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Frederick Lenz

Frederick Lenz Quotes

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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.

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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

“How do you become enlightened? I don't know: Luck, karma, skill, friends in high places, friends in low places.”

Knows Buddhism Skills Lows Luck Karma Enlightened Rama High Places

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The word "Guru", as it is used in the contemporary American scene, is someone who takes all your money and tells you what to do with your life. You assume no responsibility. A lot of people want that free ride.”

People Want Used Responsibility Buddhism Scene Assuming Contemporary Guru Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I don't think of myself as a guru but as a teacher. If one means 'guru' in the original sense a 'dispeller of darkness' then that certainly is my purpose.”

Ifs Thinking Mean Purpose Darkness Teacher Buddhism Originals Guru Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Today in the west the word 'guru' has come to mean someone who leads a cult, someone who deprives others of their intellectual or spiritual freedom and rips them off financially.”

Mean Today Spiritual Buddhism Intellectual West Cult Rip Guru Rama Spiritual Freedom

Author:Frederick Lenz

“It really doesn't matter to me whether a person has a lot of money or a little bit of money.”

Littles Persons Matter Bits Buddhism Little Bit Lots Of Money Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“What matters is that they are curious about life, energy, truth, and themselves and that they haven't sold out to the establishment powers that tell us what to think, what to wear, how to behave, what to believe in and what goes beyond the line of rational and irrational thought.”

Thinking Believe Matter Energy Lines Havens Buddhism Rational Curious Behave Establishment What Matters Irrational Rama Sold Out Rational Thought

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The cult phenomenon is definitely journalistically 'in'. But if we were to apply for a financial aid grant as a cult, I'm afraid we would be turned down for lack of proper qualifications.”

Ifs Would Be Buddhism Financial Aids Grants Phenomenon Cult Rama Qualifications Turned Down Financial Aid

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I don't engage in brainwashing, I don't dictate forms of lifestyle, I don't perform mass marriages or even singular marriages. I don't tell people what to believe.”

People Believe Form Buddhism Mass Lifestyle Rama Brainwashing

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I don't dictate particular styles of dress. I do teach classes in self discovery.”

Self Class Teach Style Particular Buddhism Discovery Dresses Self Discovery Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“We have a spiritual community but everyone lives where they want to. I recommend certain areas to live because of their power.”

Want Spiritual Certain Community Buddhism Areas Rama Spiritual Community

Author:Frederick Lenz

“People get together and go to the movies or on hikes, but everyone maintains their own independent domicile.”

People Together Buddhism Independent Rama Get Together

Author:Frederick Lenz

“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

“Everything that I teach as an enlightened Buddhist teacher is towards directing an individual to happiness, a balanced wisdom and knowledge that is sometimes just bubbly and euphoric or just very still and profound.”

Stills Sometimes Individual Teach Teacher Buddhism Profound Buddhist Enlightened Balanced Rama Knowledge And Wisdom Euphoric

Author:Frederick Lenz

“There is no best teacher. Life itself is the teacher. There is no best method. All that matters is that it works.”

Matter Teacher Buddhism Method Rama Best Teacher

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

“Certainly, I am aware that there have been a number of articles written about me and television shows in which I have been featured and referred to as a "cult leader."”

Has Beens Shows Numbers Leader Written Television Buddhism Articles Cult Rama Television Shows

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I don't think there is anyone in public life today who can escape the inevitable onslaught of the media. It seeks to pry into and often grossly distort aspects of one's personal and professional life. I guess it just comes with the territory.”

Thinking Today Media Buddhism Aspect Inevitable Territory Rama Public Life Professional Life Personal And Professional Life

Author:Frederick Lenz

“When you combine a media - bent on exploiting tabloid-type stories to boost ratings and circulation by innuendo and titillation - with unhappy or opportunistic individuals who have nothing going for them in their own lives, you get a bitter brew.”

Stories Individual Media Buddhism Type Unhappy Bitter Bent Rama Rating Boost Tabloids Circulation Innuendo

Author:Frederick Lenz

“A well known Los Angeles newspaper referred to a small group of gentlemen who live up on a mountain and practice Zen as 'the Zen cult'. The cult phenomenon is definitely journalistically 'in'.”

