--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tao is the source of both fullness and…" description: "\"Tao is the source of both fullness and emptiness. But it is itself neither fullness nor emptiness.\" — Zhuangzi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_tao-is-the-source-of-both-fullness-and-e_1898443.jpg" --- # Tao is the source of both fullness and emptiness. But it… ![“Tao is the source of both fullness and emptiness. But it is itself neither fullness nor emptiness.” quote by Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_tao-is-the-source-of-both-fullness-and-e_1898443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_tao-is-the-source-of-both-fullness-and-e_1898443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/zhuangzi-1341_emptiness_tao-is-the-source-of-both-fullness-and-e_1898443.jpg) > “Tao is the source of both fullness and emptiness. But it is itself neither fullness nor emptiness.” [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. The Tao transcends dualities of fullness and emptiness, embodying a state beyond both. **In simple terms:** The Tao is beyond having or lacking. Key Takeaway Embrace the paradoxical nature of reality. Themes philosophy duality spirituality Taoism emptiness fullness Mood contemplative enigmatic Type poetic wisdom When to use this quote - meditation - mindful living - accepting uncertainty - spiritual practice Key Concepts non‑duality transcendence paradox Questions to Reflect On - How can you experience the Tao without labeling it? - What does “neither full nor empty” mean to you? A Different Perspective Attempting to describe the indescribable may lead to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emptiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) [Fullness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fullness/) [Heaven and earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-and-earth/) [Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tao/) ## Related quotes > [The mind remains undetermined in the great Void. Here the highest knowledge is unbounded. That which gives things their thusness cannot be delimited by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-mind-remains-undetermined-in-the-great-void-here-the-highest/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [God lays down all of His fullness into all the emptiness. I am in Him. He is in me. I embrace God in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/god-lays-down-all-of-his-fullness-into-all-the-emptiness-i-am-in-him/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Before there can be fullness there must be emptiness. Before God can fill us with Himself we must first be emptied of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/before-there-can-be-fullness-there-must-be-emptiness-before-god-can/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Emptiness is not a mere emptiness, but rather fullness in which the distinctiveness of everything is throughly realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masao-abe/emptiness-is-not-a-mere-emptiness-but-rather-fullness-in-which-the/) [Masao Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masao-abe/) > [“How do we remember this emptiness so in fullness we won't forget?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/how-do-we-remember-this-emptiness-so-in-fullness-we-won-t-forget/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [The Tao is in all things, in their divisions and their fullness. What I dislike about divisions is that they multiply, and what i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-tao-is-in-all-things-in-their-divisions-and-their-fullness-what-i/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Tao is beyond words and beyond things. It is not expressed either in word or in silence. Where there is no longer word or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/tao-is-beyond-words-and-beyond-things-it-is-not-expressed-either-in/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The tao is made because we walk it,things become what they are called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-tao-is-made-because-we-walk-it-things-become-what-they-are-called/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as coarse, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to dwell quietly alone with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/to-regard-the-fundamental-as-the-essence-to-regard-things-as-coarse/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The fullness or emptiness of life will be measured by the extent to which a man feels that he has an impact on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingman-brewster-jr/the-fullness-or-emptiness-of-life-will-be-measured-by-the-extent-to/) [Kingman Brewster, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingman-brewster-jr/) > [Meditation is nothing but coming to terms with your inner emptiness: recognizing it, not escaping; living through it, not escaping; being through it, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/meditation-is-nothing-but-coming-to-terms-with-your-inner-emptiness/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Silence is the beauty of the empty streets; laughter is the beauty of the crowded streets! There is beauty both in emptiness and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/silence-is-the-beauty-of-the-empty-streets-laughter-is-the-beauty-of/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I am left with a feeling and I cannot tell if it's emptiness or fullness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-schutz/i-am-left-with-a-feeling-and-i-cannot-tell-if-it-s-emptiness-or/) [Samantha Schutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-schutz/) > [“Our only qualification for God's grace is our emptiness, not our fullness; our undeservingness, not our deservingness. 'Those who are well have no need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/our-only-qualification-for-god-s-grace-is-our-emptiness-not-our/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## 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. 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": "Tao is the source of both fullness and emptiness. 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