--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You must know nothing before you can…" description: "\"You must know nothing before you can learn something, and be empty before you can be filled. Is not the emptiness of the bowl what makes it useful? As ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/lloyd-alexander-1645_emptiness_you-must-know-nothing-before-you-can-lea_2392942.png" --- # You must know nothing before you can learn something, and… ![“You must know nothing before you can learn something, and be empty before you can be filled. Is not the emptiness of the bowl what makes it useful? As for laws, a parrot can repeat them word for word. Their spirit is something else again. As for governing, one must first be lowest before being…” quote by Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/lloyd-alexander-1645_emptiness_you-must-know-nothing-before-you-can-lea_2392942.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/lloyd-alexander-1645_emptiness_you-must-know-nothing-before-you-can-lea_2392942.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2f/lloyd-alexander-1645_emptiness_you-must-know-nothing-before-you-can-lea_2392942.png) > “You must know nothing before you can learn something, and be empty before you can be filled. Is not the emptiness of the bowl what makes it useful? As for laws, a parrot can repeat them word for word. Their spirit is something else again. As for governing, one must first be lowest before being highest.” [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True learning requires humility and openness, like an empty bowl ready to be filled, and true leadership begins with serving from the bottom. **In simple terms:** Learn by being empty and humble. Key Takeaway Embrace humility to grow. Themes humility learning leadership service Mood reflective inspirational Type aphilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - team leadership - personal development - public service Key Concepts philosophy psychology politics Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate emptiness without losing identity? - What does being 'lowest before highest' look like in practice? A Different Perspective Empty vessels can still hold value, but may lack content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emptiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. And even with the accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-don-t-think-you-see-a-pirate-with-a-parrot-on-his-shoulder-for/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [I bought myself a parrot, but it did not say "I'm hungry", and so it died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-bought-myself-a-parrot-but-it-did-not-say-i-m-hungry-and-so-it-died/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [That parrot's non-co-operation with the cage, with its master, will live for ever because it looks upon renunciation, non-co-operation, as a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/that-parrot-s-non-co-operation-with-the-cage-with-its-master-will/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Intellectual is a parrot; wise man is a crow. One is repetitive; other is creative!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/intellectual-is-a-parrot-wise-man-is-a-crow-one-is-repetitive-other/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [She is not refined. She is not unrefined. She keeps a parrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/she-is-not-refined-she-is-not-unrefined-she-keeps-a-parrot/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Most of the time, I get auditions for deaf characters where the scene has them communicating in really convoluted ways, like reading lips from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoshannah-stern/most-of-the-time-i-get-auditions-for-deaf-characters-where-the-scene/) [Shoshannah Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoshannah-stern/) > [The speech of one who utters with his tongue what he thinks with his ear, and feels the pride of a creator in accomplishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-speech-of-one-who-utters-with-his-tongue-what-he-thinks-with-his/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I think my wife is cheating on me, the only thing the parrot knows how to say is, quick out the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/i-think-my-wife-is-cheating-on-me-the-only-thing-the-parrot-knows-how/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [I have two dogs and a parrot, so they require a lot of attention. They deserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-steele/i-have-two-dogs-and-a-parrot-so-they-require-a-lot-of-attention-they/) [Cassie Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-steele/) > [If they'd wanted a nice parrot, they wouldn't have asked for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/if-they-d-wanted-a-nice-parrot-they-wouldn-t-have-asked-for-me/) [Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/) > [I wanted to get a tape recorder, but I got a parrot instead. I think I did that joke backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-wanted-to-get-a-tape-recorder-but-i-got-a-parrot-instead-i-think-i/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [ The parrot holds its food for prim consumption as daintily as any debutante, \[with\] a predilection for pot roast, hashed-brown potatoes, duck skin, butter,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-theroux/the-parrot-holds-its-food-for-prim-consumption-as-daintily-as-any/) [Alexander Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-theroux/) > [Cant is the parrot talk of a profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/cant-is-the-parrot-talk-of-a-profession/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Eric Clapton always wanted to come out onstage with a stuffed parrot on his shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-innes/eric-clapton-always-wanted-to-come-out-onstage-with-a-stuffed-parrot/) [Neil Innes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-innes/) > [“It goes without saying that even those of us who are going to hell will get eternal life—if that territory really exists outside religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/it-goes-without-saying-that-even-those-of-us-who-are-going-to-hell/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Lloyd Alexander > [“There are heroes and heroes. I don't deny he's acted bravely on occasion. He's fought beside Lord Gwydion and been proud of himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-are-heroes-and-heroes-i-don-t-deny-he-s-acted-bravely-on/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter." "It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-shall-not-lie-eilonwy-cried-not-for-this-traitor-and-deserter-it-is/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“He