Wells Known Practice Groups Buddhism Mountain Newspapers Gentleman Los Angeles Phenomenon Cult Well Known Rama Small Groups

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I find it ironic to read stories about myself which have never occurred and are simply so absurd that they are comical. At other times, it is very painful to be so misinterpreted and vilified.”

Stories Buddhism Painful Absurd Ironic Rama Comical Misinterpreted

Author:Frederick Lenz

“All I can say is that these cult stories are totally untrue, are without any foundation, and trade on a deep bias against Westerners who dare to embrace an Eastern belief-system.”

I Can Stories Belief Buddhism Foundation Trade Embrace Dare Bias Cult Eastern Rama Untrue Belief Systems Westerners

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Unfortunately, in self-discovery, you get the culty types who want the father figure or mother figure to tell them everything to do. They don't want to do any work. They want to hang on your energy and try to drain it.”

Want Trying Self Mother Father Energy Figures Buddhism Type Discovery Self Discovery Rama Drains Father Figure

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The source of their motivation ranges from what you might expect - from the seeking of money and publicity, to those who genuinely suffer from chronic personal problems and have fixated on me as the cause of their frustrations and failures.”

Problem Might Motivation Suffering Causes Source Buddhism Seeking Range Frustration Publicity Rama Personal Problems

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

“Obviously, following my convictions has come at a personal price, but they are important enough that I have been willing to endure the abuse.”

Has Beens Important Enough Willing Buddhism Abuse Endure Following Conviction Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“Perhaps my own struggle against the negativity created by these so-called critics has enabled me to develop a more resilient, peaceful, inner strength which I, in turn, have attempted to communicate to others.”

Turns My Own Struggle Buddhism Critics Communicate Peaceful Inner Strength Negativity Rama Resilient

Author:Frederick Lenz

“It is one thing to teach a dynamic Oriental philosophy and religious code; it is quite another to put such a discipline to the test by successfully living it in the face of ridicule.”

Philosophy Faces Religious Teach One Thing Buddhism Discipline Tests Code Ridicule Rama

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I don't really have a problem with the pain of life. Perhaps that is because I am a martial artist and I am used to dealing with pain. Or perhaps I adjusted to pain because there has been a great deal of it in my life.”

Has Beens Problem Pain Used Artist Deals Buddhism Martial Arts Rama Martial Artist

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I think that pain gives us appreciation of joy - it's a package deal. And I definitely think that the joys of life far outweigh the pain.”

Thinking Giving Pain Joy Deals Buddhism Appreciation Packages Rama Joy Of Life

Author:Frederick Lenz

“As an enlightened teacher of Buddhism, I'd like to welcome you to the pathway to enlightenment. I'd like to encourage you to be more positive, to engage in the practice meditation, to learn how to do this wonderful thing - make your mind still in a crazy world.”

World Mind Stills Practice Teacher Meditation Wonderful Crazy Buddhism Enlightenment Welcome Enlightened Wonderful Things Pathways Rama Crazy World

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I am a liberated teacher. A person who meditates with me, even though they may be thousands of miles away, will draw that light into them.”

May Persons Light Teacher Buddhism Draws Miles Liberated Rama Miles Away

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

“My teenage freinds when I was growing up, they have no idea that I attained liberation but I help them. They don't need to know. I can send them energy and light and help them in their evolution.”

Knows Needs I Can Ideas Helping Light Energy Growing Up Growing Buddhism Evolution Liberation No Idea Teenage Rama Energy And Light

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

“I'm always waiting for you, hoping that you'll be really interested, that you'll try completely. In every life I wait for you. I've always been waiting and I always will.”

Trying Waiting Buddhism Rama Waiting For You Always Waiting

Author:Frederick Lenz

“I am a Teacher. I am the keeper of mysteries. You seek knowledge and power, Truth, Light, and happiness. I am happy to aid you in your search.”

Light Teacher Mystery Buddhism Aids Rama Keepers Knowledge And Power

Author:Frederick Lenz

“It's not my light to begin with, in a sense; it's the light of God, the light of eternity. So take all you want!”

Want Light Buddhism Eternity Rama

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

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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

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