---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look inside and see that I am…"
description: "\"“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, m..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png"
---

#  When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is…

![“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, my life flows.” quote by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png)

> ““When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, my life flows.””

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Recognizing inner emptiness as wisdom and seeing oneself as part of all as love, guiding life's flow.

**In simple terms:** Seeing self as nothing gives wisdom; seeing self as everything gives love.

Key Takeaway

Balance inner humility with universal compassion.

Themes

wisdom love self‑realization balance

Mood

peaceful reflective

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- meditation
- counseling
- leadership
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

non‑duality spiritual insight mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you honor both humility and connection?
- What actions reflect love for all?

A Different Perspective

May become self‑centered or detached from practical concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [When I look inside and see that I'm nothing, that's wisdom. When I look outside and see that I'm everything, that's love. And between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-m-nothing-that-s-wisdom-when-i-look/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Do no depend on others' ideas or concepts because inside yourself is the Wisdom. For the Few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/do-no-depend-on-others-ideas-or-concepts-because-inside-yourself-is/)

[Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/)

> [I am dedicated to the belief that it is God's will that all men should strive for wisdom in themselves, not look to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/i-am-dedicated-to-the-belief-that-it-is-god-s-will-that-all-men/)

[Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/)

> [Once you're looking for wisdom, you have to look at why things happen and why people behave how they do: you cannot, in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/once-you-re-looking-for-wisdom-you-have-to-look-at-why-things-happen/)

[Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/)

> [The beginning of all wisdom is to look fixedly on clothes, or even with armed eyesight, till they become transparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-look-fixedly-on-clothes-or-even/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [“You can borrow things and clothing from shops to look expensive and successful but remember that you cannot borrow personality or wisdom to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-verd/you-can-borrow-things-and-clothing-from-shops-to-look-expensive-and/)

[Nicky Verd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-verd/)

> [Every love outside of HIS love, is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/every-love-outside-of-his-love-is-pain/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [Making love begins from the outside in. Being in love begins from the inside out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-love-begins-from-the-outside-in-being-in-love-begins-from-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What are these voices outside love's open door, make us throw off our contentment, and beg for something more?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/what-are-these-voices-outside-love-s-open-door-make-us-throw-off-our/)

[Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/)

> [If you really love, then you're willing to step outside of your own love to do that which is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-really-love-then-you-re-willing-to-step-outside-of-your-own/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [I think I just speak on what the regular people are going through outside of love 'cause, of course, there's always gonna be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-i-just-speak-on-what-the-regular-people-are-going-through/)

[PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/)

> [“The sun was catching his hair and lighting him up from the outside, and love was lighting him up from the inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-sun-was-catching-his-hair-and-lighting-him-up-from-the-outside/)

[Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/)

> [We are fated to love one another; we hardly exist outside our love, we are just animals without it, with a birth and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/we-are-fated-to-love-one-another-we-hardly-exist-outside-our-love-we/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

> [“And in the end, do you ever truly know for sure if you’re lovable? What a question. You don’t. You can’t. Of course not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/and-in-the-end-do-you-ever-truly-know-for-sure-if-you-re-lovable-what/)

[Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/)

> [I don't have children - yet! But I can imagine a love so potent that you would give your life for them. To give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-shiels/i-don-t-have-children-yet-but-i-can-imagine-a-love-so-potent-that-you/)

[Graham Shiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-shiels/)

## More by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

> [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Let the dream unroll itself to its very end. You cannot help it. But you can look at the dream as a dream, refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/let-the-dream-unroll-itself-to-its-very-end-you-cannot-help-it-but/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [As long as the mind is there, your body and your world are there. Your world is mind-made, subjective, enclosed within the mind, fragmentary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/as-long-as-the-mind-is-there-your-body-and-your-world-are-there-your/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [I ask you what is the taste of your mouth all you can do is to say: it is neither sweet nor bitter, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/i-ask-you-what-is-the-taste-of-your-mouth-all-you-can-do-is-to-say-it/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [It is your restlessness that causes chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/it-is-your-restlessness-that-causes-chaos/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [To go beyond the mind, you must be silent and quiet. Peace and silence, silence and peace - this is the way beyond. Stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/to-go-beyond-the-mind-you-must-be-silent-and-quiet-peace-and-silence/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Absolute perfection is here and now, not in some future, near or far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/absolute-perfection-is-here-and-now-not-in-some-future-near-or-far/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Having never left the house you are looking for the way home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/having-never-left-the-house-you-are-looking-for-the-way-home/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Once you understand that the false needs time and what needs time is false, you are nearer the Reality, which is timeless, ever in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/once-you-understand-that-the-false-needs-time-and-what-needs-time-is/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [The universe is but a partial manifestation of your limitless capacity to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-universe-is-but-a-partial-manifestation-of-your-limitless/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [In reality, time and space exist in you. You do not exist in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/in-reality-time-and-space-exist-in-you-you-do-not-exist-in-them/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Whatever happens, happens to you by you, through you; you are the creator, enjoyer and destroyer of all you perceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/whatever-happens-happens-to-you-by-you-through-you-you-are-the/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [Life is love and love is life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/life-is-love-and-love-is-life/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [The real does not die, the unreal never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-real-does-not-die-the-unreal-never-lived/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

[Explore all 321 Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

## More Life quotes

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [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/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/)

[Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/)

> [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/)

Deanna L. Lawlis

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

[Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, my life flows.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-nothing-that-is-wisdom-when-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-nothing-that-is-wisdom-when-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/438/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj-953_life_when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-not_1616721.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am…” — Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj",
                "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": "Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“When I look inside and see...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-nothing-that-is-wisdom-when-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-nothing-that-is-wisdom-when-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