learned that the lives of men are short and filled with pain, yet each one a priceless treasure, whether it be that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/he-learned-that-the-lives-of-men-are-short-and-filled-with-pain-yet/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [King Constantine IX of Regia had been killed three times and was bored with it. He wanted a bath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/king-constantine-ix-of-regia-had-been-killed-three-times-and-was/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“There is an exuberance in good fantasy quite unlike the most exalted moments of realistic fiction. Both forms have similar goals; but realism walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-is-an-exuberance-in-good-fantasy-quite-unlike-the-most-exalted/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Stale water is a poor drink. Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/stale-water-is-a-poor-drink-stale-skill-is-worse-and-the-man-who/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Forgive me…I called you an idiot. I spoke too hastily. You are not. Had I given it more thought, I would have called you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/forgive-me-i-called-you-an-idiot-i-spoke-too-hastily-you-are-not-had/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“On the level of high art, in their common efforts to express human truths, relationships, attitudes, and personal visions, children's literature and adult literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/on-the-level-of-high-art-in-their-common-efforts-to-express-human/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [What seems to be love beyond any question is usually a simple case of indigestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/what-seems-to-be-love-beyond-any-question-is-usually-a-simple-case-of/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [The art is more important than the artist. The work is more important than the person who does it. You must be prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/the-art-is-more-important-than-the-artist-the-work-is-more-important/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Once," he added, "you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/once-he-added-you-told-me-that-the-seeking-counts-more-than-the/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I came to fantasy fairly late. For some ten years, I had been happily writing fiction and non-fiction for adults. But I always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-came-to-fantasy-fairly-late-for-some-ten-years-i-had-been-happily/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Talented people are finding that writing for young people is as demanding of high quality as writing for adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/talented-people-are-finding-that-writing-for-young-people-is-as/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“In some cases we learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/in-some-cases-we-learn-more-by-looking-for-the-answer-to-a-question/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [A crown is more discomfort than adornment. If you have learned that, you have already learned much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/a-crown-is-more-discomfort-than-adornment-if-you-have-learned-that/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) [Explore all 220 Lloyd Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## More Emptiness quotes > [Tell the truth about your wound, and then you will get a truthful picture of the remedy to apply to it. Don't pack whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/tell-the-truth-about-your-wound-and-then-you-will-get-a-truthful/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/go-into-emptiness-strike-voids-bypass-what-he-defends-hit-him-where/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“I've decided that has been the great achievement of our age: to so thoroughly flood the planet with megabits that every image and fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-ve-decided-that-has-been-the-great-achievement-of-our-age-to-so/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“ Desolation would not be the proper word to describe his feelings now; it was more the sense of emptiness he imagined he might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/desolation-would-not-be-the-proper-word-to-describe-his-feelings-now/) [Shusaku Endo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [“those of little merit would not even have doubts about this doctrine of emptiness. even suspicion that objects are empty wrecks the seeds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aryadeva/those-of-little-merit-would-not-even-have-doubts-about-this-doctrine/) aryadeva > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer-2/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“I close my eyes and I let my body shut itself down and I let my mind wander. It wanders to a familiar place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-close-my-eyes-and-i-let-my-body-shut-itself-down-and-i-let-my-mind/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Only the thirsty knows the real taste of water; only the lonely knows the real weight of emptiness!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/only-the-thirsty-knows-the-real-taste-of-water-only-the-lonely-knows/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [What I was trying to convey there was the kind of waste land that was left after the war. It was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-martin/what-i-was-trying-to-convey-there-was-the-kind-of-waste-land-that-was/) [George Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-martin/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [“As we see it, space is possible only when the primordial Being swallows emptiness. Space is born when the Being accepts emptiness, the Nonbeing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/as-we-see-it-space-is-possible-only-when-the-primordial-being/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) [Browse all 1,374 Emptiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You must know nothing before you can learn something, and be empty before you can be filled. Is not the emptiness of the bowl what makes it useful? As for laws, a parrot can repeat them word for word. Their spirit is something else again. 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