Sometimes a beginner’s questions are a little off target but, nevertheless, offer food for thought. Such is the question, “How does one become enlightened?” First, a little of Buddhism 101. Then I want to end not with how to get enlightened but with what we have to become enlightened about.
Siddhartha never set out to get just enlightened. Rather, he set out to find the end of suffering and more to the point, he set out to search for “the unborn, the undying, the unsorrowful, the stainless, the completely secure” (Ariyapariyesana Sutta).
At this time in India there were many so-called “isms” just like in ancient Greece. There were numerous speculative philosophies, asceticism, skepticism, materialism, hedonism, and much more. None of these “isms” Siddhartha concluded, who tried some of them, brought an end to the problem of suffering. Even practicing strenuous austerities for six years, brought no answer. Finally, one day Siddhartha remembered as a young boy meditating (dhyâna) in a farmer’s field, realizing its effectiveness. He said:
“This is the path of enlightenment which will lead to the disappearance of the miseries of birth, old age, sickness, and death. This was my thought” (Lalitavistra Sutra).
Eventually, Siddhartha made it to the Bodhi-tree and taking a seat at its base vowed never to arise until he attained complete and perfect enlightenment.
To make a long story short, Siddhartha conquered the unskilled states of mind personified by Mara the Evil One, realizing the transcendent which is unborn and undying which, more specifically, is pure Mind. Thus, did Siddhartha become awakened or “Buddha” to this Mind seeing all phenomena (sarvadharmâ) as mere configurations of Mind which really don’t exist the way unenlightened people imagine, who tenaciously cling to phenomena as if it were absolute.
Buddhism is not so much about ‘becoming enlightened’ as it is about awakening to pure Mind which is free of suffering. Unfortunately, for beginners, neither modern Zen nor modern Buddhism spend very much time, if any, teaching what Siddhartha was enlightened about that brought an end to suffering. What is taught beginners is more like one huge detour leading away from what Buddhism is really about.
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