The Greatest Story Ever Told

You gotta love the mind. It is the ultimate story teller. And no story is more intriguing, more captivating than the story of enlightenment. Especially, for the spiritual seeker.

“Enlightenment”. The word has so many connotations, but many agree that it’s this blissful state where suffering ends and love flows endlessly and freely. The “enlightened one”, clad in flowing robes, effuses the attitude of serenity, is tolerant of all and usually doesn’t eat meat. The “enlightened one” is special and has something you don’t.

Wow. What a load of crap. Or rather, what a load of a story the mind has cooked up from various sources: books, encounters at retreats, the popular culture of movies and head shops.

If what is being pointed to through out the “ages” from myriad “sages” is non-conceptual, then how can any of the above be it. You see, those are all concepts of what “enlightenment” is like. And the word “enlightenment” has as much meaning as the word “turnip” or “friggatriskaidekaphobia”.

The mind is a wonderful tool and it does it’s job quite well, taking past knowledge or experiences projecting them into the future, such as “last time I touched fire, I got burned, now I know what happens if I do it again.” But when it takes acquired knowledge of “enlightenment” and projects that into some future goal to be obtained, then the proverbial tail chasing begins.

As stated before: what is being pointed to is non-conceptual. Words cannot describe it, knowledge cannot secure it. Can it be seen how it is useless to depend on either of them and how they clearly will keep you mucking about instead of investigating by simply looking for yourself?

The mind is the wrong tool for the job when it comes to revealing your true nature. What you are cannot be conceived in the mind, for the mind arises in what you are. YOU ARE before the mind. YOU ARE before any thought. Even “mind” is an idea, a thought. Has anyone ever extracted the mind for all to see and dissect?

Your idea of “enlightenment” is nothing more than an accumulation of knowledge expressing through thought. In fact, the “you” you take youself to be, the one with a name, a job, a personality, that is simply a collection of thoughts as well. Arising now.

Simply put: The search for enlightenment is merely thought chasing thought. A story and nothing more.