---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And so I came to understand why some…"
description: "\"And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes say, \"You are already enlightened.\"\" — Eckhart Tolle"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg"
---

#  And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes…

![“And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes say, &quot;You are already enlightened.&quot;” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg)

> “And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes say, "You are already enlightened."”

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Enlightenment is sometimes presented as already present, urging acceptance of current awareness.

**In simple terms:** You may already be enlightened.

Key Takeaway

Observe present awareness without striving.

Themes

spirituality mindfulness self‑realization

Mood

calm contemplative

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- meditation
- therapy
- daily reflection

Key Concepts

non‑dualism presence inner peace

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “already enlightened” mean to you?
- How can you balance acceptance and personal development?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the need for active growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/)

## Related quotes

> [“Joshua could hear stirring inside of the stable master’s house and a voice calling for him to hold his horses, which is what stable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/joshua-could-hear-stirring-inside-of-the-stable-master-s-house-and-a/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [It is vain to say that enlightened statesmen will always be able to adjust their interests. Enlightened men will not always be at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-vain-to-say-that-enlightened-statesmen-will-always-be-able-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Yes I say that I am enlightened. What does that mean? It means I live in a condition of light...There really is no primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/yes-i-say-that-i-am-enlightened-what-does-that-mean-it-means-i-live/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [I came to understand that people come and see you because they like you. They don't come to throw things at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-came-to-understand-that-people-come-and-see-you-because-they-like/)

[Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/)

> [When I was five, I came to understand that I was not a boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-jahren/when-i-was-five-i-came-to-understand-that-i-was-not-a-boy/)

[Hope Jahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-jahren/)

> [An enlightened person or business is not concerned primarily with making money, because when you are concerned with making money you want the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/an-enlightened-person-or-business-is-not-concerned-primarily-with/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [There can be associations - enlightened businesses, for example - that do not work on the basis of us against them or wanting profit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-can-be-associations-enlightened-businesses-for-example-that-do/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [The person who says, 'I'm enlightened' probably isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/the-person-who-says-i-m-enlightened-probably-isn-t/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [ So he \[Shoko Asahara\] was insane but managed to convince a couple thousand people that he was enlightened. Western culture, which Japan is now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/so-he-shoko-asahara-was-insane-but-managed-to-convince-a-couple/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [To be enlightened is to be aware, always, of total reality in its immanent otherness - to be aware of it and yet remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/to-be-enlightened-is-to-be-aware-always-of-total-reality-in-its/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“He who has realized the Self is truly enlightened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-negi/he-who-has-realized-the-self-is-truly-enlightened/)

[Shiva Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-negi/)

> [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/)

[Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/)

> [I think enlightenment is something that you decide to do after you have met someone who is enlightened. Something touches your heart, your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-enlightenment-is-something-that-you-decide-to-do-after-you/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/)

[Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/)

## More by Eckhart Tolle

> [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

[Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

## More Enlightened quotes

> [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/)

[Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Now the stage today is to know that Self Realization gives you experiences and then your faith is established. Not blind but open enlightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-the-stage-today-is-to-know-that-self-realization-gives-you/)

[Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/)

> [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/)

[Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/)

> [I think enlightenment is something that you decide to do after you have met someone who is enlightened. Something touches your heart, your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-enlightenment-is-something-that-you-decide-to-do-after-you/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“The more that the human mind is enlightened, the more desirous it becomes of farther acquisitions in knowledge. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stewart/the-more-that-the-human-mind-is-enlightened-the-more-desirous-it/)

Alexander Stewart

> [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/)

[Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/)

> [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/)

[Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/)

> [In dealing with those who share his bed, the enlightened ruler may enjoy their beauty but should not listen to their special pleas...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-fei/in-dealing-with-those-who-share-his-bed-the-enlightened-ruler-may/)

[Han Fei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-fei/)

> [“Even when you have been somewhat enlightened by what you have read, you are called upon to continue the serach for significance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/even-when-you-have-been-somewhat-enlightened-by-what-you-have-read/)

[Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/)

> [I want to engage people in an honest, enlightened, and provocative conversation about the nature of erotic desire and the intricacies of intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-want-to-engage-people-in-an-honest-enlightened-and-provocative/)

[Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/)

[Browse all 1,151 Enlightened quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes say, \"You are already enlightened.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eckhart Tolle"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-masters-sometimes-say-you-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Enlightened"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-masters-sometimes-say-you-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/eckhart-tolle-81_enlightened_and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-mas_2651410.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And so I came to understand why some masters sometimes say, \"You are already enlightened.\"” — Eckhart Tolle",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Eckhart Tolle",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "And so I came to understand...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-masters-sometimes-say-you-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/and-so-i-came-to-understand-why-some-masters-sometimes-say-you-are/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
