--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems…" description: "\"“Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't answer properly,or if you are rude,people get enlightened.”\" — Jerry Pinto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg" --- # Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't… ![“Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't answer properly,or if you are rude,people get enlightened.” quote by Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg) > ““Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't answer properly,or if you are rude,people get enlightened.”” [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) ## 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 critiques misunderstandings of Zen, suggesting people claim enlightenment for inappropriate behavior. **In simple terms:** People misuse Zen to excuse rudeness. Key Takeaway Avoid using spirituality as a cover for bad conduct. Themes misinterpretation spirituality behavior Mood irry critical Type humorous observational When to use this quote - online forums - workplace interactions - personal relationships Key Concepts Zen Buddhism social perception Questions to Reflect On - How does misusing spiritual concepts affect others? - Can true enlightenment coexist with respectful behavior? A Different Perspective Zen teachings emphasize compassion, not justification for rudeness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Rude People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rude-people/) ## Related quotes > [ So he \[Shoko Asahara\] was insane but managed to convince a couple thousand people that he was enlightened. 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Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-lawrence/) > [In rock music, people have certain assumptions that it makes people more enlightened, and it really doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/in-rock-music-people-have-certain-assumptions-that-it-makes-people/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [Strictly speaking, there are no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/strictly-speaking-there-are-no-enlightened-people-there-is-only/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [While people who are enlightened are worthy of respect, to put them on a pedestal is a mistake. To undervalue them is also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/while-people-who-are-enlightened-are-worthy-of-respect-to-put-them-on/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We have two eyes to see two sides of things, but there must be a third eye which will see everything at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-suzuki/we-have-two-eyes-to-see-two-sides-of-things-but-there-must-be-a-third/) [D.T. Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-suzuki/) > [If you are thinking, you can't understand Zen. Anything that can be written in a book, anything that can be said - all this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungsahn/if-you-are-thinking-you-can-t-understand-zen-anything-that-can-be/) [Seungsahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungsahn/) > [That's a waste of time. If you really understand Zen... you can use any book. You could use the Bible. You could use Alice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/that-s-a-waste-of-time-if-you-really-understand-zen-you-can-use-any/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [People who are enlightened in previous lifetimes have a certain degree of difficulty in regaining their enlightenment. Sometimes it comes in childhood. Sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/people-who-are-enlightened-in-previous-lifetimes-have-a-certain/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If I can bring some light to bear on problems like that, I feel that people will be enlightened not only on the question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-harris/if-i-can-bring-some-light-to-bear-on-problems-like-that-i-feel-that/) [Marvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-harris/) > [When you're enlightened, you don't have to reference other people, because you yourself are enlightened. And that's a better Earth. People can make more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/when-you-re-enlightened-you-don-t-have-to-reference-other-people/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Not a one of them even has an inkling of the things that are possible in this world, and what's worse is that none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/not-a-one-of-them-even-has-an-inkling-of-the-things-that-are-possible/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Happy people, enlightened people, successful people all share something in common. They have learned how to manage and increase their energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/happy-people-enlightened-people-successful-people-all-share-something/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Jerry Pinto > [“On the balcony of our small flat in a city of small flats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/on-the-balcony-of-our-small-flat-in-a-city-of-small-flats/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Fight your genes.' The Big Hoom said to us once, to Susan and me. He did not explain. He did not know how to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/fight-your-genes-the-big-hoom-said-to-us-once-to-susan-and-me-he-did/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“I wanted to understand her predicament because I was her son and I loved her with a helpless corroded love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/i-wanted-to-understand-her-predicament-because-i-was-her-son-and-i/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Love is never enough. Madness is enough. It is complete, sufficient unto itself. You can only stand outside it as a woman might stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/love-is-never-enough-madness-is-enough-it-is-complete-sufficient-unto/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [A well-told lie can heal. Otherwise, what's fiction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/a-well-told-lie-can-heal-otherwise-what-s-fiction/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Took myself to Byculla. The area around the elephants is very soothing. I wish I were an elephant. I would be so composed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/took-myself-to-byculla-the-area-around-the-elephants-is-very-soothing/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [I didn't go to bookshops to buy. That's a little bourgeois. I went because they were civilized places. It made me happy there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/i-didn-t-go-to-bookshops-to-buy-that-s-a-little-bourgeois-i-went/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“In this city, every deserted street corner conceals a crowd. It appears in a minute when something disrupts the way in which the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/in-this-city-every-deserted-street-corner-conceals-a-crowd-it-appears/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“That’s what comes of this celibacy business. We confess to men who’ve never had to worry about a family. Naturally, it’s a huge sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/that-s-what-comes-of-this-celibacy-business-we-confess-to-men-who-ve/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [Home was where others had to gather grace. Home was what I wanted to flee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/home-was-where-others-had-to-gather-grace-home-was-what-i-wanted-to/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Marriage is all right. At least the person you’re having a go at is an adult. But motherhood… You’re given something totally dependent, totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/marriage-is-all-right-at-least-the-person-you-re-having-a-go-at-is-an/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“I know I want to marry you. But I wish we were the first to ever get married. I cannot help feeling that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/i-know-i-want-to-marry-you-but-i-wish-we-were-the-first-to-ever-get/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Once I was told that living with me would mean being trapped and slowly asphyxiated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/once-i-was-told-that-living-with-me-would-mean-being-trapped-and/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“Love is never enough. Madness is enough. It is complete, sufficient unto itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/love-is-never-enough-madness-is-enough-it-is-complete-sufficient-unto-2/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) > [“We began our hospital visits: one day Susan, one day me, everyday The Big Hoom. On one of these visits, she told me about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/we-began-our-hospital-visits-one-day-susan-one-day-me-everyday-the/) [Jerry Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) [Explore all 26 Jerry Pinto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/) ## 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": "“Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't answer properly,or if you are rude,people get enlightened.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerry Pinto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems-if-you-don-t-answer-properly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enlightened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems-if-you-don-t-answer-properly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/jerry-pinto-23229_enlightened_honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems_2367329.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if you don't answer properly,or if you are rude,people get…” — Jerry Pinto", "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": "Jerry Pinto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Honestly.I don't understand Zen.It seems if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems-if-you-don-t-answer-properly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinto/honestly-i-don-t-understand-zen-it-seems-if-you-don-t-answer-properly/#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 } } ] } ```