An Experience of Enlightenment

[@ukerocker]

Brad…I only express my feelings here…but from my seat, you have not squandered your time …or failed at anything in regards to your teaching. You are always forthright and earnest and the universe needs you to keep up the excellent work you do! The giving of incredible insight and the sacrifices you have made to demonstrate what true spiritual commitment requires is 180 degrees from ‘failure’.

[@williamcallahan5218]

Bottom line is that these experiences (I had one at age 12) are just that, experiences, subjective by nature and therefore ultimately empty. That said they are important in and of themselves at least for the "person" experiencing it. I had a very brief but profound experience when hanging out by myself outside my 3rd foster home on what I think was a spring day in 1962? It would be 25yr or so later before I spoke about it with anyone and only to a very few people. It was an indelible experience and felt expansive and joyful but I was already 10 yrs into the emotional chaos of orphanages and foster homes by that point and was emotionally immature and not able to process it but I did store it, it registered deeply. It would be many years later before I was able to recall it and I remember it as if it was just then. I now believe it was a grace of sorts and it was a perspective that I chased earnestly since my 20''s. It feels like the push that led me to practice TM for 13 yrs then zazen for the past 15yrs. Anyhow it always felt like a seminal moment and I feel very lucky to have had it. Thanks for listening.

[@FiddlinMiles]

The entire text (actually, an expanded version) is included in Hazy Moon of Enlightenment. Not necessary to locate a copy of the 1986 publication.

[@houseson]

Yep, just ordered one, thanks.

[@ZenAndPsychedelicHealingCenter]

As some background to all of this - Flora Courtois did indeed train with Yasutani Roshi, as you mentioned. I think this was before Maezumi Roshi was transmitted by Yasutani at the Zen Center of Los Angeles in 1970. So this was likely between 1967 and 1970. Though Maezumi was also first transmitted by his own father - Baian Hakujun Kuroda, at the age of 24, in 1955. That seems to have been pretty much a formality, perhaps so that Maezumi could inherit the family temple. I don't know if Ms Curtois trained at all with Maezumi himself. Interestingly (or not), ZCLA make no mention, at least anywhere that I'm familiar with, of Flora Courtois' role in founding ZCLA, only that of Maezumi's family, something that has been the case certainly since the 80's in my experience with White Plum/ZCLA. Make of that what you will Amala Wrightson Sensei mentions some more details about Courtois, whom she knew personally, Courtois' experiences, including how she was referred to a psychiatrist at one point when she was younger, as well as the book, in some sesshin talks, to which I've included a link for those who are interested (the written transcript is a bit shoddy. The actual recorded talk is better). Personally I've found that such experiences are not without value, but sometimes can turn into just memories that can hold people back in their training in some ways, as they try to recreate them. I also came across an article that Ms Courtois contributed to Parabola magazine in 1990, entitled, 'The Door to Infinity.' otter.ai/u/rBIvGGZtNZ8ervEZrQfbWw8-CiU buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/court.htm

[@berrycrawford5579]

Thanks John!

[@HardcoreZen]

Thank you!

[@gunterappoldt3037]

Altered states of consciousness seem just to be part of human life. However, scholars and researchers don´t agree on whether satori-ish experiences can be justifiedly classified as a kind of their own ("something really especially special"). Studies, like that of G. Schüttler ("Die Erleuchtung im Zen-Buddhismus", Freiburg/München 1974), and of P. Kapleau (somewhere in the "Three Pillars", if I remember right), suggest that this is not the case. The constellation seems somehow similar to that of ND-experiences (drugs, dito), which---as much as we know from ex-post-facto reports---can vary widely in form, intensity, content, and so forth (e.g., altered perceptions of self, others, and/or space and time, en gros/detail). They also seem to be partially pre- and post-framed. Therefore, it is questionable if they are, "at core", i.e., in the pure, fleeting moment of "it" happening, really "absolutely presuppositionless experiences" (as suggested). And later, they nearly automatically become narratives ("chaos becomes tamed", to speak with Master Tschuang/Chuang/Zhuang)... Anyway, seen from the pragmatic angle: They, de facto, potentially function "of themselves" (via intrinsic dynamics) as important evidences and/or decisive incentives---no matter how much, resp. which kind of, reality/truth-value is attributed to them by the individual (as first-hand experiencer), by the public, by scholars, by masters, by whoever (as general others, or very important others). Which is not to deny that "second thoughts/opinions/judgments" can also---besides primordial forces---heavily influence (frame, channel,...) eventually ensuing processes of reconstructing, asserting/non-asserting, interpreting, evaluating, and so on.

