seeing is enjoying; looking is a pleasure in itself
Proverb meaning that just looking at something can be enjoyable, without needing to own or touch it. Often used when window-shopping or admiring art.
At the museum, I gazed at the paintings, thinking that just looking is a pleasure.
looking doesn't cost a thing; it costs nothing to look
Proverb emphasizing that looking is free; often used to encourage browsing or to justify not buying something.
It's an expensive shop, but since looking doesn't cost a thing, let's go in for a bit.
A traditional Japanese proverb. 法楽 (ほうらく) originally referred to the pleasure of listening to Buddhist teachings, but here it means enjoyment or pleasure in a broader sense. The phrase suggests that the act of seeing itself is a form of enjoyment.