Warning, this contains spoilers regarding enlightenment.
Most religions have some sort of pay off at the end. Christianity has Heaven and Buddhism has enlightenment. Even Zen books say that with lot of meditation you will eventually reach enlightenment. Lots of people do a lot of meditating but for what? The answer? Nothing. There are the stories of someone asking what enlightenment is and being asked if they had done the washing up in response.
As far as I can tell the pay off is that THIS is enlightenment. You are a living, breathing person, in this wonderful world and you have the options to do whatever you want (within reason). What more do you want? This is literally as good as it gets, and if you want something else, something special or mystical, then that's your matter. Not Zens.
Ok, that is a bit of an anti climax but what do you want? Zen is really just a state of mind. I get the feeling when people get fed up with major religions they try a bit of Buddhism or Zen. However they bring some of their baggage with them and over the years they have both been corrupted by other religions. Hence you get the ceremonies, the robes and outfits and the followers. This can sometimes give the impression that "Buddhists" are sort of missing the point of being a Buddhist. You read the books and do the practice in hope of finding something. Whatever it is you find, is really just going to be what you think you are looking for. If that makes sense. If you think you have become enlightened, chances are, you probably haven't. By actively striving for "something", you are never going to get the real "something".
So, just live your life. It doesn't get much better.
Most religions have some sort of pay off at the end. Christianity has Heaven and Buddhism has enlightenment. Even Zen books say that with lot of meditation you will eventually reach enlightenment. Lots of people do a lot of meditating but for what? The answer? Nothing. There are the stories of someone asking what enlightenment is and being asked if they had done the washing up in response.
As far as I can tell the pay off is that THIS is enlightenment. You are a living, breathing person, in this wonderful world and you have the options to do whatever you want (within reason). What more do you want? This is literally as good as it gets, and if you want something else, something special or mystical, then that's your matter. Not Zens.
Ok, that is a bit of an anti climax but what do you want? Zen is really just a state of mind. I get the feeling when people get fed up with major religions they try a bit of Buddhism or Zen. However they bring some of their baggage with them and over the years they have both been corrupted by other religions. Hence you get the ceremonies, the robes and outfits and the followers. This can sometimes give the impression that "Buddhists" are sort of missing the point of being a Buddhist. You read the books and do the practice in hope of finding something. Whatever it is you find, is really just going to be what you think you are looking for. If that makes sense. If you think you have become enlightened, chances are, you probably haven't. By actively striving for "something", you are never going to get the real "something".
So, just live your life. It doesn't get much better.
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