[@EvanBerry.]

I have never had much interest in learning about so-called enlightenment experiences, since my priority in zazen has always been more related to morality and, how you've so beautifully described it, doing my best whatever life demands of me in whatever moment I find myself. The way you defined confidence as "doing no wrong" needed no further qualification for me to understand what you meant, and I thought that was another wonderful way to describe the certainty that perhaps can only be experienced in such a state of egolessness, though, speaking from my own experience, I can only speculate.. Some might call it bliss, I suppose, but confidence sounds more earthy and real to me. Great video, as always!

[@McLKeith]

Flora Courtois' book has been republished as a chapter in "The Hazy Moon of Enlightenment" by Taizan Maezumi and Bernie Glassman.

[@alankuntz6494]

An Experience of Enlightenment (Quest books) Dec 1, 1986 by Flora Courtois, Huston Smith, Hakuun Yasutani

[@seth-of-life]

Apparently I needed to hear this right when it was suggested.

[@flynbuddha1]

Love the part about confident, so fitting. There is a native integrity to such a experience.

[@Bradtheartguy]

I had a comparable experience and I have the same feelings of squandering it, but there's something comforting in not being alone in that, so thank you for what you do!

[@iansmith8783]

king crimson! i love progressive rock music.

[@marymidkiff7846]

David R. Hawkins describes the same experience in his books 📚

[@mantistobogganm.d.5504]

I think the notion that you squandered that experience is absolute nonsense. I don't think you understand just how many people your writings have helped over the years. They're the reason that I studied Zen in the first place. So many people online are constantly recommending your body of work and it is invaluable at an introductory, intermediate and advance level. And without your experience would you have ever gone on to write as you did? The way I see it from a completely layman perspective is that wasn't just 'your' experience but rather an experience that has in time opened up many to experience the same and you certainly were able to share it with others because we're all here reading your books, blog and watching your videos. Just my two cents.

[@notpub]

Dear Brad, I bet you don't wanna hear this, but as you know, I'm a strong willed womyn who don't shaddup. Here's my take: you're impressively wise, multi-talented, entertaining, charming, and informative. The hogwash of your ego is spoiling the purity of what you have accomplished. I have read all of your books. I rarely miss a vlog. I admire the many products -- From Ultraman to Dementia 13 to God is Dead and He's always with you-- and believe that I and many lucky others are the beneficiaries of receiving your wealth of knowledge. In short, the judgy inner criticism of having fallen short is illusion and distortion. It is noise from a brain that cannot be satisfied. I do not believe that you would speak so harshly to another as you do yourself. May you have the gift of inner kindness bestowed upon you as you so well deserve. Thank you, Brad!

[@zylxtv]

We're all animals. I excuse a threshold of ego from a teacher, until it gets extreme we have to cancel the mofo. No one is perfect, we're subject to ego and non-ego. Did the 17th Karmapa pimp young nuns for sex? Yes. Did Old Kalu Rinpoche break sexual vows with a western female follower? Yes. Do young women secretly have sex with their gurus and tell no one? Yes. Does the thought of "I am a holy God" pop into the Dalai Lama's head and many Buddhist masters? I'm sure it has many times. If I see Brad reaching a high-ego threshold, I may less respect him, so far he is exhibiting imperfections, and that's fine. We're all animals, we're all imperfect, we have ego, selfishness, vanity, seduction-of-power, even from an enlightened teacher! When Brad starts saying "I am superior, worship me, and female followers bodies belong to me." Then he has crossed the line.

[@notpub]

@@zylxtv Totally agree. I by no means think Brad is perfect and I don't have a gushy-omg-celeb like worship crush on him, either. But I do take objection to harsh verbal self condemnation when the dude has pulled off some impressive results in a short time, against, what I speculate only here, what seems to be underlying chronic dysthymia....even without that challenge, his work is impressive. Period. Creating a cult and having a harem of star struck mistresses is pretty far off the realm of probability, and as a lesbian in a committed marraige, I know we wouldn't be showing up at the compound any time soon anyway. Very weird and judgey reaction you had, there., friend 🤨

[@belaji]

Read Suzanne Segal's Collision with the Infinite for a great example.

[@ParaLabo]

Hey, Brad. I've been really questioning what confidence in zen is. In Kobun Chino's book he says that confidence is very important. It seems like he really means confidence in the buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. Do you think that confidence resembling faith leads to an "enlightenment" experience and then the philosophical problem has been solved like nishijima said and a confidence based on experiencing the dharma is made? I've kind of just been ignoring thinking about it too much and just tried to sit with confidence instead.

