The teacher uses your bondages to take you to freedom || Acharya Prashant, on Zen (2016)

Suiwo, the disciple of Hakuin, was a good teacher. During one summer seclusion period, a pupil came to him from a southern island of Japan. Suiwo gave him the problem: ‘Hear the sound of one hand.’ The pupil remained three years but couldn’t pass this test. One night he came in tears to Suiwo,”I must return south in shame and embarrassment”, he said, “for I cannot solve my problem.” “Wait for one week more and meditate constantly”, advised Suiwo. Still no enlightenment came to the pupil. “Try for another week”, said Suiwo. The pupil obeyed, but in vain. ‘Still another week.’ Yet this was of no avail. In despair, the student begged to be released, but Suiwo requested another meditation of five day. They were without result. Then he said, “Meditate for three days longer, then if you fail to attain enlightenment, you had better kill yourself.” On the second day the pupil was enlightened.

Acharya Prashant: What do we see happening here? Enlightenment is sought, enlightenment eludes, enlightenment proves difficult to come about; the body is put at stake and here is enlightenment.

(Repeating his words)Enlightenment is sought, Enlightenment eludes, Enlightenment proves difficult to come about; the body is put at stake and here is enlightenment. All right!

What is enlightenment? Look at the mind that seeks enlightenment. Surely, if everything were all right, if the mind would have been at rest, then the mind would not have sought enlightenment. We are looking at the very basics. There is a mind that is seeking enlightenment, or whatever. There is a mind that is seeking, irrespective of the object. Enlightenment may or may not be the object of seeking. Here it is.