Before Enlightenment - Your Version
Written on October 3, 2008 by Tom Stine
Eric left the following as a comment on my last article:
Before enlightenment go to work, pay mortgage; after enlightenment go to work, pay mortgage. (An old Zen saying i just made up.)
I love it! A great re-working of a classic Zen saying. I got to thinking how to apply it specifically to my life right now, with regard to my daily activities. Here is one I thought of just now:
Before enlightenment, fix breakfast, take kid to school; after enlightenment, fix breakfast, take kid to school.
So, what I would like for you all to do is make up your own versions, using things from your life, and leave them in the comments. It would be fun to see how we can apply a wonderful Zen saying to each of our lives.
Looking forward to what you create. Namaste.
Posted in: Daily Practice
Comments are closed at this time.
on October 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
Cool idea, Tom! Here’s mine:
Before enlightenment, feed cat, strip wallpaper;
After enlightenment, feed cat, strip wallpaper.
on October 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
Before enlightenment, do laundry, cook dinner. After enlightenment, do laundry, cook dinner.
on October 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Before Enlightenment = (∞)
After Enlightenment = {∞}
Beyond Any Idea of Before or After = ∞
on October 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
haha, fun idea Tom!
Before enlightenment, have fun with life.
After enlightenment, have fun with life.
Takuin’s getting all fancy with us.
on October 4th, 2008 at 7:18 am
Before enlightenment: read feeds, leave comments on worthwhile posts.
After enlightenment: read feeds, leave comments on worthwhile posts.
on October 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Nice one, Takuin. My reaction, too, was that I wasn’t sure about the “before” and “after” bit. How about just:
Enlightenment: drink coffee.
Works for me!
Blessings,
Andrea
on October 4th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Before enlightenment had gas.
After enlightenment had gas.
on October 4th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
before enlightenment, hate people … after enlightenment, hate people …
on October 4th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Before Enlightenment, seek Enlightenment.
After Enlightenment is a meaningless statement. (laughs)
After and Enlightenment are both concepts. Neither has anything to do with being.
The point I think of the original quote, and many of the comments, is that the mundane continues. The function, purpose and karma of the life are not changed by awakening. Even if we know this intellectually, seeing it is can still be a surprise.
on October 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Andrea - they say one can awake even on the smoke of a stinking bus. I guess coffee could qualify then. But then you said “works for me” and gave it away. (laughs)
One could perhaps say:
Before Enlightenment, I drink coffee.
After Enlightenment, coffee is drunk.
Davina - you may want to look at the diet. Ayerveda calls this excess Vata
Gregory - if that is your role. If it is reactive though, the After will change.
on October 5th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
It seems I had similar idea to Taukin
Before enlightenment (everything)
After enlightenment [everything]
It’s all in the set notation…
on October 8th, 2008 at 3:28 am
Hehe, cool, here comes mine:
Before enlightenment, sleep, eat, work, go to toilet;
After enlightenment, sleep, eat, work, go to toilet.
on October 9th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Hey everyone!!! I’m LOVIN’ the comments. Just what I wanted. Okay, a new one from me based upon recent events in my life:
Before enlightenment: see Adyashanti, fly home, drink beer.
After enlightenment: see myself, fly to Hawaii, drink sake.
I’ll let you know about the Hawaii and sake. I haven’t been in a few years. Maybe Bora Bora instead. I’ve always wanted to see Bora Bora.
on October 12th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Tom, another way of saying that is:
Before enlightenment, I see you.
After enlightenment, I see me.
on October 13th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Before Enlightenment, talk and listen. After Enlightenment listen and talk.
Tom, I will toast you with some saki from Kona next month!
on October 21st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Before enlightenment, seeking personal development.
After enlightenment, enjoying leaves fall.
on October 25th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Before enlightenment, stress, cry, suffer
After enlightenment, live, laugh, and love
on November 1st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
b4 enlightenment : God = Big daddy in the sky
after : God = me(i.e everything)
on November 10th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Before Enlightenment-Quit my job to find Enlightenment
After Enlightenment-Sh*t I still got to pay the bills!
Trackbacks