Home / Authors / Frederick Lenz

Frederick Lenz

Frederick Lenz Quotes

Author

Frederick Lenz was an American author known for his profound understanding and unique insights into Zen Buddhism. His works blended Zen philosophy with modern life, resonating with readers worldwide.

Filter quotes by topic

All Buddhism Ifs People Mind World Enlightenment Meditation Yoga Way Rama Awareness Self Teacher Thinking Light Energy Enlightened Inspirational States Karma

Famous Frederick Lenz Quotes

“Some people harbor the idea or belief that all teachers should teach for free. Obviously these people have never been teachers, particularly in the twentieth century. Teaching meditation is a very expensive hobby.”

People Should Ideas Belief Teach Teacher Meditation Teaching Century Buddhism Expensive Hobbies Twentieth Century Harbors Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I try to teach people to continually search and question the meaning of everything they are taught and everything they believe in. My job is not so much to impart a philosophy but to train people in the methods of self-discovery.”

People Trying Believe Self Philosophy Jobs Teach Taught Buddhism Discovery Method Train Self Discovery Rama Impart

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I show people the techniques for gaining knowledge, and this inspires them in their search for truth, freedom and happiness. I also try to show people that truth exists as much in this world as it does in any other world.”

People World Trying Doe Shows This World Inspire Buddhism Technique Rama Other Worlds Search For Truth Freedom And Happiness Gaining Knowledge

Author:Frederick Lenz

“My teaching - of what is perceived to be a complex and foreign sounding religious philosophy - has become the target for people's prejudice and religious intolerance.”

People Philosophy Religious Teaching Buddhism Prejudice Complexes Target Intolerance Rama Religious Philosophy Religious Intolerance

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Many people who help me encounter a lot of resistance from other people and from forces.”

People Helping Force Buddhism Resistance Encounters Help Me Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Every new movement or group of people who seek to explore awareness is considered a cult. The United States was founded by several cults. They felt that Protestantism had become much too lax, so they came to America and set up a hard line religious cult.”

People Hard States America Felt Religious Lines United United States Groups Awareness Movement Buddhism Cult Rama Protestantism Lax Religious Cults

Author:Frederick Lenz

“It is inevitable that, in the process of teaching an Asian religion in a Western country, many of the teachings will seem strange or unusual - in the same way that Christianity and Judaism may seem strange and unusual to people from the Far East.”

People Way May Country Seems Process Christianity Teaching Strange Buddhism Western East Inevitable Unusual Judaism Asian Rama Christianity And Judaism

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I feel a number of people who will never be students whom I'm corresponding with inwardly.”

People Feels Numbers Students Buddhism Rama Corresponding

Author:Frederick Lenz

“There are people I feel in other parts of the world who will never meet me or hear my name. They are probably better off. I help them inwardly. I feel their souls seeking light, and I help all who come.”

People World Feels Soul Helping Light Names Buddhism Seeking Better Off Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“When I leave the body someday, I can help people just as effectively if they focus upon me.”

People Ifs I Can Helping Body Focus Buddhism Someday Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“When you sit and meditate and begin to experience expanded states of mind, you will be afraid. The light makes most people very, very afraid. The only way to overcome the fear is walking down into the light.”

People Way Mind States Light Walking Overcoming State Of Mind Samadhi

Author:Frederick Lenz

“They reach the point where they feel, "I can go into samadhi now. I can do everything on my own," and that's exactly where they stay, in the lower samadhis. There are many, many people on this earth who can go into salvakalpa samadhi.”

People Feels I Can Earth Can Do My Own Samadhi

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Once you become very powerful and advanced, you must be willing to go back to school and start over, and go to a wise person who will show you the way. Very few people are willing to do that.”

People Way Persons Shows School Powerful Wise Willing Starting Over Very Powerful Samadhi Wise Person

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People who are capable of practicing tantra are individuals who have meditated for many, many years and developed very strong and powerful states of attention.”

People Years States Philosophy Individual Strong Powerful Attention Capable Very Strong Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Some people go into tantra with the idea, sort of an intellectual approach, that now they can just do everything and stay high. That doesn't work at all.”

People Ideas Philosophy Approach Intellectual Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Tantra is not sexual yoga. When the word tantra is used in the West, very often people immediately associate it with some kind of sexual yoga in which you use sex as a vehicle for enlightenment.”

People Kind Philosophy Use Used Sex Enlightenment Yoga West Vehicle Associates Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Tantra works well for people who are engaged in relationships and sexuality. Sex itself is just an action. It's just part of the dream.”

People Wells Philosophy Dream Action Sex Sexuality Engaged Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The Ten Commandments have a social purpose, for people who still need a social purpose.”

