Ever Deepening
Occasionally I am asked questions such as how long will it take me to become enlightened, or if I practice a certain length of time will I be enlightened. Usually these questions come from people not familiar with Buddhism, but sometimes they do come from practitioners. And if it isn’t a question similar to those it is some statement that indicates there is a belief that enlightenment is a terminus point.
I usually respond with something to the effect that there is no there there. However, I ran across this quote which perhaps says what I am trying to express much more eloquently.
“Enlightenment is not a peak experience. It’s a permanent shift in paradigm that deepens day by day.” (Shinzen Young)
You see it is not a destination we are looking towards reaching it is an accumulated change in the way we live, the way we experience and manifest our lives. It isn’t an accumulation of knowledge but an accumulated experience of incorporating wisdom and life lessons into our daily existence and then living in such a way continually manifesting those lessons.
“That Buddha will appear in his world at first as a prince. The prince will give up his princeship and worldly fame. He will renounce the world at the end of his life as a layman, and attain the enlightenment of the Buddha.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter III)
I believe that it is somewhat misleading, the words we use, such as attain enlightenment. Perhaps I am wrong but I believe that the attainment is a actually a process and not the statement of the result. What actually occurs I believe is the attainment is an awakening to the truth that we all possess Buddha within, though we also possess other conditions as well.
“All of you will be able to attain the enlightenment of the Buddha if you believe and receive these words of mine.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter III)
It is through out belief a belief that says I understand what I must do, I understand where I must begin. We cultivate a belief that is based not upon an unknowable thing but a belief that is based upon an awareness of the truth of Buddha existing within our very lives.
Awakening to this and nurturing this belief we revere the teachings of the Buddha and begin to apply them ever increasing deeper.
“Those who seek the enlightenment of the Buddha are as various as previously stated. A kalpa will not be long enough to describe the variety of them. They will be able to understand [this sutra] by faith. Expound to them the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma!” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter III)
