---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you know that even when you look at a…"
description: "\"Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say, 'That is an oak tree', or 'that is a banyan tree', the naming of the tree, which is botanical kn..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg"
---

#  Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say…

![“Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say, 'That is an oak tree', or 'that is a banyan tree', the naming of the tree, which is botanical knowledge, has so conditioned your mind that the word comes between you and actually seeing the tree? To come in contact with the tree you have to…” quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg)

> “Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say, 'That is an oak tree', or 'that is a banyan tree', the naming of the tree, which is botanical knowledge, has so conditioned your mind that the word comes between you and actually seeing the tree? To come in contact with the tree you have to put your hand on it and the word will not help you to touch it.”

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

## About This Quote

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

Language creates a conceptual barrier that can prevent direct perception of reality.

**In simple terms:** Words can block direct experience.

Key Takeaway

Observe without labeling.

Themes

perception language mindfulness

Mood

contemplative inquisitive

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- nature walks
- mindful observation
- teaching philosophy

Key Concepts

phenomenology cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

- How does naming affect your direct experience?
- Can you notice a moment when a word stopped you from seeing?

A Different Perspective

Labels can be useful for communication, even if they distance us from raw experience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Oak tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oak-tree/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/)

## Related quotes

> [What will the solemn Hemlock- What will the Oak tree say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/what-will-the-solemn-hemlock-what-will-the-oak-tree-say/)

[Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/)

> [The Indians' botanical knowledge is disappearing even faster than the plants themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-evans-schultes/the-indians-botanical-knowledge-is-disappearing-even-faster-than-the/)

Richard Evans Schultes

> [That in the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time, the leaves would be renewed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/that-in-the-winter-seeing-a-tree-stripped-of-its-leaves-and/)

[Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/)

> [“While I think it’s beautiful seeing a tree pulled out of the ground with all its roots exposed, not all the owners feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-garrett/while-i-think-it-s-beautiful-seeing-a-tree-pulled-out-of-the-ground/)

Gigi Garrett

> [I thought maybe he was seeing another tree. - Juniper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-thought-maybe-he-was-seeing-another-tree-juniper/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“Seeing a tree in an acorn and a house in a plank of wood is hope bringing a new tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-cue/seeing-a-tree-in-an-acorn-and-a-house-in-a-plank-of-wood-is-hope/)

[Kerry Cue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-cue/)

> [Trees have feelings too, and no one ever says 'hi' to them. Next time you're outside and see a tree, say 'hello'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-johns/trees-have-feelings-too-and-no-one-ever-says-hi-to-them-next-time-you/)

[Daniel Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-johns/)

> [People don’t fear the wind until it fells a tree. Then, they say it’s too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/people-don-t-fear-the-wind-until-it-fells-a-tree-then-they-say-it-s/)

[Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/)

> [A tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me!... Home is within you, or home is nowhere at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-tree-has-something-to-say-to-us-be-still-be-still-look-at-me-home/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“He was not quite sure how to phrase it, so he finally went with, haltingly, “I don’t enjoy being at the center of attention.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-was-not-quite-sure-how-to-phrase-it-so-he-finally-went-with/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-we-are-stricken-and-cannot-bear-our-lives-any-longer-then-a-tree/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/)

[Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/)

> [“Our ordinary mind always tried to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-ordinary-mind-always-tried-to-persuade-us-that-we-are-nothing-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Well, make up your mind. I don’t have all night.” Fidelia set her beer on the porch and removed a set of keys from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/well-make-up-your-mind-i-don-t-have-all-night-fidelia-set-her-beer-on/)

[Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/)

> [You never quite know what you do in life that leaves a seed behind that grows into an oak tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/you-never-quite-know-what-you-do-in-life-that-leaves-a-seed-behind/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

## More by Jiddu Krishnamurti

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Its beautiful to be alone. To be alone does not mean to be lonely. it means the mind is not influenced and contaminated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/its-beautiful-to-be-alone-to-be-alone-does-not-mean-to-be-lonely-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Whatever discipline you exercise should be based on the goal your child is eventually to reach, namely, freedom and happiness. I would show him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/whatever-discipline-you-exercise-should-be-based-on-the-goal-your/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Learning is the very essence of humility . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/learning-is-the-very-essence-of-humility/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [We need tremendous energy to bring about a psychological change in ourselves as human beings, because we have lived far too long in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-need-tremendous-energy-to-bring-about-a-psychological-change-in/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [“Life is a movement, a constant movement in relationship; and thought, trying to capture that movement in terms of the past, as memory, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/life-is-a-movement-a-constant-movement-in-relationship-and-thought/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [“Meditation is like going to a well, the waters of which are inexhaustible, with a pitcher that is always empty. The pitcher can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-like-going-to-a-well-the-waters-of-which-are/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [The observer is the observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-observer-is-the-observed/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [When we stop fighting with ourselves, we aren't creating anymore conflict in our mind. Then our mind can for the first time relax and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/when-we-stop-fighting-with-ourselves-we-aren-t-creating-anymore/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

[Explore all 807 Jiddu Krishnamurti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

## More Contact quotes

> [Politics in Philadelphia is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/politics-in-philadelphia-is-a-contact-sport/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/)

[Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/)

> [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/)

[Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [The improved American highway system isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-improved-american-highway-system-isolated-the-american-in-transit/)

[Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/)

> [Close contact between science and the practice of collective farms and State farms creates inexhaustible opportunities for the development of theoretical knowledge, enabling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/close-contact-between-science-and-the-practice-of-collective-farms/)

[Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/)

> [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/)

[Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/)

> [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/)

[G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/)

> [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/)

[David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/)

> [Is there some lesson on how to be friends? I think what it means is that central to living a life that is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/is-there-some-lesson-on-how-to-be-friends-i-think-what-it-means-is/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [The Filipino embraces civilization and lives and thrives in every clime, in contact with every people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/the-filipino-embraces-civilization-and-lives-and-thrives-in-every/)

[Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/)

> [I don't know whether we think in moving images or whether we think in still images. I have a suspicion that on our hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-snow/i-don-t-know-whether-we-think-in-moving-images-or-whether-we-think-in/)

[Jon Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-snow/)

> [One of the best ways into the business is to get a job with a production, which you can do by cold-calling or by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-hurwitz/one-of-the-best-ways-into-the-business-is-to-get-a-job-with-a/)

[Mitchell Hurwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-hurwitz/)

> [“I never met a pig I didn't like. All pigs are intelligent, emotional, and sensitive souls. They all love company. They all crave contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/i-never-met-a-pig-i-didn-t-like-all-pigs-are-intelligent-emotional/)

[Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/)

Browse all 1,740 Contact quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say, 'That is an oak tree', or 'that is a banyan tree', the naming of the tree, which is botanical knowledge, has so conditioned your mind that the word comes between you and actually seeing the tree? To come in contact with the tree you have to put your hand on it and the word will not help you to touch it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jiddu Krishnamurti"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a-tree-and-say-that-is-an-oak/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Contact"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a-tree-and-say-that-is-an-oak/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_contact_do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a_2209489.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Do you know that even when you look at a tree and say, 'That is an oak tree', or 'that is a banyan tree'…” — Jiddu Krishnamurti",
                "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": "Jiddu Krishnamurti",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Do you know that even when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a-tree-and-say-that-is-an-oak/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/do-you-know-that-even-when-you-look-at-a-tree-and-say-that-is-an-oak/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
