Comments on: Before Enlightenment – Your Version

By: Obama’s ongoing vocation discernment « New Houses from Old Bricks

Obama’s ongoing vocation discernment « New Houses from Old Bricks — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:50:38 +0000

[...] and focus on the tasks at hand. As the Zen saying (and its many variations) goes, “After enlightenment, the laundry.” Soon, I hope, people will forget that you are the first African-American president and [...]

By: Brendan

Brendan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:24:22 +0000

Before Enlightenment-Quit my job to find Enlightenment
After Enlightenment-Sh*t I still got to pay the bills!

By: john

john — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:17:31 +0000

b4 enlightenment : God = Big daddy in the sky
after : God = me(i.e everything)

By: Padma

Padma — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:28:46 +0000

Before enlightenment, stress, cry, suffer

After enlightenment, live, laugh, and love

By: Duff

Duff — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:22:22 +0000

Before enlightenment, seeking personal development.
After enlightenment, enjoying leaves fall.

By: Slade | Shift Your Spirits

Slade | Shift Your Spirits — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:37:39 +0000

Before Enlightenment, talk and listen. After Enlightenment listen and talk.

Tom, I will toast you with some saki from Kona next month!

By: Master Yoda

Master Yoda — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:58:27 +0000

Tom, another way of saying that is:

Before enlightenment, I see you.
After enlightenment, I see me.

By: Tom Stine

Tom Stine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:05:44 +0000

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.

By: Francis

Francis — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:28:15 +0000

Hehe, cool, here comes mine:

Before enlightenment, sleep, eat, work, go to toilet;
After enlightenment, sleep, eat, work, go to toilet.

By: Jarrod - Warrior Development

Jarrod - Warrior Development — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:27:46 +0000

It seems I had similar idea to Taukin

Before enlightenment (everything)
After enlightenment [everything]

It’s all in the set notation…

By: Davidya

Davidya — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:35:40 +0000

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.

By: Davidya

Davidya — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:29:47 +0000

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.

By: gregorylent

gregorylent — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:52:37 +0000

before enlightenment, hate people … after enlightenment, hate people …

By: Davina

Davina — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:16:25 +0000

Before enlightenment had gas.
After enlightenment had gas.

By: Andrea Hess|Empowered Soul

Andrea Hess|Empowered Soul — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:31:59 +0000

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

By: Evan

Evan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:18:40 +0000

Before enlightenment: read feeds, leave comments on worthwhile posts.
After enlightenment: read feeds, leave comments on worthwhile posts.

By: Ariel - We Are All One

Ariel - We Are All One — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:06:23 +0000

haha, fun idea Tom!

Before enlightenment, have fun with life.
After enlightenment, have fun with life.

Takuin’s getting all fancy with us.

By: pagar hipoteca « humor zen

pagar hipoteca « humor zen — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:27:53 +0000

[...] cuenta Tom Stine en su blog, e invita a los lectores a dar su propia [...]

By: Takuin

Takuin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:27:10 +0000

Before Enlightenment = (∞)

After Enlightenment = {∞}

Beyond Any Idea of Before or After = ∞

By: CaterpillarWoman

CaterpillarWoman — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:08:26 +0000

Before enlightenment, do laundry, cook dinner. After enlightenment, do laundry, cook dinner.

By: Mags | Woo-Woo Wisdom

Mags | Woo-Woo Wisdom — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:08:23 +0000

Cool idea, Tom! Here’s mine:

Before enlightenment, feed cat, strip wallpaper;
After enlightenment, feed cat, strip wallpaper.