[@macdougdoug]

This might be the place to mention the use of doubt in the Rinzai tradition. Also the importance of give up, surrender and psychological death in all mystical traditions. The main thing to have faith in might be the faith that life essentially takes place outside the tiny boundaries of our selfish concerns - that freedom and clarity arises with freedom from the self and the known. This faith I suppose is gained thanks to our relationships with those that have had a longer experience than us with this exploration of the unknown

[@lshunt5462]

From my perspective you absolutely don’t seem to have “squandered” your experience, but I’d be interested in knowing what, looking back, you would have done differently.

[@TooOldFor]

I hear a lot of similarity between Flora's description and what Douglas Harding describes in "On Having No Head".

[@martink9391]

there was a different version of this video a couple of minutes ago... You just pointed to your right into the void a couple of seconds before starting to talk... did i imagine that? was that an enlightenment experience? 😂🤣😇

[@gorgonzolastan]

There was one posted a few minutes before this one

[@HardcoreZen]

Yeah. I mistakenly posted the wrong video. The pointing to the right was for the thumbnail picture. It was never meant to be part of the video.

[@martink9391]

@@HardcoreZen awww, you should have told us that you pointed at a sentence on the screen that would give anybody instant and lasting enlightenment once read but that we've missed it ... but for a modest fee we would get to see it again ...

[@cyrilgcoombsiii]

was that pusheen on the wall near the end of the video? I cannot be deceived 🤣 thank you for the video 🙏

[@wayneconner2394]

You can also find a detailed account of sudden nondual awareness by a guy named David Carse here: www.perfectbrilliantstillness.org/book/

[@Rose-kf1kn]

I have to say that's one of the best descriptions of a Hypomanic episode I've ever heard.

[@HardcoreZen]

Some people have that sort of reaction. But I don't think its quite the same thing.

[@macdougdoug]

One distinction might be the lack of shame or unhappiness after the episode subsides - and the lasting sense of wonder, and a certain lightness of being (even in the midst of any shite and emotivity) - one is also left wondering whether it may ever happen again - though I am told than it can.

[@berrycrawford5579]

I think he difference is that in the afterglow of a Kensho experience there is a real sense of sacredness and perfection to EVERYTHING not just our own behavior. Our own behavior seems perfect because EVERYTHING is perfect. Hypomanic episodes seems more self-centered by contrast. Also, in the post-kensho glow there is a strong sense of love and compassion to all things. You never in a million years would want to hurt anyone or anything. Ive seen people in manic episodes and that did not seem to be the case.

[@Teller3448]

Hello Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings! While we're on a ZZTop roll. Well, I knocked down on your door, baby, To see if you were at home. Your shade was down, there wasn't even a sound But something told me you weren't alone. What in the world can a nasty dog do But try to get next to you?

[@HardcoreZen]

Nice! Thanks!

[@mattrkelly]

there but for the grace of god go I!

[@solgato5186]

That day I realised I'm enjoying rather than finding all sorts of stuff to disagree with a Soto Zen critter about

[@RC-qf3mp]

I’ve had such an experience, long ago, and my understanding of it months, years after is that it was just a peculiar brain experience, and not something revealing the truth of reality. Freud considers the experience to be a primal memory we have of feeling at one with our mother as a fetus in the womb. Perhaps. But no reason to think the experience was an accurate perception of reality.

[@osip7315]

huh, the "new zealander" is charlotte wrightson who i knew years ago in the auckland zen society, she now "teaches" at the auckland zen center, weird to hear her older voice after all these years, can't pick an accent though : o) the problem with mystical experiences, is you never believe them until they happen and the import is always to drive you into increasingly idiosyncratic views which alienate you from all the conventional nonsense and in my observation, very few zen or other "spiritual" teachers have had genuine experiences, a bunch of pathetic pretenders mysticism is a process of development, there is no final understanding to be arrived at, what has always amazed me is how anti people are to this notion and of course they react strongly against the possibility there is any real work involved, rather wasting their time with inane "dharma talks" crazy waffle in books and stupid ceremonies which have nothing to do with anything

[@davidj9467]

Oh... I'm enlightened.

[@MrBreadisawesome]

Whats it like?

[@ronmcbee4743]

Why no watch?

[@berrycrawford5579]

You would have LOVED the grateful dead had you been able to stomach the scene.

[@mekubalim1]

Can you turn the will of dharma 🤪

[@ronmcbee4743]

Talking about a book you can’t read and a person you don’t know. Isn’t one of the teachings of zen is “I don’t know”. Interesting but confusing.

[@jason1950]

You may be shocked to hear that this is a mild NZ accent.