The Path to Enlightenment

So, how do you get to Enlightenment?

If you are like I was, you know there must be something else to life. But you don’t know what it is.

And you have no idea how far or long the path is to find it.

Not too promising, yet…

Here are a couple descriptions of this path path to help you gauge your progress.

“1) You don’t see your ugliness.

2) You hide your ugliness.

3) You admit your ugliness in shame.

4) Your ugliness is accepted.

5) You accept your ugliness.

6) You see your ugliness as beauty.

7) You see there is no ugliness.

8) Finally, nothing matters. ” (BV)

I also very much like the story of the ten bulls–from this story, you can also see where you are on the path.

Here are the stages.

1. In Search of the Bull (aimless searching, only the sound of cicadas)
2. Discovery of the Footprints (a path to follow)
3. Perceiving the Bull (but only its rear, not its head)
4. Catching the Bull (a great struggle, the bull repeatedly escapes, discipline required)
5. Taming the Bull (less straying, less discipline, bull becomes gentle and obedient)
6. Riding the Bull Home (great joy)
7. The Bull Transcended (once home, the bull is forgotten, discipline’s whip is idle; stillness)
8. Both Bull and Self Transcended (all forgotten and empty)
9. Reaching the Source (unconcerned with or without; the sound of cicadas)
10. Return to Society (crowded marketplace; spreading enlightenment by mingling with humankind)”

So, as you see from the story, it is a bit like the tarot–starting out as the fool who has no idea where the path even starts.  A hopelessness. Beginner’s mind.

I often ask people “what do you want?” and most of the time the answer is, “I don’t know.” Remember The Matrix?

“It’s like a splinter in your mind.”

My experience