1,099 Quotes by Hermann Hesse

A game master or teacher who was primarily concerned with being close enough to the "innermost meaning" would be a very bad teacher. To be candid, I myself, for example, have never in my life said a word to my pupils about the "meaning" of music; if there is one it does not need my explanations. On the other hand I have always made a great point of having my pupils count their eighths and sixteenths nicely. Whatever you become, teacher, scholar, or musician, have respect for the "meaning" but do not imagine that it can be taught.

In any case, the most lively young people become the best old people, not those who pretend to be as wise as grandfathers while they are still at school.

What you call passion is not spiritual force, but friction between the soul and the outside world.

How beautiful the world was when one looked at it, without searching... just looked, simply and innocently.

My real self wanders elsewhere, far away, wanders on and on invisibly and has nothing to do with my life.

Once you are able to make your request in such a way that you will be quite certain of its fulfillment, then the fulfillment will come.

It was all a lie, it all stank, stank of lies, it all gave the illusion of meaning and happiness and beauty, and all of it was just putrefaction that no one would admit to. Bitter was the taste of the world. Life was a torment.

Life is waiting everywhere, the future is flowering everywhere, but we only see a small part of it and step on much of it with our feet

A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.