If You Seek Enlightenment, You Have Failed

from The Great Image Biography compiled by Yudra Nyingpo

Then Vairotsana requested instruction from a wise Chinese mendicant, yoginī, and hermitess, who said:

If you seek enlightenment, let go of striving.

If you seek to watch the mind, focus on the breath.

If you seek wisdom, constantly apply mindfulness.

If you seek bliss, check whether you’ve found the essence of the five poisons.

If you seek enlightenment, you have failed.

This is what the ḍākinī said to Vairotsana.

Then Vairotsana asked the Chinese yoginī about the definitive meaning. The hermitess

Chudunma replied by saying:

With the realization of space-like purity,

Virtue and non-virtue are mere conventions;

Suffering and saṃsāra have never existed.

There is no effort towards unborn dharmas.

There is no liberation, for there is no bondage.

There has never been an 'essence of awakening'.

Those childlike ones who fail to realize this

And chase in vain after supposed enemies

Entirely forsake all virtuous dharmas.

They cling to and hanker after the things of saṃsāra.

Confused, they wander through the lower realms.

This is the advice she gave to the bhikṣu Vairotsana.

Extracted from the Image of Vairotsana.

The quote is a concise expression of principles and advice often found in various contemplative and mindfulness traditions, particularly in the context of Buddhism. Let's break down the meaning and implications of each part of the quote:

The Buddhist expression, "If you seek enlightenment, let go of striving," conveys a profound teaching that reflects a core principle in many contemplative and spiritual traditions, especially Buddhism. Let's elaborate on this expression and its implications:

What is exactly, the Nature of Enlightenment? In Buddhist traditions enlightenment is often described as a state of profound awakening and realization. It represents a direct insight into the true nature of reality, the cessation of suffering, and an unshakable peace and wisdom. It is not a goal that can be pursued with ordinary, ego-driven effort.

Striving, in this context, refers to the ego's constant pursuit of desires, attachments, and external goals. It's driven by the notion that personal effort and achievement can lead to enlightenment. However, Buddhism teaches that the ego, with its attachments and desires, is a major obstacle to realizing enlightenment. Striving often reinforces the ego, which leads to more delusion rather than awakening.

There’s also a reference to the paradox of letting go. The expression highlights a paradox: to attain enlightenment, one must release the very striving and grasping that often motivates spiritual seekers. Striving implies a future-oriented mentality, where one is constantly seeking something better or different from the present moment. Enlightenment, however, is about a deep understanding of the present moment and the letting go of such mental habits.

Universally, Buddhist traditions, emphasizes the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being fully present in the here and now, observing the mind and experiences without attachment or aversion. By practicing mindfulness, one can begin to let go of the mental habits that perpetuate suffering and realize a deeper, unconditioned state of being.

In Buddhism, there is a strong emphasis on the realization of non-duality. This means recognizing that the separation between oneself and the external world, as well as the division between suffering and enlightenment, is illusory. In this state of realization, there is no striving because there is no separation between what is sought and the seeker.

In its essence, "If you seek enlightenment, let go of striving" underscores the idea that enlightenment is not a distant goal to be pursued but a state of being that emerges when one relinquishes ego-driven desires and allows the mind to rest in the present moment with full awareness. It encourages a shift from striving for a future outcome to embodying the timeless truth of one's inherent nature. This teaching reminds practitioners that the path to enlightenment involves not so much "achieving" but "realizing" what is already present when the mind is free from delusion and striving. This is why we speak of “realizations” of the practitioner instead of their “accomplishments.” The first is significant, the second merely irrelevant to the Path.

The next line, "If you seek to watch the mind, focus on the breath”. This part emphasizes the practice of mindfulness through breath awareness. Watching the mind is a fundamental aspect of meditation, and one common method is to focus on the breath as it rises and falls. By paying attention to the breath, one can become more aware of the ever-changing nature of thoughts and feelings, as well as the impermanence of all mental states.

"If you seek wisdom, constantly apply mindfulness” implies that wisdom in the context of mindfulness often means gaining a deep understanding of the nature of reality, the self, and the causes of suffering. To cultivate wisdom, one must consistently apply mindfulness in everyday life, not just during formal meditation sessions. It means being aware of one's thoughts, emotions, and actions, and how they relate to the world around them.

"If you seek bliss, check whether you’ve found the essence of the five poisons” refers directly to the "five poisons" or "five afflictive emotions" typically refer to desire, anger, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. The quote suggests that seeking bliss is related to understanding and transforming these afflictive emotions. True happiness and contentment come not from pursuing external pleasures but from recognizing the root causes of suffering and working to transcend them.

The final verse, ”If you seek enlightenment, you have failed” is  hard for non-spiritual persons, I.e., ordinary persons, to understand. This statement may seem paradoxical, but it underscores an important point. The pursuit of enlightenment can sometimes become an ego-driven, goal-oriented quest. In many contemplative traditions, enlightenment is not something that can be actively sought as an external goal; it is, instead, a state of profound realization that emerges when one lets go of the very seeking. Paradoxically, the more one actively pursues enlightenment, the further one may be from it. Often enlightenment is realized as a result of self-transcendence and an experiential understanding of the interdependent nature of all things.

This teaching encapsulates the idea that mindfulness, wisdom, and transcendence of afflictive emotions are essential aspects of a contemplative and spiritually fulfilling life. It cautions against overly goal-oriented approaches to spiritual pursuits and suggests that enlightenment arises when one ceases to grasp for it and simply lives with mindfulness and wisdom. This is the essential difference between “self-power” and “Other Power” — also called “Little self” and “Big Self” — self and Self.