind invisible, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/allah-made-the-illusion-look-real-and-the-real-an-illusion-he/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by li hongzhi > [In the West, the spirit is separate from the body. In the East these are things that are very real and concrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/in-the-west-the-spirit-is-separate-from-the-body-in-the-east-these/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [We teach that a person must practice only one cultivation way. No matter how you practice cultivation, you should not mess up your cultivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/we-teach-that-a-person-must-practice-only-one-cultivation-way-no/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [Mankind has many things that it never knew before. What I can tell you is that human moral values are no longer good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/mankind-has-many-things-that-it-never-knew-before-what-i-can-tell-you/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [“when a daoist has finished his cultivation, he will be a roaming deity or a wandering immortal. there are mountains and waters in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/when-a-daoist-has-finished-his-cultivation-he-will-be-a-roaming-deity/) [li hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [Anything that seriously disturbs human society is absolutely not allowed to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/anything-that-seriously-disturbs-human-society-is-absolutely-not/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [If human beings are able to take a fresh look at themselves as well as the universe and change their rigid mentalities, humankind will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/if-human-beings-are-able-to-take-a-fresh-look-at-themselves-as-well/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [The Chinese government knows that what I am teaching is good and that I am teaching people to have high moral values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/the-chinese-government-knows-that-what-i-am-teaching-is-good-and-that/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) > [The biggest cause of society's change today is that people no longer believe in orthodox religion. They go to church, but they no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/the-biggest-cause-of-society-s-change-today-is-that-people-no-longer/) [Li Hongzhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) [Explore all 9 li hongzhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/) ## More Illusion quotes > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [Even mud gives the illusion of depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/even-mud-gives-the-illusion-of-depth/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Knowing does not always allow us to prevent, but at least the things that we know, we hold them, if not in our hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/knowing-does-not-always-allow-us-to-prevent-but-at-least-the-things/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/we-are-eternal-all-this-pain-is-an-illusion/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [How could they say that they truly loved each other? They had simply grown up together, been children together, and the proximity of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/how-could-they-say-that-they-truly-loved-each-other-they-had-simply/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Things aren't always as they appear. I've been believing things to be a certain way because I want them to be that way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/things-aren-t-always-as-they-appear-i-ve-been-believing-things-to-be/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/your-problem-is-how-you-are-going-to-spend-this-one-odd-and-precious/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) [Browse all 3,604 Illusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that it’s not real. but how’s it an illusion? who’d say those real, material things right there in front of you are fake, right? the form that material things exist in is one way, while the form they manifest in, it turns out, is different. and our eyes have an ability: they can fix the material things in our material dimension so that they appear to be in the state we now see. but actually, that’s not their state. that’s not even their state in our dimension. for example, what does a human being look like under a microscope? his whole body is loose and made up of little molecules, just like grains of sand, and they’re granular and in motion, electrons are orbiting nuclei, the whole body is wriggling and in motion, and the surface of the body isn’t smooth, it’s irregular. the same goes for every material thing in the universe, be it steel, iron, stone, or whatever, all the molecular elements inside them are in motion. you really can’t see the overall form of it, and the truth is, none of those things are static. this table is wriggling too, but your eyes can’t see the reality of it. so this pair of eyes can give you a false image.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "li hongzhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is-an-illusion-that-it-s-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Illusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is-an-illusion-that-it-s-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/li-hongzhi-44195_material-things_they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is_1791998.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“they say that everything in the world is an illusion, that it’s not real. but how’s it an illusion? who’d…” — li hongzhi", "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": "li hongzhi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-hongzhi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“they say that everything in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is-an-illusion-that-it-s-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-hongzhi/they-say-that-everything-in-the-world-is-an-illusion-that-it-s-not/#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 } } ] } ```