The Tao of Dark Sages - Chapter 2, Part 4

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

It’s confusing and a bit discouraging that there are so many teachers with different messages. They all say they have experienced awakening but they all have different interpretations of what that means and different methods of achieving it. What’s the reason for this?

Firstly, it’s important to realize that awakened people are far from perfect. They make mistakes and can be mistaken, just like anyone else. And one mistake that they seem to make quite often is that of not knowing when to stop. As I said yesterday, Chuang-tzu said the greatest knowledge one can have is knowing when to stop. The enlightened quite often simply don’t know when to shut up. Maybe it’s the incredible rush of understanding that causes them to go too far. I don’t know.

Before I was awakened myself I came to the conclusion that only the unenlightened were qualified to speak about enlightenment. They, at least, probably know enough to keep their traps shut. Lao-tzu does say, after all, that those who know do not speak and those who speak do not know.i I have, of course, changed my mind since becoming awakened.

(Laughter)

So, different interpretations are often a consequence of describing what is best left undescribed. When we attempt to describe the indescribable how can we help but come out with all manner of difference descriptions? And there is this too: If sages are to write books and get a name, then a lot more needs to be said than should. Were our conversations here to be transcribed and put in a book, would it be long enough? How many pages would we need? More than we have so far, I’m sure.

So, ask more questions! No matter how irrelevant. No matter that they fail the ‘so-what?’ principle. Quite frankly, on the subject of awakening, all that would be necessary would be no more than a single page, double-spaced, large print for the visually impaired. How else then, could books be written without going too far?

There is also the simple fact that because we are each one an individual, our experiences are bound to be differently interpreted and expressed. As an exercise to demonstrate this, we could each one turn to our neighbor on our right and then on the left and ask . . . what does orgasm feel like? Don’t worry, I’m not into touchy-feely — you’re off the hook.

(Laughter)

What do you think the answers would be? Probably there would be a different answer from every individual. Orgasm is a pretty universal human experience — well, almost —and yet we each one experience it in a different way. Or at least we think we do. Why should another perfectly natural human experience, awakening, be any different?

Finally, though it sounds very much like a cliché, there are many paths to Tao. Consider the experience of awakening: What are its attributes? Emptiness? Then if this is the dimension of awakening that most resonates with you, follow that path. Non-attachment? Then follow a path of non-attachment. Joy? Harmony? Thankfulness? The experience of enlightenment is one; it’s expressions are many. But no aspect of enlightenment is separate from any other. Each contains the others.

Not-knowing is a path that pursues emptiness. But should you pursue any other path that focuses on an attribute of the awakened state you will discover that they are all one. Emptiness is harmony is joy is nonattachment is thankfulness...Follow your path. Any honest and true expression of an attribute of the awakened state is a path to awakening.

Since the day has grown late and you all seem a bit satiated at the moment, let me close today’s session with a final reminder. Nothing is really all that important. “Return is the movement of the Tao.” This whole incredible and unfathomable Universe, including little you and little me, will all, finally return to the Source. Whether you discover awakening or not really doesn’t matter all that much. Awakening is not going to determine your eternal destiny. There is no heaven and hell, no reward or punishment, or karmic re-birth.

Awakening is a human potential which, if realized, can make your life happier. That’s a wonderful thing, but don’t take this all too seriously.

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.