The post titled Four Stages of Enlightenment is now up on Buddhism for All. Angela from the Buddhism.net team reflected on it, and invites you to do so too.
🌕 Angela’s Reflections:
Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has a beautiful gatha (verse),
“I have arrived. I am home.
In the here, in the now.
I am solid, I am free.
In the ultimate I dwell.”
Ultimately, we have arrived, and are home, in the timeless and boundless, here and now. Full enlightenment is beyond duality versus non-duality; beyond here versus there; beyond now versus later.
Full enlightenment, boundless and timeless, birthless and deathless transcends all concepts and duality (even the duality of having duality versus non-duality!). It is impossible to use our thinking, logical mind to fathom it, but this profound talk by a teacher of mine, Buddhist monk Ajahn Sumedho, is beyond excellent. Enlightenment is that which is birthless and deathless, and “that is which is aware of the arising and ceasing is the deathless reality that we actually are.”
🌱 Journal Reflection Prompts for You:
- 📝 What insights are emerging for you? How might you apply the teachings in your life, here & now?
Featured image, photo of moon phase. Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/cSm2a_-25YU
