Enlightenment

[Jundo]

Someone wrote to ask why I rarely talk about "Enlightenment", or use that word, here or in the sit-a-longs ...

... but I feel that is all I talk about ...

[Tb]

Hi.

And in an very enlightening way too.

Mtfbwy
Tb

[Shohei]

indeed! Dont stop the music!

Gassho, Shohei

[Shindo]

Could you say that we already enlightened and our practice helps us see that ordinary condition? Chop wood, carry water & see things as they really are - nothing added, taken away etc
Kind regards
Jools

[Yugen]

That's settled then... there is nothing to see here! :lol:

A deep bow,
Alex

[CharlesC]

But don't most of us secretly hope for enlightenment, whatever we take that to be?

:Charles

[Shohei]

But don't most of us secretly hope for enlightenment, whatever we take that to be?

:Charles

Yes, but Very Openly!
I do hope I can realize enlightenment and then move on.

Gassho, Shohei

[Jinho]

But don't most of us secretly hope for enlightenment, whatever we take that to be?

:Charles

Tis reminds me of what I think is an important distinction. While it is true that we (and all phenomena) are intrinsically enlightened, that is not the same as being able to personally fully experience that enlightenment, and/or being able to manifest that enlightenment in the world.

Me, I am busy manifesting my delusion for everyone's edification.......

cheers and gassho,
rowan

[disastermouse]

But don't most of us secretly hope for enlightenment, whatever we take that to be?

:Charles

Yes, but Very Openly!
I do hope I can realize enlightenment and then move on.

Gassho, Shohei

Where would you go?

This may help you. I remember about a year after I started meditating frequently (three years after I had a spontaneous awakening experience), I was walking through the snow, meditating, and realized that as I was walking toward a snowbank - that in my mind, I could not make them 'one' - even though my previous experience and realization had shown me there was just 'this' thing happening (less than one, really). At that moment, I realized I could never 'make them one' if I start out with them as separate to begin with. Once your mind separates your experience and parses it out into this and that, there may as well be a million miles between them and they can never be 'one'. However, awareness and perception begin before or underneath this parsing. At that point, you truly do 'hear with your eyes and see with your ears'.

IMHO, IANAT.

Chet

[Shohei]

Thank you Chet!

Gassho, Shohei

[Taigu]

I remember, I must have been fourteen at the time, started zazen just the year before, and as I was walking in the beautiful old city of Le Quesnoy...And it happened two or three more times afer. These days, nothing. Plain nothing. Just enjoying life as it is. No peak experience. Shikantaza is It.
Love

Taigu