People Needs Stills Philosophy Purpose Social Ten Commandments Ten Commandments

Author:Frederick Lenz

“In tantra one does not seek experiences that most people would consider unspiritual and try to see truth in them. In tantra we don't try to guide our life in a specific way. We let the winds of existence blow us where they will.”

People Way Trying Doe Philosophy Existence Our Lives Wind Blow Guides Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“If you think that material success will bring you happiness, relationships, people, places, things, fame, fortune, you definitely should not practice tantra.”

People Ifs Thinking Should Philosophy Practice Materials Fame Fortune Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“You shouldn't run around killing people or eating meat. That's not what we mean by tantra. There's no need to break the rules.”

People Needs Mean Philosophy Running Break Eating Killing Meat Tantra Eating Meat

Author:Frederick Lenz

“For most people the prohibitions are a good thing. But If you are able to maintain very powerful states of mind, then you'll find yourself in everything you see.”

People Ifs Mind States Philosophy Able Powerful Good Things Finding Yourself State Of Mind Very Powerful Prohibition

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Tantra is quicker; but for some people it can be spiritually disastrous.”

People Philosophy Tantra

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Some people are so solemn. They take their practice so seriously, that when the moment comes to let go of it, they can't.”

People Moments Practice Letting Go Mindfulness Solemn

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Advanced practice is the entrance into the ten thousand states of mind. Most people exist in five or six of these states in their whole lifetime.”

People Mind States Whole Practice Five Thousand Ten Six Lifetime Whole Life Concentration State Of Mind Entrances

Author:Frederick Lenz

“In Old Zen, the Zen Master would do literally anything to break down the concept of what the study was. He would present conflicting codes all the time, just to shake this fixation people had on how to attain liberation.”

People Break Study Masters Concepts Liberation Code Shakes Breaking Down Zen Master Fixation

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The Zen Master was constantly attempting to break up concepts that people had about what it was like to be a spiritual teacher. We have a traditional image. Each Zen master was a complete character.”

People Character Spiritual Break Teacher Masters Concepts Traditional Attempting Zen Master Spiritual Teachers

Author:Frederick Lenz

“In Buddhism we have a great deal of etiquette. Etiquette is simply ways of living to conserve energy. Etiquette allows people to live in harmony with their environment.”

People Way Energy Deals Environment Buddhism Harmony Buddhist Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People enter states of consciousness where they think they've become enlightened. The best thing to do, if you've gone through one of those phases, is to be sensible, laugh at yourself for how foolish you were.”

People Ifs Thinking States Consciousness Laughing Gone Buddhism Foolish Buddhist Best Things Things To Do Enlightened Sensible Phases Etiquette States Of Consciousness Laugh At Yourself

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People who are advanced meditators don't worry about liberation and self-realization; they instead are interested in the welfare of others and aiding others in their liberation.”

People Self Worry Buddhism Self Realization Realization Buddhist Liberation Welfare Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Sometimes there are people who only meditate with a teacher. They ride the teacher's energy. They don't really learn how to meditate. They learn how to ride the energy.”

People Sometimes Energy Teacher Buddhism Buddhist Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Do not be selfish and feel new people will take more of the teacher's attention and you won't get it. That's nonsense. With that attitude, you won't get it. The teacher sees that attitude and will have very little to do with you.”

People Feels Littles Attention Attitude Teacher Buddhism Selfish Buddhist Nonsense Etiquette Being Selfish

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The teacher has nothing to do with people who use their mental powers to block the enlightenment of others. These people lack control. What can you teach someone who lacks control?”

People Use Teach Teacher Buddhism Enlightenment Block Buddhist Etiquette Mental Power

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Some people like a harsh teacher. They feel the demands make them learn more quickly. Some like a gentle teacher because they feel that makes them learn more quickly.”

People Feels Teacher Buddhism Demand Buddhist Gentle Harsh Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Can you control your anger, lust, frustrations, and jealousies? Those are the only people worthy of the higher teachings. By worthy, I mean that they are the only ones capable of it.”

People Mean Teaching Buddhism Higher Capable Worthy Lust Buddhist Frustration Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People over-focus on teachers as an excuse to avoid their own life, and that way they fail to take responsibility for themselves. They have this feeling that the teacher will just take care of them.”

People Way Feelings Care Responsibility Focus Teacher Failing Buddhism Excuse Take Care Buddhist Taking Responsibility Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“In America people have this funny idea about enlightenment and money. Money expresses a level of commitment. Studying enlightenment is like going to a university.”

People Ideas America Levels Study Buddhism Enlightenment Commitment University Buddhist Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Faithfulness, faith, all of the words that so few people live, you must live. Only then are you worthy of immortality.”

