What are we attached to?

[Lee Lawrence]

Several years ago I was with Keidô Fukushima, a Japanese Rinzai Zen master, head abbot of Tofuku-ji, centered in Kyoto, Japan. Our discussion was on attachment.

I asked him "What am I attached to?" and he replied "Enlightenment."  My ego took that as a good thing and held it as a valuable possession, developing a spiritual ego which is one of the many uncomfortable learning experiences one encounters while on a spiritual path.  After all, if enlightenment is our goal for this physical existence, attachment to it must be a good thing.  

Recently I pondered his statement and tried to reconcile it with the knowledge that enlightenment is not the tree realizing it is in the forest, or the drop of water realizing that it is in the ocean.  Enlightenment is the tree realizing that it is the forest or the drop of water realizing that it is the ocean.  If we are attached to, we are separate from and therefor not one with.  Funny thing, when living life chasing enlightenment it is not available to one until they stop chasing it!  Only then can they enter it.  

IMHO (and I always reserve the right to be wrong)

[Lee Lawrence]

My comment: Be careful owning the "Spiritual Transformative Experience" as it is merely a stepping stone to an even better experience.  If we pick up our stepping stone and take it with us as a possession, we will forget to follow the path where it was leading us.

[Paul J. Hauser]

It sounds like that we aren't attached to anything, but actually part of everything.

 

[Sharon Allen]

I believe you have captured the meaning behind this Zen quote:  

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." 

[Lee Lawrence]

Yes....   exactly.