Enlightenment (wisdom stories)
Staying awake
Is there anything I can do to make myself Enlightened?
As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning.
Then of what use are the spiritual exercises you prescribe?
To make sure you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise.
Source: Anthony de Mello
Wisdom in a flash
“Is there such a thing as One Minute Wisdom?”
“There certainly Is,” said the Master.
“But surely one minute is too brief?”
“It is fifty-nine seconds too long.”
To his puzzled disciples the Master later said,
“How much time does it take to catch sight of the moon?”
“Then why all these years of spiritual endeavour?”
“Opening one’s eyes may take a lifetime.
Seeing is done in a flash.”
Source: Anthony de Mello
How long?
Student: How long will it take me to learn enlightenment?
Master: Five years.
Student: What if I try real hard?
Master: Ten years.
Source: Melannie Svoboda
Enlightenment in seven days
Buddha told his disciples: whoever makes an effort can attain enlightenment in seven days. If he can’t manage it, certainly he will attain it in seven months, or in seven years. The young man decided that he would attain it in one week, and he wanted to know what he should do: “concentration” was the reply.
The young man began to practice, but in ten minutes he was already distracted. Little by little, he began paying attention to everything that distracted him, and thought that he was not wasting time, but was getting used to himself.
One fine day he decided it was not necessary to arrive at his goal so fast, because the path was teaching him many things.
It was at that moment that he became an Enlightened one.
Visions of light
A student of Zen Buddhism reported to his master that during meditation he had experienced visions of Light and True Buddhahood. The master soberly responded, “Keep meditating. It will go away.”
As miserable as ever
One day it was announced by Zen Master Joshu that the young monk Kyogen had reached an enlightened state. Much impressed by this news, several of his peers went to speak with him. “We have heard that you are enlightened. Is this true?” his fellow students inquired. “It is,” Kyogen answered. “Tell us,” said a friend, “how do you feel?” “As miserable as ever,” replied the enlightened Kyogen.
Source: Larry Dossey