--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A person only experiences the…" description: "\"“A person only experiences the fathomlessly beautiful and mysterious particulars that constitute reality by giving up the distorting spectacles of our ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/kilroy-j-oldster-1049_enlightenment_a-person-only-experiences-the-fathomless_2480010.jpg" --- # A person only experiences the fathomlessly beautiful and… ![“A person only experiences the fathomlessly beautiful and mysterious particulars that constitute reality by giving up the distorting spectacles of our egotistical appetites and repulsive pretensions, shedding artificial attachments, living without grand illusions, and free of deceptive delusions.” quote by Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/kilroy-j-oldster-1049_enlightenment_a-person-only-experiences-the-fathomless_2480010.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/kilroy-j-oldster-1049_enlightenment_a-person-only-experiences-the-fathomless_2480010.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/kilroy-j-oldster-1049_enlightenment_a-person-only-experiences-the-fathomless_2480010.jpg) > ““A person only experiences the fathomlessly beautiful and mysterious particulars that constitute reality by giving up the distorting spectacles of our egotistical appetites and repulsive pretensions, shedding artificial attachments, living without grand illusions, and free of deceptive delusions.”” [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that true perception of reality’s beauty and mystery requires abandoning ego‑driven desires, pretensions, and false attachments. **In simple terms:** Seeing reality clearly needs letting go of ego and illusion. Key Takeaway Release ego, embrace simplicity. Themes self‑awareness philosophy spirituality Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - minimalist living - creative work - relationship honesty - personal growth Key Concepts ego illusion attachment reality beauty Questions to Reflect On - What attachments cloud your view of the world? - How can you practice detachment daily? A Different Perspective Ego can be hard to relinquish, and some may find meaning in ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceptive Delusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceptive-delusions-852218/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Enlightenment-principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment-principles/) [Enlightenment-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment-quotes/) [Experiences Fathomlessly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences-fathomlessly-852216/) [Illusions Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusions-free-852219/) [Person Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-experiences-491207/) [Pretensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretensions/) [Pretentiousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentiousness/) [Spectacles Egotistical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacles-egotistical-852217/) ## Related quotes > [If it weren't for our illusions we'd be free from deceptions, and life free from any interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-it-weren-t-for-our-illusions-we-d-be-free-from-deceptions-and-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A person experiences time by traveling through the environment consisting of time and space, and encounters a variety of sense impressions. Time is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-experiences-time-by-traveling-through-the-environment/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [I think a person that experiences a lot of hurt, will become more mature faster than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rehn-williams/i-think-a-person-that-experiences-a-lot-of-hurt-will-become-more/) [Rehn Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rehn-williams/) > [As a Christian, I'm passionately opposed to American pretensions that we have special standing with God; to political office-seekers who play on our religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/as-a-christian-i-m-passionately-opposed-to-american-pretensions-that/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [Just make sure your intentions are not pretensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ludwig/just-make-sure-your-intentions-are-not-pretensions/) [Emil Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ludwig/) > [Demolishing pretensions, especially worthy ones, is a hallmark of the baby boom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/demolishing-pretensions-especially-worthy-ones-is-a-hallmark-of-the/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [There are no pretensions where I'm from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/there-are-no-pretensions-where-i-m-from/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) > [When I was 20, in 1957, and maybe you would say I was old enough to know better, but nevertheless, I was completely nuts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/when-i-was-20-in-1957-and-maybe-you-would-say-i-was-old-enough-to/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“We sweat for our pretensions. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/we-sweat-for-our-pretensions-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“He(Prophet Muhammad) was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-prophet-muhammad-was-caesar-and-pope-in-one-but-he-was-pope/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The first, that their pretensions to this possession of an art properly so called in their art of speaking are entirely unfounded; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schleiermacher/the-first-that-their-pretensions-to-this-possession-of-an-art/) [Friedrich Schleiermacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schleiermacher/) > [“She had thought of literature all these years (her seclusion, her rank, her sex must be her excuse) as something wild as the wind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-had-thought-of-literature-all-these-years-her-seclusion-her-rank/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [How much energy is wasted in Italy in trying to write the novel that obeys all the rules. The energy might have been useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/how-much-energy-is-wasted-in-italy-in-trying-to-write-the-novel-that/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [I think it's very important to grow as a person from the experiences you encounter in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raashi-khanna/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-grow-as-a-person-from-the-experiences/) [Raashi Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raashi-khanna/) > [I don't know how to put on any tough guy pretensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-mount/i-don-t-know-how-to-put-on-any-tough-guy-pretensions/) [Anson Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-mount/) ## More by Kilroy J. Oldster > [“Disharmony at home or work is toxic to a person’s physical disposition and mental health.