How Do I Become Enlightened?
According to Buddhist tradition there are two methods of becoming
enlightened. In the first method you would study with a Buddhist master.
He will guide you through all the necessary steps. This is the traditional
pathway to enlightenment.
The second method, which was followed by Buddha himself, is spontaneous
enlightenment. In this method and individual will practice alone for many
years. Occasionally he may visit or study with Buddhist masters or teachers
from other pathways that lead him to enlightenment.
Normally the first way is recommended. It is very easy to make
time-consuming errors on the pathway to enlightenment. If you study with a
Buddhist master he will point them out to you. He will also show you
methods and techniques that will speed your progress and make your way
more enjoyable.
In the second method you have to be your own guide. It is a very solitary
journey and requires constant awareness of the slightest variations in your
level of attention. Persons who follow this pathway have usually been
enlightened in previous lives. To attain enlightenment through this method
without having been enlightened in a previous lifetime is almost
impossible.
Following either pathway you must take all of the steps and go through all
of the stages and realizations that others who have been enlightened have
experienced. By perfecting the practices of zazen and mindfulness, by
learning patience and love and by realizing the essential emptiness of all
phenomena, you will discover nirvana.
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