How to ‘Reach’ the ‘Unreachable’

Some of the Enlightened Gurus from the past and present talk about ‘it’ or ‘enlightenment’ as something that you cannot ‘do’, cannot ‘attain’.

All methods they say, are not ‘it’ and ultimately they are a hindrance.

They are right of course, but this is where the Buddha was not just enlightened, but a Sammasambuddha.

This means that he was able to teach others to come to the same attainment he himself knew. Other teachers, who may well be enlightened, have not been able to lead others to the same attainment.  In the Buddhist paradigm they are called Paccekabuddhas – self enlightened, but unable to teach. We can assume they can teach some people some things, but on the whole will not lead many to the same realization they themselves know. According to David Hawkins, who probably knows what he is talking about, the bliss of enlightenment where your sense of self shifts from the impermanent ego identification to the Uncreated Divine, is so stunning to the personality that it rarely recovers sufficiently to be able to relearn the art of talking and communication. He says only a very few highly attained people ever try to communicate what they have discovered.

The destruction of the taints is foe one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know and see. Who knows and sees what?  When one attends unwisely, unarisen taints arise and arisen taints increase. When one attends wisely unarisen taints do not arise and arisen taints are abandoned… he understands what things are fit for attention and what things are unfit for attention.

The art of enlightenment in Buddhism is to pay attention to the right aspects of your experience. This is the escape route (Sarana) where the mind learns by wisdom.