Hmm … this is my new account and it appears like I have to at
least post a topic before I can reply to other threads.
So I will start with this topic.
The topic is about query about Enlightenment.
I believe many of us have encountered before question of others
asking about:
(1) What Enlightenment is like?
(2) Has anyone seen an Enlightened being?
(3) How do I know whether I have Enlightened?
(4) What is the proper way and how do I practice to gain
Enlightenment?
(5) What’s next after Enlightenment?
(6) Is Enlightenment the only goal? Can I don’t aim for
Enlightenment?
(7) etc. etc.
Many venerables are kind enough to give you the surface response
to the above questions, knowing that silence (which is the answer)
is not an answer that are ‘acceptable’ to most people asking the
question. Many venerables probably also know that these surface
response to the above questions is not answering the question and
nobody will probably be enlightened any further from the answer.
The person who asked the question will also feel that his ‘need’
are not really answered deep within.
Beyond the surface of the question, if you look closely behind
its motivation, you would see a clear gaining idea and grasping of
some ‘comfort zone’ which arises out of subtle fear of the
‘unknown’ (state of enlightenment). Irrespective of how the various
questions are presented and phrased and formulated, its nature of
attempt at grasping at some ‘comfort zone’ or certainty due to fear
of ‘losing’ to the ‘unknown’ is common and evident. So, it is not
the question that needs to be addressed but instead the grasping
behind it.
When one let go of the grasping and clinging, the questions will
be self-answered naturally, for there will be no questions which
arise out of fear. That will be the ‘absolute resolution’ to the
queries. And the one to bring about such ‘absolute resolution’ have
to be the one who asked. The answer-er is the ask-er, and the
answer is the asking. Other people can only points the direction
but can never provide the answer.
If we see this point, there will be a lot of questions in our
mind that need not be asked, for we already know the answer (even
at this moment, you may not feel you know the answer. But you do
already know the answer.). The question is for us to decide whether
we want to let go of our grasping and clinging. That is the true
question whose single response will answer all of our other
questions.