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/disharmony-at-home-or-work-is-toxic-to-a-person-s-physical/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“The emotional ingredients that sustain long-term relationships are kindness, thoughtfulness, and compassion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/the-emotional-ingredients-that-sustain-long-term-relationships-are/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Personal disillusionment accompanied by self-pity and self-loathing are the Achilles’ heel of modern humankind, representing the weakness of the human spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/personal-disillusionment-accompanied-by-self-pity-and-self-loathing/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“We nurture our own being by respecting all people and consciously working to mitigate the pain of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/we-nurture-our-own-being-by-respecting-all-people-and-consciously/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Life is a collection of memories and feelings. Mawkish sentimentally urges us to engage in artistic overtures, we yearn to share with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/life-is-a-collection-of-memories-and-feelings-mawkish-sentimentally/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Time is inexplicable because it moves – clicks away – at steady increments, while increasing the past and bringing the future into the present.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/time-is-inexplicable-because-it-moves-clicks-away-at-steady/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Each of us, along with our ancestors, inhabits the same cosmos. When we tell stories, we enter the stream of human consciousness; we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/each-of-us-along-with-our-ancestors-inhabits-the-same-cosmos-when-we/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“A period of darkness is essential in order to expand personal awareness. Experiencing sadness and loss makes a person appreciative of life, more tenderhearted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-period-of-darkness-is-essential-in-order-to-expand-personal/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“A person writes similar to how a blind person uses brail. We grope along the palpable corridors of the mind’s organic texture to locate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-writes-similar-to-how-a-blind-person-uses-brail-we-grope/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“People frequently ask me why I work so hard - prolong hours, infrequent vacations, and never calling in sick or missing work for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/people-frequently-ask-me-why-i-work-so-hard-prolong-hours-infrequent/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“The ego is the culmination of our preferences and dislikes. Our ego represents the firm edges of how we perceive ourselves. An ego death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/the-ego-is-the-culmination-of-our-preferences-and-dislikes-our-ego/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Witnessing the moonrise each month, a person cannot resist noting a modest sense of optimism tugging at his or her enclosed capsule of bodily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/witnessing-the-moonrise-each-month-a-person-cannot-resist-noting-a/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Attempting to express a person’s objective reality and subjective state of mind with the written word is an endless task because writing alters our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/attempting-to-express-a-person-s-objective-reality-and-subjective/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“A person can hurry through or sleep walk through life, but whenever they stop to catch their breath or awaken from a long nap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-can-hurry-through-or-sleep-walk-through-life-but-whenever/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“It is up to each one of us to immunize ourselves from any disabling bolts of anger and defend ourselves from the thunderstorms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/it-is-up-to-each-one-of-us-to-immunize-ourselves-from-any-disabling/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) [Explore all 302 Kilroy J. Oldster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) ## More Enlightenment quotes > [“Intelligence says think. Understanding says ponder. Insight says perceive. Enlightenment says overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/intelligence-says-think-understanding-says-ponder-insight-says/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [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/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [Enlightenment is lightening up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/enlightenment-is-lightening-up/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [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/) > [“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sorensen/the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d-teachings-from-their-broader/) [Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sorensen/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“That's all there is, enlightenment on the end of a cock. It doesn't get any more Zen than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-wilkes/that-s-all-there-is-enlightenment-on-the-end-of-a-cock-it-doesn-t-get/) [Jaden Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-wilkes/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [We need enlightenment, not just individually but collectively, to save the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/we-need-enlightenment-not-just-individually-but-collectively-to-save/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [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/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Don't worry. These poses have nothing to do with meditation or enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-mittra/don-t-worry-these-poses-have-nothing-to-do-with-meditation-or/) [Dharma Mittra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-mittra/) [Browse all 3,404 Enlightenment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A person only experiences the fathomlessly beautiful and mysterious particulars that constitute reality by giving up the distorting spectacles of our egotistical appetites and repulsive pretensions, shedding artificial attachments, living without grand illusions, and free of deceptive delusions.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kilroy J. 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