“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Zen Kōan
The words ‘enlightenment’, and ‘realization’ are both really starting to bug me!
This seemed like an important topic a few minutes ago, but now a warm wind has started coming down through the meadow from the top of the volcano and the Francolins, a type of quail created in hell to screech like banshees at 4:30am, have commenced their serenade.
In my Forest Dweller years, there is really no longer anything that happens that I would call a distraction.
I know, I know. Enlightenment. Realization. Big stuff! These things are hard to talk about! My teacher Wayne Liquorman calls it “the final Understanding”.
Wayne is very wise in that he has never answered the question “What is it like for you being enlightened?”- at least not when I was around nor in any of his books I have read.
The only analogy I have heard him give is one of having a rock in your shoe. If you have a rock in your shoe, it bothers you the whole day. You are aware of the rock in your shoe and you might mention to someone it is hurting.. BUT when you remove the rock in your shoe, you feel relief briefly; you then CEASE thinking about the rock in your shoe at all.
It’s impossible to explain something that doesn’t exist!
I am bugged by the amount of specialness attached to enlightenment and realization. What do they really mean?
Many people have written about the incredible, magical and sensational stories attached to their waking up. But for some people it just isn’t that dramatic.
Ramesh was translating at a talk Nisagardatta was giving when “it” happened- the story goes that Ramesh noticed he felt like he knew what Nisargadatta was going to say before he said it. Perhaps he got a look from Nisargadatta and then continued translating. The teacher Bala was at work on a call when a fellow disciple mentioned something his own teacher had said about Bala. The final Understanding took hold. He went on a short drive asking himself what should he do now? The answer- go back to his job as a professor and teach a class at his university. And my teacher Erin was hanging out laundry on a line when the last piece fell.
Bala was also the one who said quite forcefully ‘You know when teachers say it’s nothing? It really is nothing!”
And Erin fired a very powerful shot across my bow- “How do you know you’re not already enlightened?”
About 5 years ago I noticed that seeking has fallen off on its own. A few years later, I noticed suffering was gone too. Just to be clear- I still have anger, irritation, grief. The emotions are there, the suffering is not. I like Wayne’s definition of suffering-“The gap between the way it is and the way you think it should be.”
The wind has died down now and I am going to go out to water the new marigolds I planted before they wilt. My version of carrying water.
Much love and appreciation for reading this post!🙏
So beautiful. 🪓🪵🪣💦 I concur with Wayne and Bala...it is Nothing - the absence of absence. And, it's like a rock no longer in your shoe that you realize is no longer there.
No big deal. And, not ironically, it's not worth seeking to acquire!
I hear you on being bothered by the term "enlightenment." I am not bugged by realization, however: the ego realizes the "me" is a phantom! 🤯
Thanks for the post - and the mention, too! 🧺
thank you for this post; a state of non-striving, just isness(what a relief after all those years of striving)!!