I'll let you in on a little secret

Don't tell anyone!  I just spoke with an experienced Buddhist practitioner and teacher.  I described to him what happened to me (a huge, powerful, all at once spiritual revelation) and the circumstances leading up to it.  He said this was not uncommon for Buddhist practitioners to experience.  He said it was a Heart Opening (not Enlightenment) and I was a textbook example (i.e. huge surge that gently reduces to a slow trickle over time).  That made me feel much better, put my mind at ease, and made me feel pretty special.

 

He went on to say Enlightenment is something different.  I asked him what it was.  He gave me a vague description that didn't make sense to me.  So fuck it.  I'm leaving my description of this Heart Opening thing as Enlightenment (definitely feels like *an* enlightenment to me even if it isn't capital E Enlightenment).  I literally think it's easier for a reader to comprehend what I put forth as the greatest thing a human can achieve in their lifetime as Enlightenment than the descriptions of Enlightenment I've heard.  And I believe, if people comprehend what I put forth as The Greatest Thing and put it into physical action in their life (the most boilerplate version being,"Just don't be a fucking dick to people!"), they will be happier and lead happier lives.  So I'm trying to trick people into leading better, happier lives by getting them excited thinking that they can achieve "Enlightenment."  I think they'll be more motivated to do the shit I talk about in my manifesto if they (falsely) believe it is a path toward Enlightenment.  Suckers.

 

With love,

 

Matt

 

P.S.  During my conversation with this practitioner, I posited that loving other beings, allowing beings to love you, and loving yourself was the The Greatest Thing a human could do in their lifetime because it would lead to a happier life for themselves and others and a happy life was pretty much the best thing a human could ask for in their lifetime.  His response was,”Yeah, that’s true.  That’s really about it.  But that’s not Enlightenment.”