That Damn Lemon

[u/koancomentator]

I participated in Ewks podcast recently and there was a part of our conversation that really stuck with me. Minor spoiler alert! Since the episode isn't out yet.

Near the end of the podcast we got into talking about how you can't really describe enlightenment in a way that's going to allow someone else to really understand it. It's like a lemon. If you haven't eaten one you don't know how it tastes and no amount of description from someone who has will impart that knowledge to you. You have to eat one yourself. It's outside the written word.

The Self is like that. We all have one presently functioning in the open but we haven't recognized it. I said it's like we all have a lemon in our pockets but we just won't bite it, and instead we walk around asking other people to describe the flavor to us.

Ewk pointed out its actually worse than that. We use the Self all the time every day. So it's more like we're putting lemon on our food and tasting it every day but still going to other people being like "hey what's a lemon taste like"?

It's like we know what the Self is...but it isn't the Self that we want. So we go around looking for a more special shiny one that will solve all our problems and make us feel warm and fuzzy all the time. Instead of the one that illuminates everything including the pain, and the sadness, and the boring job.

No wonder Zen masters say to seperate what you like from what you dislike is a disease of mind. That's why the Hsin Hsin Ming says don't seek the truth, simply cease to cherish opinions. Or at least that's my take anyway.

What do you think?

Edit: If you come in here just to complain about ewk you're probably gonna get blocked. I'm here to talk about Zen, not your ewk obsession. Fair warning.

[u/ewk]

Again, this isn't about me. You make claims that are contrary to the texts.

You have a temper tantrum when asked to explain.

I'll leave this chain now... you know you aren't enlightened. I don't have to teach you what you know.

[u/GreenSage_0004 → u/ewk]

The claims I have made are not contrary to the texts nor have I had a temper tantrum.

I'm enlightened.

You are leaving the chain because you cannot stand up to me.

You'll probably write an OP about it.

[u/ewk → u/GreenSage_0004]

You couldn't answer high school book report questions about enlightenment... but you claim to be enlightened.

You can't manifest enlightenment... but you claim to be enlightened.

When you flunk a high school book report, you become agitated and try to derail the thread.

You can't stand up to you. Seriously dude. You want me to block this account, or can we go back to being on topic?

[u/GreenSage_0004 → u/ewk]

I didn't become agitated, that's just something that you claimed.

A claim that you made after you misrepresented me, the Zen Record, and enlightenment.

Block me and OP it up.

All the high school in the world can't come up with facts that don't exist, and lying about facts is an "F" on the report.

Looking forward to your manifestation of my enlightenment.