--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In advanced Zen a person comes to realize…" description: "\"In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the existence of things and their ability to perceive them correctly is completely dependent upon their ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg" --- # In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the… ![“In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the existence of things and their ability to perceive them correctly is completely dependent upon their state of mind.” quote by Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg) > “In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the existence of things and their ability to perceive them correctly is completely dependent upon their state of mind.” [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perception of reality depends entirely on one's mental state; changing the mind alters how things are seen. **In simple terms:** Mind state shapes perception of reality. Key Takeaway Cultivate a mindful mental state. Themes mindfulness perception reality Mood calm reflective Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - therapy - self‑reflection Key Concepts mental health cognitive psychology Zen practice Questions to Reflect On - How does your mindset affect daily experience? - What practices shift perception positively? A Different Perspective Changing mind may be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Advanced Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advanced-zen-3982241/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Introduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introduction/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Realize Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-existence-2102846/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [State Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-mind/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Zen Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-person-3982240/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is any particular way. It's your state of mind that creates reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nothing-is-any-particular-way-it-s-your-state-of-mind-that-creates/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You can only conceive of what lies beyond the state of mind you are in from the point of view of the state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-only-conceive-of-what-lies-beyond-the-state-of-mind-you-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [From the highest state of mind you have a window whereby you could perhaps move beyond all states of mind, to enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/from-the-highest-state-of-mind-you-have-a-window-whereby-you-could/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Opportunities, creative ideas or the lack of them, happiness, frustration, brilliance, talent, success and failure - all are determined by the state of mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/opportunities-creative-ideas-or-the-lack-of-them-happiness/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Everything is dependent upon your state of mind. That is all there is, states of mind, ten thousand of them. Beyond all states of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everything-is-dependent-upon-your-state-of-mind-that-is-all-there-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I won't ever forget you, never till ever, and even that you don't realize my existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aly-n-bassam/i-won-t-ever-forget-you-never-till-ever-and-even-that-you-don-t/) [Aly N Bassam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aly-n-bassam/) > [And, I think: I am but one more drop in the great sea of matter, defined, with the ability to realize my existence. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-i-think-i-am-but-one-more-drop-in-the-great-sea-of-matter-defined/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“It is astonishing to realize that growing up actually means to become one with Existence. It means to find the whole Existence within myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-dhyan-giten/it-is-astonishing-to-realize-that-growing-up-actually-means-to-become/) [Swami Dhyan Giten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-dhyan-giten/) > [To practice Zen means to realize one's existence in the beauty and clarity of this present moment, rather than letting life unravel in useless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daishin-buksbazen/to-practice-zen-means-to-realize-one-s-existence-in-the-beauty-and/) [John Daishin Buksbazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daishin-buksbazen/) > [I am but one more drop in the great sea of matter, defined, with the ability to realize my existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-am-but-one-more-drop-in-the-great-sea-of-matter-defined-with-the/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [The difficulties which I meet with in order to realize my existence are precisely what awaken and mobilize my activities, my capacities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-difficulties-which-i-meet-with-in-order-to-realize-my-existence/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [“Now if there is anything in this universe for which we do not have an "inkling," it is the ultimate goal of the Creator.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-schroeder/now-if-there-is-anything-in-this-universe-for-which-we-do-not-have-an/) [Gerald Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-schroeder/) > [Happiness isn't something you win in the lottery, it's already there pump in your blood stream and you just have feel it and realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-soloman/happiness-isn-t-something-you-win-in-the-lottery-it-s-already-there/) [Tarek Soloman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-soloman/) > [Your self is the universe, and you perceive the universe through a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/your-self-is-the-universe-and-you-perceive-the-universe-through-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Anyone has the ability, if they choose, to move to the higher end of the state of mind they are in. From that higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/anyone-has-the-ability-if-they-choose-to-move-to-the-higher-end-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Frederick Lenz > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [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/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, faces the passing human generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sound-man-immune-as-to-a-sacrifice-of-straw-dogs-faces-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You and I are both life. There's just the experience of every moment. We like to call them moments. There isn't really such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-and-i-are-both-life-there-s-just-the-experience-of-every-moment/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Why waste your time being around people who drag you down? You don't live forever, at least in this life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/why-waste-your-time-being-around-people-who-drag-you-down-you-don-t/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Everybody here is so caught up in the game of life they don't see death. They don't see beyond their deaths. They are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everybody-here-is-so-caught-up-in-the-game-of-life-they-don-t-see/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Explore all 4,399 Frederick Lenz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the existence of things and their ability to perceive them correctly is completely dependent upon their state of mind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Lenz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realize-that-the-existence-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realize-that-the-existence-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcd/frederick-lenz-8_ability_in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realiz_1257057.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In advanced Zen a person comes to realize that the existence of things and their ability to perceive them…” — Frederick Lenz", "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": "Frederick Lenz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In advanced Zen a person comes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realize-that-the-existence-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-advanced-zen-a-person-comes-to-realize-that-the-existence-of/#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 } } ] } ```