THE ZEN EXPERIENCE
What is Enlightenment?
Enlightenment
is the direct perception of life without illusions. Normally
the experience of enlightenment occurs in stages. A person
will usually have many small enlightenments before full
enlightenment dawns.
Each of the small enlightenments that a Zen practitioner
has, which are known in Zen as "Satori experiences,"
provides deeper insights into the nature of existence and
helps a person prepare for complete enlightenment.
Complete enlightenment occurs when, after many years of
meditation and mindfulness, a person becomes fully conscious
of the still center of eternity within their mind, where
knowledge and experience, pleasure and pain, mortality and
immortality intersect. How can words describe this?
Reprinted from "The Zen Experience"
© 1987 Rama Seminars Inc.