People Buddhism Worthy Buddhist Immortality Faithfulness Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“To know that these are people who for a moment, in glory, in light, were true warriors, and you had the chance to associate with them, to live with them, to share with them, words and moments of power - this is the nature of spiritual study.”

People Knows Moments Light Spiritual Chance Study Share Buddhism Glory Buddhist Warrior Associates Etiquette True Warrior

Author:Frederick Lenz

“If we don't get violent with ourselves, castigate ourselves, ostracize ourselves and excommunicate ourselves because we didn't live up to the standards we set down for ourselves, then maybe we don't have to do that with other people.”

People Ifs Buddhism Standards Violent Buddhist Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People want to will their self realization. They want to know what the right thing to do all the time is. There is no right thing. There's no code. There are certain basic recommendations.”

People Knows Want Self Certain Buddhism Self Realization Realization Buddhist Code Things To Do Right Thing Etiquette Recommendations

Author:Frederick Lenz

“That's what self-discovery seems to mean to most people. You're going to beat yourself up. You're going to reduce what you're supposed to be and do to a set of rules so you can defy them, or so you can perform them and feel smug.”

People Feels Mean Self Seems Buddhism Beats Discovery Self Discovery Buddhist Supposed To Be Etiquette

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The spirit of the West, of America, is different than the East. The cultural conditioning is very different. It seems to be harder for people to work in teams, more difficult for people here to live in harmony, in a monastery.”

People Different Seems America Spirit Difficult Team Buddhism Harder Harmony West East Conditioning Monasteries

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People in the West sometimes have these marvelous visions of India and Tibet. They assume that there are all these sadhus walking around and everybody is breathing enlightenment. Forget it. Don't look at it through rose-colored glasses.”

People Looks Sometimes Forget Vision Buddhism Walking Enlightenment India Assuming Rose West Glasses Breathing Marvelous Forget It Tibet Colored Glass Rose Colored Glasses

Author:Frederick Lenz

“You exist forever. You've always existed and you'll always exist. You move in and out of bodies like some people in Los Angeles move in and out of houses, every other week, every other lifetime.”

People Body Moving House Forever Week Buddhism Lifetime Los Angeles

Author:Frederick Lenz

“In the West people spend most of their time and energy working. The problem is you are so tired from work that you don't have much energy to meditate - unless you use work in a tantric way.”

People Way Use Problem Success Energy Careers Buddhism Tired West Time And Energy Tired Of Working

Author:Frederick Lenz

“If you want to help people, if you care, go to the cities. The city is where the pain is the greatest - and the cities are a hell of a lot of fun if you like art, movies and plays.”

People Ifs Want Art Play Helping Care Pain Fun Cities Hell Buddhism If You Care

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Chaos theory simply suggests that what appears to most people as chaos is not really chaotic, but a series of different types of orders with which the human mind has not yet become familiar.”

People Mind Humans Different Science Order Theory Buddhism Type Series Chaos Familiar Human Mind Chaotic Chaos Theory

Author:Frederick Lenz

“One of the greatest mistakes that people make who pursue self-discovery is they neglect to develop their careers. There is a popular notion that those who seek enlightenment should abandon the things of this world.”

People World Should Self Success Mistake Careers This World Buddhism Enlightenment Discovery Notion Self Discovery Pursue Abandon Neglect

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I meet people who neglect career. Their lives aren't centered at all. They don't have much money. They have this spaced-out look in their eyes. Their chances for enlightenment are very small, unless they change the way they live.”

People Way Looks Eye Success Chance Careers Buddhism Enlightenment Neglect

Author:Frederick Lenz

About the Author

Born: February 9, 1950
Died: April 12, 1998
Known for: Author
Quotes: 4397

Related Topics

Buddhism Ifs People Mind World Enlightenment Meditation Yoga Way Rama Awareness Self Teacher Thinking Light Energy Enlightened Inspirational States Karma

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Surfing the Himalayas: conversations and travels with Master FwapRelated source material

Surfing the Himalayas: A Spiritual AdventureRelated source material

Snowboarding to Nirvana: A NovelRelated source material

Similar Authors

Jetsunma Ahkon LhamoBrowse related quotes
Arnaud DesjardinsBrowse related quotes
Quentin S. CrispBrowse related quotes
Matthieu RicardBrowse related quotes
Ninian SmartBrowse related quotes
Taitetsu UnnoBrowse related quotes
Dhammananda BhikkhuniBrowse related quotes
Robert Baker AitkenBrowse related quotes
AtisaBrowse related quotes
Yuanwu KeqinBrowse related quotes