Zeno’s Enlightenment
Zeno of Elea (490–430 BCE) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher famous for Zeno’s paradox: in seeking to move from point A to point B, you must first reach point ½ B, and to do that you must first reach ½ ½ B, and to do that you must first reach ½ ½ ½ B, and so on, proving that you can never actually reach point B. Rumor has it that Zeno articulated this paradox in response to his wife’s query, “Zeno, did you take out the garbage yet?” He hadn’t and tried to explain why.
Zeno’s paradox speaks to those of us searching for enlightenment. Many of us look to a method for awakening, a practice that will bring us to enlightenment. As long as we devote ourselves to a practice that will bring us to enlightenment in the future, we will never be enlightened in the present.
Practice distracts us from awakening now by promising us awakening later. This is not an argument against practice, only an argument against practicing for some goal. Sit, chant, and pray because you love to sit, chant, and pray. Enlightenment will take care of itself.
Let me tell you how
to become enlightened.
No!
Wait!
First let me tell you . . .
No!
Wait! . . . RR