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Enlightenment Quotes

    “Heaven is not a goal; heaven is the presence right now.  If you are present, the divine is available.  If you live in the moment, you are enlightened; there is no other enlightenment.  And then ordinary life is so extraordinary.  Then to be just a nobody is so fulfilling.  I call this whole approach sannyas: dropping the goals, the purposes, the future—becoming part of existence this very moment, not postponing it.  Then in this very moment, a great explosion is possible in you: the ego disappears, you are no more, but the divine is.  And that is bliss and that is truth.” ~ Osho, Fame, Fortune, and Ambition

      “Enlightenment, peace, and joy will not be granted by someone else.  The well is within us, and if we dig deeply in the present moment, the water will spring forth.  We must go back to the present moment in order to be really alive.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step

        “Gaining enlightenment is an accident.  Spiritual practice simply makes us accident-prone.” ~ Zen Saying, via Solitude

          “To improve your mind without the cultivation of your physical gifts would be a very hollow victory.  Elevating your mind and body to their highest level without nurturing your should would leave you feeling very empty and unfulfilled.  But when you dedicate your energies to unlocking the full potential of all three of your human endowments, you will taste the divine ecstacy of an enlightened life.” ~ Robin S. Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

            “Those who are truly enlightened know what they want out of life, emotionally, materially, physically and spiritually.  Clearly defined priorities and goals for every aspect of your life will serve a role similar to that played by a lighthouse, offering you guidance and refuge when the seas become rough.  You see, anyone can revolutionize their lives once they revolutionize the direction in which they are moving.  But if you don’t even know where you are going, how will you ever know when you get there?”

            Robin S. Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

              “‎Imagine that every person in the world is enlightened but you. They are all your teachers, each doing just the right things to help you learn perfect patience, perfect wisdom, perfect compassion.” ~ Gautama Buddha

                “To help you remember the triviality of your daily tasks, interrupt your schedule with refreshers.  These refreshers should cut to your core and strip the fat off the moment.  Consider your own death.  Behold an image of the most enlightened being you know.  Contemplate the mystery of existence.  Relax into the deepest and most profound loving of which you are capable.  In your own way, remember the infinite, and then return to the task at hand.  This way, you will never lose perspective and begin to think that life is a matter of tasks.  You are not a drone.  You are the unbounded mystery of love.  Be so, without forgetting your tasks.” ~ David Deida, The Way of the Superior Man

                  “Enlightenment, peace, and joy will not be granted by someone else. The well is within us, And if we dig deeply in the present moment, The water will spring forth.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor

                    “Fortunately, some are born with spiritual immune systems that sooner or later give rejection to the illusory worldview grafted upon them from birth through social conditioning. They begin sensing that something is amiss, and start looking for answers. Inner knowledge and anomalous outer experiences show them a side of reality others are oblivious to, and so begins their journey of awakening.  Each step of the journey is made by following the heart instead of following the crowd and by choosing knowledge over the veils of ignorance.” ~ Henri Bergson

                      “Nirvana means to extinguish the burning fires of the Three Poisons: greed, anger, and ignorance. This can be accomplished by letting go of dissatisfaction.” ~ Shinjo Ito

                        “The outer is easier, and the outer is objective. For example, one man, Thomas Alva Edison, discovers electricity and the whole of humanity uses it; there is no need for everyone to discover it again and again. Inner growth is a totally different phenomenon. A Gautama Buddha may become enlightened, but that does not mean that everybody else becomes enlightened. Each individual has to find the truth for him or herself.”

                        Osho, The Book of Understanding (page 96)

                          “In the pursuit of knowledge, something is added every day. In the pursuit of enlightenment, something is dropped every day.” ~ Lao Tzu