--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When water isn't rippled, it is naturally…" description: "\"When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a mirror isn't clouded, it is clear of itself. So the mind is not to be cleared; get rid of what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/zicheng-hong-7031_clarity_when-water-isn-t-rippled-it-is-naturally_627401.jpg" --- # When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a… ![“When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a mirror isn't clouded, it is clear of itself. So the mind is not to be cleared; get rid of what muddles it, and its clarity will spontaneously appear. Pleasure need not be sought; get rid of what pains you, and pleasure is naturally there.” quote by Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/zicheng-hong-7031_clarity_when-water-isn-t-rippled-it-is-naturally_627401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/zicheng-hong-7031_clarity_when-water-isn-t-rippled-it-is-naturally_627401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6e/zicheng-hong-7031_clarity_when-water-isn-t-rippled-it-is-naturally_627401.jpg) > “When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a mirror isn't clouded, it is clear of itself. So the mind is not to be cleared; get rid of what muddles it, and its clarity will spontaneously appear. Pleasure need not be sought; get rid of what pains you, and pleasure is naturally there.” [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clarity arises when we remove mental clutter and pain; it appears naturally. **In simple terms:** Clear mind by removing clutter. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner clarity. Themes mindfulness clarity pain pleasure self-purification Mood calm insightful Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - Meditation - therapy - personal development Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy psychology of perception Questions to Reflect On - What mental clutter blocks you? - How can you let go of pain? A Different Perspective Hard to identify and release deep-seated clutter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Clear Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-mind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“Waiting for clarity is like being a sculptor staring at a piece of marble, waiting for the statue within to cast off the unneeded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/waiting-for-clarity-is-like-being-a-sculptor-staring-at-a-piece-of/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [In fact I'm in too much of a mental muddle to know where I am - an idealist or not. I'm a mere man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/in-fact-i-m-in-too-much-of-a-mental-muddle-to-know-where-i-am-an/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The right-of-centre parties still often compete with left-of-centre ones to proclaim their attachment to all the main programmes of spending, particularly spending on social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-right-of-centre-parties-still-often-compete-with-left-of-centre/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Only fools think they're wise; the rest of us just muddle through as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/only-fools-think-they-re-wise-the-rest-of-us-just-muddle-through-as/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Take an old man's word; there's nothing worse than a muddle in all the world. It is easy to face Death and Fate, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/take-an-old-man-s-word-there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-muddle-in-all-the/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The British are proud of their ability to create a muddle and then muddle through all difficulties. I must shake the British pride: muddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-proud-of-their-ability-to-create-a-muddle-and-then/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Any fool can waste, any fool can muddle, but it takes something of a man to save, and the more he saves the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/any-fool-can-waste-any-fool-can-muddle-but-it-takes-something-of-a/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [I'm at my best in a messy, middle-of-the-road muddle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-wilson/i-m-at-my-best-in-a-messy-middle-of-the-road-muddle/) [Harold Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-wilson/) > [I think we're still in a muddle with our language, because once you get words and a spoken language it gets harder to communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-think-we-re-still-in-a-muddle-with-our-language-because-once-you/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I think the novel is essentially a comic form (tragedy is for the theatre), not meaning by that full of jokes, but that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-think-the-novel-is-essentially-a-comic-form-tragedy-is-for-the/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Never explain what you do. It speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/never-explain-what-you-do-it-speaks-for-itself-you-only-muddle-it-by/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so corrosive that out of all substances it has been chosen for washing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-jarry/anti-alcoholics-are-unfortunates-in-the-grip-of-water-that-terrible/) [Alfred Jarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-jarry/) > [I don't think we should just 'muddle through' and ignore the question of life's meaning. Or better, perhaps, I don't think it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-cooper/i-don-t-think-we-should-just-muddle-through-and-ignore-the-question/) [David E. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-cooper/) > [I'm straight, but the character was too important to me to muddle his world with my private life. As a nobody, I got away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/i-m-straight-but-the-character-was-too-important-to-me-to-muddle-his/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) > [The book, as it stands, seems to me to be one of the most frightful muddles I have ever read, with scarcely a sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-book-as-it-stands-seems-to-me-to-be-one-of-the-most-frightful/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) ## More by Zicheng Hong > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [People are considered pure of heart when they do not approach power and pomp; but those who can be near without being affected are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/people-are-considered-pure-of-heart-when-they-do-not-approach-power/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Blessings often give rise to injury, so be careful when things are going your way. Success may be achieved after failure, so don't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/blessings-often-give-rise-to-injury-so-be-careful-when-things-are/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Human affairs are like a chess game. Only those who do not take it seriously can be called good players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/human-affairs-are-like-a-chess-game-only-those-who-do-not-take-it/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Public behavior is nurtured in private; earthshaking measures come form careful steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/public-behavior-is-nurtured-in-private-earthshaking-measures-come/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Even if you do no work that is particularly lofty or far-reaching, if you can shed mundane feelings, that is a great achievement. