Amazing Quotes to Contemplate from Alan Watts on Enlightenment

[VictorB02]

I will be quoting some things from the Alan Watts book "Become What You Are" - And giving my authentic reactions from today when I read this.

In this book, he describes enlightenment, or lets say - describes what enlightenment is not in the most profound and descriptive way I have ever read. Here are some quotes from his chapter "Birds in the Sky" 

Contemplate these, and reveal the truth to yourself. Nobody can do it for you. 

Quote

"A Chinese poem says: Entering the forest, he does not disturb a blade of grass; Entering the water, he does not cause a ripple.

This image represents the fact that the way of the sage cannot be traced and followed, since no authentic wisdom can be imitated. Each man must find it for himself, because there is really no way of putting it into words, of reaching it by any specific methods or directions." - Alan Watts

No video will show me, no method will show me, no "Trying" will show me the Truth.

Quote

"As the wise man's goal, a release from this transient life which seems to be no release at all--a state called nirvana. Which may be translated "despair," and the attainment of a metaphysical condition called Shunyata, which is a voidness so void as to be neither existent nor nonexistent! For nonexistence implies existence as it's logical correlate, whereas Shunyata is so void that it does not imply anything at all." - Alan Watts

Mind f*ck.

Quote

"Nirvana is equated with Shunyata,the Nothing beyond nothing, to suggest that it is simply impossible to desire it. Whatever we are able to desire is still pleasure implying pain. Nirvana, release from suffering and desire, is called unattainable--not because it does not happen but because there is no way of seeking it." - Alan Watts

There is no way to find enlightenment - all this seeking I have been doing recently - has only been leading me astray. It is when I let go of any desire to find happiness or enlightenment that I feel the best. Coincidence? I think not!

Quote

"There is no Way. Nobody knows the Way. The only way that there is, is the path of a bird through the sky--now you see it, now you don’t. Not a trace left. Life is not going anywhere; there is nothing to be attained. All striving and grasping is so much smoke in the clutch of a dissolving hand. We are all lost--kicked off into a void the moment we were born--and the only way is to fall into oblivion."  - Alan Watts

Smoke in the clutch of a dissolving hand - this hit me so hard. No matter how hard you try it will never happen. No matter how many enlightenment YouTube videos you watch, or psychedelics you take, or books you read. It will not happen from trying to find a "Way".

Quote

"This sounds terrible. But this is because it is a half-truth. The other half cannot be put into words. It cannot be described, imagined, thought about. In words, this is the last word: everyone is dissolving into nothing; and no one can help it." -Alan Watts

It's so f*cking true. We are all dissolving, all attempts to avoid this are illusory.

Quote

"Is it too impossible to admit that all our well-laid traps for happiness are just so many ways of kidding ourselves that by meditation, psychoanalysis, Dianetics, Raja Yoga, Zen Buddhism, or mental science, weare somehow going to save ourselves from that final plop into nothing?" -Alan Watts

Complete mind f*ck. Yes! Yes! All of my meditating and self inquiry are attempts to obtain enlightenment! To desire something better than what I have.

After reading this, I laid back in my chair and put the book down. "Holy F*ck. My mind is absolutely blown" "Everything I have been doing lately in regards to "personal development" and "mindfulness" have just been attempts to find something more - to seek out & desire something more"

What a paradox huh? Just like the 10 Ox-Herding Pictures - it is a fools mistake to not start the journey.

Still mind-f*cked at this point of writing - but what the hell.

Quote

"To know that you can do nothing is the beginning. Lesson One is: "I give up."" - Alan Watts

Damn. 

I have never understood enlightenment on this level before. I need some time to integrate.

Edited December 16, 2018 by VictorB02

[SoonHei]

@VictorB02 wow thanks for sharing. That was amazing and deeply profound.

 

Alan watts >

[VictorB02]

@SoonHei Of course! Its a great book I recommend you read it, its a compilation of some of his best teachings!

[DrewNows]

Awesome quotes dude. Giving up the idea of enlightenment seems so counterintuitive but then maybe one can begin to see through their own illusions if they remain watchful of themselves 

have you explored J Krishnamurti’s work? He walks us through the illusions we create so we can begin to become aware of the total movement of thought/self 

[Salvijus]

Lol I enjoyed your reactions more then alan wats quotes

This quote resonated deeply tho

"As the wise man's goal, a release from this transient life which seems to be no release at all--a state called nirvana. Which may be translated "despair," and the attainment of a metaphysical condition called Shunyata, which is a voidness so void as to be neither existent nor nonexistent! For nonexistence implies existence as it's logical correlate, whereas Shunyata is so void that it does not imply anything at all." - Alan Watts

[VictorB02]

@DrewNows Yes its a def mind F*CK! And no I haven't, I will look into him!

@Salvijus Hehe, for real tho, I was like damnnnn this is legit... 

That one resonated deep with me too!

[TheAvatarState]

@VictorB02 thank you for sharing! That's cause you realize enlightenment has been right in front of you the whole time. All enlightenment is, is to see what's actually here. That's why attaining enlightenment can't possibly be a "seeking" process, it has to be a surrendering process. "Attaining enlightenment" would be a lot more helpful and accurate to refer to as "losing ego." The egoic search is what hinders so many people who start out. 

Of course you need to do a lot of work to lose all the Bullshit you've been feeding yourself your whole life. A whole lot of work...there's absolutely no substitute for that. 

[VictorB02]

@TheAvatarState of course! It really is amazing to think that this is enlightenment. It always has been and always will be. 

It’s weird to contemplate that the reason I’m not enlightened is just me distracting myself from what I already am, more so than it’s something I need to get or achieve. You know the whole “we are already enlightened!”  Thing. 

[lmfao]

Enlightenment is paradoxical in a way because your desire for enlightenment is what causes you to not be enlightened, although that might be a crude way of phrasing it. 

The way I see it, it's the intention behind your effort to increase consciousness and mindfulness that matter. If you try to forcefully "raise" you awareness into accepting something negative in your experience, you'll fail. If your awareness has the intent of "fixing" or removing something, you'll fail. Rather your awareness should come from a "desire" to just pay attention to reality as it is. 

In order to stop thoughts "The first rule is: Don't try to! Because if you do you will be like someone trying to make rough waters smooth water with a flat iron" 

[VictorB02]

@lmfao

yes! It really is tough to navigate!

[ZZZZ]

I love Alan Watts. His words are so eloquent. I used to listen to his lectures and read his books, and occasionally I would understand what he meant. Once you actually get to a point where you've experienced what hes trying to explain, you only appreciate the way he presents things that much more. It's like he takes the shortest route to the truth in the most beautiful way. 

[VictorB02]

@ZZZZ Yes I totally agree. He was (in my opinion) one of the  (if not the)  best Western Interpreter's of Eastern philosophy and traditions.

[outlandish]

Good stuff @VictorB02 always love Alan Watts' words. Anyone else hear his voice in their head when they read that?

The great Spiritual Entertainer.

[VictorB02]

@outlandish For sure. I definitely am reading this whole book with him narrating the words