--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We imagine that waking-life is real and…" description: "\"We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is unreal, but there does not seem to be any evidence for this belief.\" — Wei Wu Wei" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/wei-wu-wei-15520_belief_we-imagine-that-waking-life-is-real-and_1454438.png" --- # We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is… ![“We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is unreal, but there does not seem to be any evidence for this belief.” quote by Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/wei-wu-wei-15520_belief_we-imagine-that-waking-life-is-real-and_1454438.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/wei-wu-wei-15520_belief_we-imagine-that-waking-life-is-real-and_1454438.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/wei-wu-wei-15520_belief_we-imagine-that-waking-life-is-real-and_1454438.png) > “We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is unreal, but there does not seem to be any evidence for this belief.” [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We treat waking life as real and dreams as unreal despite lacking evidence for that belief. **In simple terms:** We assume waking life is real and dreams aren't, without proof. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about reality. Themes philosophy perception reality skepticism Mood curious thoughtful Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - daily reflection - psychology studies - meditation - dream analysis Key Concepts Epistemology Phenomenology Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish waking from dreaming? - What evidence could challenge this belief? A Different Perspective Evidence for dream reality is limited and subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-life/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Waking life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waking-life/) ## Related quotes > [People sometimes say the way things happen in the movies is unreal, but actually, it's the way things happen to you in life that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/people-sometimes-say-the-way-things-happen-in-the-movies-is-unreal/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Life can seem rather unreal at times. Alive and well and loving one day. 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The world can change around you, but your dream will not... Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/nothing-is-as-real-as-a-dream-the-world-can-change-around-you-but/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Love what you see and wish for what you don't. Most importantly, touch what you see to know if it's real or it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/love-what-you-see-and-wish-for-what-you-don-t-most-importantly-touch/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) ## More by Wei Wu Wei > [The Saint is a man who disciplines his ego. The Sage is a man who rids himself of his ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/the-saint-is-a-man-who-disciplines-his-ego-the-sage-is-a-man-who-rids/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Disciples and devotees…what are most of them doing? Worshipping the teapot instead of drinking the tea!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/disciples-and-devotees-what-are-most-of-them-doing-worshipping-the/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Realisation is a matter of becoming conscious of that which is already realised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/realisation-is-a-matter-of-becoming-conscious-of-that-which-is/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [“It is only the artificial ego that suffers. The man who has transcended his false “me” no longer identifies himself with his suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/it-is-only-the-artificial-ego-that-suffers-the-man-who-has/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [We ourselves are not an illusory part of Reality; rather are we Reality itself illusorily conceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/we-ourselves-are-not-an-illusory-part-of-reality-rather-are-we/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [What do you have to do? Pack your bags, Go to the station without them, Catch the train, And leave your self behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/what-do-you-have-to-do-pack-your-bags-go-to-the-station-without-them/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [THIS which is seeking is THAT which is sought, and THAT which is sought is THIS which is seeking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/this-which-is-seeking-is-that-which-is-sought-and-that-which-is/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [As long as there is a 'you' doing or not-doing, thinking or not-thinking, 'meditating' or 'not-meditating' you are no closer to home than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/as-long-as-there-is-a-you-doing-or-not-doing-thinking-or-not-thinking/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Doctrines, scriptures, sutras, essays, are not to be regarded as systems to be followed. They merely contribute to understanding. They should be for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/doctrines-scriptures-sutras-essays-are-not-to-be-regarded-as-systems/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [As long as one accepts 'time' tacitly as such he is dreaming a drea, not living a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/as-long-as-one-accepts-time-tacitly-as-such-he-is-dreaming-a-drea-not/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Are you still thinking, looking, living, as from an imaginary phenomenal centre? As long as you do that you can never recognise your freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/are-you-still-thinking-looking-living-as-from-an-imaginary-phenomenal/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [In order to be effective truth must penetrate like an arrow - and that is likely to hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/in-order-to-be-effective-truth-must-penetrate-like-an-arrow-and-that/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [It is less what one is that should matter, than what one is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/it-is-less-what-one-is-that-should-matter-than-what-one-is-not/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [The seeing of Truth cannot be dualistic (a 'thing' seen). It cannot be seen by a see-er, or via a see-er. There can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/the-seeing-of-truth-cannot-be-dualistic-a-thing-seen-it-cannot-be/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [What is your trouble? Mistaken identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/what-is-your-trouble-mistaken-identity/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) [Explore all 43 Wei Wu Wei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? 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Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. 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