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/even-if-you-do-no-work-that-is-particularly-lofty-or-far-reaching-if/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [When one is not slipshod in small matters, not hypocritical in secret, and not reckless in disappointment, only then is one a true hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/when-one-is-not-slipshod-in-small-matters-not-hypocritical-in-secret/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [If those who give are conscious of their own generosity and those who receive feel indebted, they are no longer family but rather strangers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/if-those-who-give-are-conscious-of-their-own-generosity-and-those-who/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [In whatever you do, if you leave a sense of incompleteness, then Creation cannot resent you, ghosts and spirits cannot harm you. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-whatever-you-do-if-you-leave-a-sense-of-incompleteness-then/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [The road of truth is broad; set the mind on it, and you feel expansive openness and broad clarity. The road of human desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/the-road-of-truth-is-broad-set-the-mind-on-it-and-you-feel-expansive/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [When you are constantly hearing offensive words and always have some irritating matter in mind, only then do you have a whetstone for character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/when-you-are-constantly-hearing-offensive-words-and-always-have-some/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Do not think about whatever service you may have done for others; think about what you may have done to offend them. Don't forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/do-not-think-about-whatever-service-you-may-have-done-for-others/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Those who trust others will find that not everyone is necessarily sincere, but they will be sincere themselves. Those who suspect others will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/those-who-trust-others-will-find-that-not-everyone-is-necessarily/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [You should be forgiving when others make mistakes, but not when the mistakes are in you. You should be patient under duress yourself, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/you-should-be-forgiving-when-others-make-mistakes-but-not-when-the/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [The sickness of indulging desires can be treated, but the sickness of clinging to abstract principles is hard to treat. Obstacles presented by events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/the-sickness-of-indulging-desires-can-be-treated-but-the-sickness-of/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) [Explore all 95 Zicheng Hong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) ## More Clarity quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Its a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/its-a-lack-of-clarity-that-creates-chaos-and-frustration-those/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Anything well written with good language and clarity and honesty is worth doing. It comes out of the same tradition as Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/anything-well-written-with-good-language-and-clarity-and-honesty-is/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It comes a moment that someone says something really small, but fits so perfect into your heart that everything start to make sense!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/it-comes-a-moment-that-someone-says-something-really-small-but-fits/) Laylablack > [“Replaying the past in your mind won't change the present; it only steals the clarity needed to shape what comes next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-meyering-sr/replaying-the-past-in-your-mind-won-t-change-the-present-it-only/) Joseph Meyering Sr > [Rain is good for me. I feel like I achieve clarity actually when it rains. The longer I have to sit and wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/rain-is-good-for-me-i-feel-like-i-achieve-clarity-actually-when-it/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [It's my feeling that any writer can get an emotion into a story without being sentimental as long as the emotion is dealt with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/it-s-my-feeling-that-any-writer-can-get-an-emotion-into-a-story/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The law of polarity brings forth clarity to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/the-law-of-polarity-brings-forth-clarity-to-your-life/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [In meditation you withdraw from others and focus your attention inside to gain purity of mind and wisdom energy. Then you must become extroverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/in-meditation-you-withdraw-from-others-and-focus-your-attention/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I think clarity is the real risk in poetry because you are exposed. You're out in the open field. You're actually saying things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-think-clarity-is-the-real-risk-in-poetry-because-you-are-exposed/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I decided to be a filmmaker when I was 12. I had utter clarity that this would be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-decided-to-be-a-filmmaker-when-i-was-12-i-had-utter-clarity-that/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) [Browse all 1,601 Clarity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a mirror isn't clouded, it is clear of itself. So the mind is not to be cleared; get rid of what muddles it, and its clarity will spontaneously appear. 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