Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I Was Unaware of That

"Do not think that you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment."--Dogen-zenji

Most of us who practice zazen imagine that enlightenment is something that we will obtain through our own effort. But this is not so. That kind of effort is no different than striving after material goods or reputation.

Dogen-zenji is warning us that if we think we will obtain enlightenment, we are only wandering around with our eyes closed. We may be sleepwalking!

Because we already have enlightenment, we can practice. The purpose of practice is to be aware of our own enlightenment. We must study how to awaken to a reality that is the very essence of our existence.
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