--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I heard Zen teacher one time talking…" description: "\"I heard Zen teacher one time talking about abortion, and he was saying the way that abortion makes bad karma is any time the person involved pretends t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/george-saunders-317_abortion_i-heard-zen-teacher-one-time-talking-abo_1780039.jpg" --- # I heard Zen teacher one time talking about abortion, and… ![“I heard Zen teacher one time talking about abortion, and he was saying the way that abortion makes bad karma is any time the person involved pretends that there's not a cost to the choice, one way or the other; whether you get it or don't get it, there's a cost. That's just basic responsibility…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/george-saunders-317_abortion_i-heard-zen-teacher-one-time-talking-abo_1780039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/george-saunders-317_abortion_i-heard-zen-teacher-one-time-talking-abo_1780039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/george-saunders-317_abortion_i-heard-zen-teacher-one-time-talking-abo_1780039.jpg) > “I heard Zen teacher one time talking about abortion, and he was saying the way that abortion makes bad karma is any time the person involved pretends that there's not a cost to the choice, one way or the other; whether you get it or don't get it, there's a cost. That's just basic responsibility, to admit that there's a cost. And the bad karma is when you pretend that the thing is free.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abortion carries inherent moral cost; denying it leads to negative karma. **In simple terms:** Ignoring costs creates bad karma. Key Takeaway Recognize and accept consequences. Themes ethics karma responsibility Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - medical decisions - personal choices - policy debates Key Concepts moral cost consequences accountability Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess hidden costs? - Can responsibility be measured objectively? A Different Perspective Karma concept may not align with secular ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortion Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-makes-473212/) [Abortion Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-saying-559129/) [Bad karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-karma/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Karma Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma-pretend-1854598/) [One time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-time/) [One way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-way/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-abortion-1854599/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/i-do-not-believe-that-just-because-you-re-opposed-to-abortion-that/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [All I'm asking for is the law that's been on the books for the last 33 years, no public funding for abortion. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-stupak/all-i-m-asking-for-is-the-law-that-s-been-on-the-books-for-the-last/) [Bart Stupak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-stupak/) > [When you start talking about same-sex marriage, you start talking about abortion, and I think those issues are very very important and very interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/when-you-start-talking-about-same-sex-marriage-you-start-talking/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [For me there is no compromise on abortion, it makes no difference to me why or how that child ended up in that womb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-robinson/for-me-there-is-no-compromise-on-abortion-it-makes-no-difference-to/) [Mark Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-robinson/) > [When you start talking about abortion and gay rights, people take that seriously and they're passionate about it - on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-buckhorn/when-you-start-talking-about-abortion-and-gay-rights-people-take-that/) [Bob Buckhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-buckhorn/) > [“When pro-life advocates claim that elective abortion unjustly takes the life of a defenseless human being, they are not saying they dislike abortion. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-klusendorf/when-pro-life-advocates-claim-that-elective-abortion-unjustly-takes/) [Scott Klusendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-klusendorf/) > [God save the Queen and a fascist regime … a flabby toothless fascism, to be sure. Never go too far in any direction, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/god-save-the-queen-and-a-fascist-regime-a-flabby-toothless-fascism-to/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Karma where you at ? show him how it feels , to give someone your all & it was never even reall..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/karma-where-you-at-show-him-how-it-feels-to-give-someone-your-all-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that matters is that you KNOW your worth. If they don't know your worth realize that it's OKAY because they aren't meant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/all-that-matters-is-that-you-know-your-worth-if-they-don-t-know-your/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Nowadays, in Japan, when mother, or baby, or mother and baby die in childbirth, people say, ‘Ah…they die because gods decide so.’ Or, ‘They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/nowadays-in-japan-when-mother-or-baby-or-mother-and-baby-die-in/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [That heart attack moment, when u know ur about to be in some deep shiit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syoung/that-heart-attack-moment-when-u-know-ur-about-to-be-in-some-deep-shiit/) [Syoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syoung/) > [KARMAS a bitch it will get you time and time again so fuck off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everyone-knowthis/karmas-a-bitch-it-will-get-you-time-and-time-again-so-fuck-off/) [EveryOne Knowthis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everyone-knowthis/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. 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Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. 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From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I heard Zen teacher one time talking about abortion, and he was saying the way that abortion makes bad karma is any time the person involved pretends that there's not a cost to the choice, one way or the other; whether you get it or don't get it, there's a cost. That's just basic responsibility, to admit that there's a cost. 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