Four Questions on Enlightenment

Question: Is there a difference in the level of enlightenment among enlightened people?

Answer: There is no difference in enlightenment itself. However, there are differences in the methods of explanation—differences in style. A person who enjoys methodically analyzing the principles of things will teach by carefully examining matters logically and in detail, while someone with emotional and literary inclinations will teach in a literary manner. So while there may be differences in which teacher suits one's taste, the world of enlightenment is the same.

However, even though one has awakened, human habits from before enlightenment may remain. There can be differences between those who still have these ingrained habits and those who have overcome them. In Buddhism, this is called "sudden enlightenment" (頓悟, donoh) and "gradual cultivation" (漸修, jeomsu).

The state of discovering that one's own nature and the nature of all things are one is called sudden enlightenment (頓悟), and the process of overcoming the remaining human habits is called gradual cultivation (漸修). When a person becomes enlightened, the habits of living as a human being remain, so they may shed tears when sad or feel joy when happy. However, with gradual cultivation, one does not fall into joy or sorrow. When gradual cultivation is fully accomplished, we call it complete enlightenment or liberation.

Question: Is religion necessary for enlightenment?

Answer: No. Religion is absolutely necessary for those who have not awakened, but it is not necessary for those who can awaken. Religion belongs to humans, but enlightenment belongs to God.

Strictly speaking, religion should be the world after enlightenment. However, current religion has become something that unenlightened people rely on at the human level. Therefore, such people absolutely need religion.

In fact, the Buddha did not speak of religion. The Buddha condensed what is most necessary for a person to awaken into two things.

The first is "In heaven and earth, I alone am honored" (天上天下唯我獨尊). This means one must possess the spiritual dignity to accept everything in the world and stand firmly above it. A person who possesses this does not need religion.

The second is "Leaving home is the foremost path" (家出第一道). Only a soul free from worldly attachments—free from one's own thoughts and attachments—can awaken most quickly. These two things are exactly what you need most for enlightenment.

Question: Then how do faith and inquiry differ?

Answer: Precisely speaking, faith is a method for those of low spiritual level who cannot overcome themselves and lack the power to achieve spiritual advancement. Those who can awaken do not even dwell in faith. If inquiry involves sacrificing oneself while advancing, faith involves advancing while maintaining oneself as is. Therefore, faith does not bring about spiritual advancement. Faith is the state where those of low spiritual level who cannot abandon themselves and inquire simply rely and rest.

Question: How do prayer and inquiry differ?

Answer: Prayer is a method of self-consolation when one fears the part about abandoning oneself and moving forward. The supreme beings (最上乘人) mentioned in this lecture do not pray. Those who pray are of low spiritual level. Jesus prayed because he was with disciples of low spiritual level. Jesus showed prayer to his disciples of low spiritual level. However, when Jesus was alone, he never prayed.

Excerpt from the book "Teachings on the Little Prince - The Gospel of Thomas and the Platform Sutra"