--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at this window: it is nothing but a…" description: "\"Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the hear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_look-at-this-window-it-is-nothing-but-a_2245678.jpg" --- # Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall… ![“Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the heart is full of light.” quote by Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_look-at-this-window-it-is-nothing-but-a_2245678.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_look-at-this-window-it-is-nothing-but-a_2245678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_look-at-this-window-it-is-nothing-but-a_2245678.jpg) > “Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the heart is full of light.” [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hole in the wall lets light fill the room; similarly, an empty mind lets the heart be illuminated. **In simple terms:** Empty mind allows heart to be full of light. Key Takeaway Cultivate mental emptiness to receive insight. Themes philosophy spirituality mindfulness Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation practice - creative brainstorming - stress relief - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts Daoist thought emptiness inner light Questions to Reflect On - How does mental emptiness foster inner light? - When can a blank mind be counterproductive? A Different Perspective Too much emptiness may lead to disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emptiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [I used to spend a lot of time cutting out film posters from papers and putting them up on the wall in my room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-kashyap/i-used-to-spend-a-lot-of-time-cutting-out-film-posters-from-papers/) [Anurag Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-kashyap/) > [And the sun on the wall of her room, the block of sun with all the tiny flying things in it. When she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/and-the-sun-on-the-wall-of-her-room-the-block-of-sun-with-all-the/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [Also marvelous in a room is the light that comes through the windows of a room and that belongs to the room. The sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kahn/also-marvelous-in-a-room-is-the-light-that-comes-through-the-windows/) [Louis Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kahn/) > [“Just as the light of a candle has the power to dispel darkness in a room, so also the light developed in one man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayagyi-u-ba-khin/just-as-the-light-of-a-candle-has-the-power-to-dispel-darkness-in-a/) Sayagyi U Ba Khin > [I was brought up in a very Eighties house. It was a suburban, mock-Tudor semi-detached house, nothing special. But there was this wallpaper with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fearne-cotton/i-was-brought-up-in-a-very-eighties-house-it-was-a-suburban-mock/) [Fearne Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fearne-cotton/) > [With what we've been taught is the proper role of art, which is that you want to have it very neatly matted and framed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/with-what-we-ve-been-taught-is-the-proper-role-of-art-which-is-that/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [“Perhaps one of the walls to such a room would have built into it a sliding panel that could be opened only from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/perhaps-one-of-the-walls-to-such-a-room-would-have-built-into-it-a/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“The more you can let go of the sadness, the more room there will be for light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-shull/the-more-you-can-let-go-of-the-sadness-the-more-room-there-will-be/) Megan Shull > [The test of an abstract picture, for me, is not my first reaction to it, but how long I can stand it hanging on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-test-of-an-abstract-picture-for-me-is-not-my-first-reaction-to-it/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“Whever I came into the room, she'd light up, so happy to see me. No one ever in the course of my entire life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/whever-i-came-into-the-room-she-d-light-up-so-happy-to-see-me-no-one/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [Just imagine. He'll stride into the room. Light will glow from him. I'll hear music. He'll bring me flowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-mouse/just-imagine-he-ll-stride-into-the-room-light-will-glow-from-him-i-ll/) [Minnie Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-mouse/) > [“The queen is ... busy," Wybert said. "When she wants you in her room, the light, it will shine." He indicated a round light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/the-queen-is-busy-wybert-said-when-she-wants-you-in-her-room-the/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [When there is no more separation between 'this' and 'that,' it is called the still-point of the Tao. At the still point in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/when-there-is-no-more-separation-between-this-and-that-it-is-called/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven cannot but be high. Earth cannot but be broad. The sun and moon cannot but revolve. All creation cannot but flourish. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-cannot-but-be-high-earth-cannot-but-be-broad-the-sun-and-moon/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## More by Zhuangzi > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If a man is crossing the river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad tempered man he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-a-man-is-crossing-the-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Calculate what man knows and it cannot compare to what he doesn't know. Calculate the time he is alive and it cannot compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/calculate-what-man-knows-and-it-cannot-compare-to-what-he-doesn-t/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven cannot but be high. Earth cannot but be broad. The sun and moon cannot but revolve. All creation cannot but flourish. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-cannot-but-be-high-earth-cannot-but-be-broad-the-sun-and-moon/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If you wish to care for your body, first of all take care of material things, though even when you have all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-you-wish-to-care-for-your-body-first-of-all-take-care-of-material/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [As regards the quietude of the sage, he is not quiet because quietness is said to be good. He is quiet because the multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/as-regards-the-quietude-of-the-sage-he-is-not-quiet-because-quietness/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [All existing things are really one. We regard those that are beautiful and rare as valuable, and those that are ugly as foul and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/all-existing-things-are-really-one-we-regard-those-that-are-beautiful/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Now, when ordinary people attempt to find happiness, I am not sure whether the happiness is really happiness or not. I study what ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/now-when-ordinary-people-attempt-to-find-happiness-i-am-not-sure/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Words exist because of meaning; once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/words-exist-because-of-meaning-once-you-ve-gotten-the-meaning-you-can/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Easy is right. Begin right and you are easy. Continue easy and you are right. The right way to go easy is to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/easy-is-right-begin-right-and-you-are-easy-continue-easy-and-you-are/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/hence-it-demands-the-emptiness-of-all-the-faculties-and-when-the/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Everything has what is innate,everything has what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/everything-has-what-is-innate-everything-has-what-is-necessary/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Where can I find a man who has forgotten words, so I can have a few words with him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/where-can-i-find-a-man-who-has-forgotten-words-so-i-can-have-a-few/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Standards are different for all things, so the standard set by man is by no means the only 'certain' standard. If you mistake what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/standards-are-different-for-all-things-so-the-standard-set-by-man-is/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) [Explore all 243 Zhuangzi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## 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. 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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": "Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. 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