--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have lived with several Zen masters…" description: "\"I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.\" — Eckhart Tolle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg" --- # I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats. ![“I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg) > “I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.” [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. The speaker humorously suggests that cats embody Zen qualities, implying that true mastery can be found in simple, present‑moment beings. **In simple terms:** Cats illustrate Zen simplicity. Key Takeaway Observe everyday beings for calm wisdom. Themes mindfulness humor animal symbolism Mood lighthearted contemplative Type humorous inspirational When to use this quote - pet ownership - meditation practice - teaching moments Key Concepts Zen presence simplicity Questions to Reflect On - How can ordinary moments teach mindfulness? - What simple practices bring you presence? A Different Perspective Cats may not literally teach Zen; the metaphor can be stretched. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Lived Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-zen-5036657/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Masters Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters-cats-3967474/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Zen master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-master/) [Zen Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-masters-893556/) ## Related quotes > [“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Even ducks have taught me important spiritual lessons. Just watching them is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats-even-ducks/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [If you want to travel the Way of Buddhas and Zen masters, then expect nothing, seek nothing, and grasp nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-travel-the-way-of-buddhas-and-zen-masters-then-expect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Zen masters have the right idea-no pain no gain: thwack a silly nebbish and he'll remember it far longer and more indelibly than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/the-zen-masters-have-the-right-idea-no-pain-no-gain-thwack-a-silly/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [You have to begin to develop a repertory of jokes, multi-plane spiritual jokes, the sort of things the Zen masters tell each other when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-have-to-begin-to-develop-a-repertory-of-jokes-multi-plane/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When I go visit my brother monks in Japan and sit down with other Zen Masters, they look at my crazy clothes and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-i-go-visit-my-brother-monks-in-japan-and-sit-down-with-other-zen/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The samurais were very interested in Zen because they admired the tremendous precision that the Zen Masters had, their lack of fear and pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-samurais-were-very-interested-in-zen-because-they-admired-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As the Japanese Zen masters say, “Don't seek the truth; just drop your opinions”. Drop your theories; don't seek the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-japanese-zen-masters-say-don-t-seek-the-truth-just-drop-your/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Zen masters say you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/zen-masters-say-you-cannot-see-your-reflection-in-running-water-only/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [How many Zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb? The plum tree in the garden!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/how-many-zen-masters-does-it-take-to-screw-in-a-light-bulb-the-plum/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Dogs have masters. Cats have staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/dogs-have-masters-cats-have-staff/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [Dogs are very loyal to their masters but with cats you're the servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowen/dogs-are-very-loyal-to-their-masters-but-with-cats-you-re-the-servant/) [James Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bowen/) > [People who don't like cats haven't been around them. There's the old joke: dogs have masters, cats have staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/people-who-don-t-like-cats-haven-t-been-around-them-there-s-the-old/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) > [“Doing one thing at a time” is how one Zen Master defined the essence of Zen. Doing one thing at a time means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/doing-one-thing-at-a-time-is-how-one-zen-master-defined-the-essence/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The story of the Zen Master whose only response was always "Is that so?" shows the good that comes through inner nonresistance to events,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-story-of-the-zen-master-whose-only-response-was-always-is-that-so/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [If we had the consciousness of a cat or a dog, we would have it in us to become perfect Zen masters. We could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/if-we-had-the-consciousness-of-a-cat-or-a-dog-we-would-have-it-in-us/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) ## 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 Cat quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [One reason why my memory decays is that I have three cats, all so loving and insistent that they play cat's-cradle with every train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/one-reason-why-my-memory-decays-is-that-i-have-three-cats-all-so/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/man-wishes-woman-to-be-peaceable-but-in-fact-she-is-essentially/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There are videos I used to take at home, pretending to be a newscaster, interviewing the teapot or my house cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/there-are-videos-i-used-to-take-at-home-pretending-to-be-a-newscaster/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) [Browse all 2,996 Cat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eckhart Tolle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/eckhart-tolle-81_cat_i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-al_3044909.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.” — 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": "I have lived with several Zen...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/i-have-lived-with-several-zen-masters-all-of-them-cats/#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 } } ] } ```