Enlightenment

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No-mind/no-thing

The subject experiences. These experiences are grounded in the sense of separateness between the one who experiences and what is experienced, between the subject who knows and the object which is known. The knowing subject and the known object are understood as independent from each other. In turn, all experiences reinforce this sense of separateness.

The subject has intentions, plans and expectations. The subject strives and makes effort. The subject seeks profit and calculates. All these intentions, plans, expectations, strivings, efforts and calculations reinforce the subject-object duality.

Enlightenment takes place where the duality between subject and object dissolves. It is an occurring in the space in between.

There is nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to realise, and nowhere to go
With no subject reaching out and no object to possess, being opens from within
(Tharthang Tulku)

“I'm eating an apple.” There is no 'I' doing anything with an apple. There is no apple either. There is only happening. There is 'apple happening'. There is 'body happening'. There is 'mind happening'. There is happening in the betweenness. There is happening-together in an even more encompassing happening-together.

Enlightenment is not a transformation of the 'I'. It is not an acquired characteristic of the subject. No one is becoming enlightened. Enlightenment is not a feature that accrues to the subject. There is no benefit to the subject, even though the mirage may be persistent that there once will be. Nothing is achieved.

When the immeasurable, countless, infinite number of sentient beings have been liberated, in actuality, no sentient being has attained liberation.
(Buddha – Diamond Sutra)

Nor does anyone play a role in the creation of enlightenment - oneself nor the other. It cannot be obtained by intention or effort. It is not an event that is orchestrated by any subject. There is no one who brings about enlightenment.

All the subject can do is recognize its incapability as an actor and step aside. Where the subject steps out of the way, or allows itself to be moved out of the way, enlightenment can occur.
Enlightenment is an 'immediate', unmediated, intimate encounter, which has a life of its own. In the intimacy of the original encounter, we are liberated from the subject-object duality. This is home-coming, living from the source, 'dancing with the world'.