The Path to Enlightenment (in Six Words)

Tilopa with hooker

Mi-mno, mi-bsam, mi-dpyad-ching,
Mi-bsgom, msmi-sems,
rang-bas-bzhag.

In English…


No thought, no reflection, no analysis,
No cultivation, no intention,
Let it settle itself.*

These six words of instruction are attributed to Tilopa, a 9th century Buddhist master of tummo, tantra, Tibetan dream yoga, resurrection and other siddhi.

* As translated by Alan Watts.

24 comments

  1. Nice, sounds to me a like a practical application of non-attachment towards all the common head trips that get in the way of the Dao.

  2. So, enlightenment is emptying one’s mind of all thought? I don’t know, if that’s what Enlightenment requires, is it worth it? Not thinking for oneself is the first step to having someone take over, as seen in the case of military, religious, and political dictators throughout history.

  3. Clear your mind from whatever troubles you, remain consious though ecsape your thoughts. Feel everything genuine and pure. Life is more than what the masses know. There is mystery that is beyound thought, it exsists in a form that is comprised of everything. I have experienced Enlightenment, it is beautiful. Believe and become.

  4. I found this excellent quote on the Path to Enlightenment:

    “Be remarkable. Let a flame of passion illuminate your way. Be extraordinary. Stray from the dullness of shadows, into a radiant glow. Feel. Dream. Live. And never concede. Never settle for anything less, as you move full speed ahead in the quest for a life full of light and color.” -Anisha Shenai

    Reference: Blog “Slumberland by Day” by Courtney Autumn Martin, http://slumberlandbyday.blogspot.com/2010/06/path-to-enlightenment.html#comments

    The quote is from a speech by Danvers High School Salutatorian, Ms Anisha Shenai. This is a very remarkable and inspirational speech available at Boston Globe website: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/danvers/2010/06/danvers_high_salutatorian_spee.html

  5. Thank you Sam for links to marvelous motivational speech (Anisha Shenai) and incredible creative art (Courtney Autumn Martin).

    The miraculous enlightenment I could achieve is really beyond words, as captured in the famous quote by Ho Chi Minh:
    “By reading them again and again finally I was able to grasp the essential part. What emotion, enthusiasm, enlightenment and confidence they communicated to me! I wept for joy.”

  6. I was pleasantly surprised to see the same inspiring quotation on the path to enlightenment (by Anisha Shenai) on the blog “Studio Lolo”: http://studiololo.blogspot.com/

    This time the quote is posted along with a beautiful painting by Artist, Laurel Gaylord. Peace be with you!

  7. I like the quote by Anisha Shenai that clears the confusion and darkness overshaddowing the path to enlightenment. In so few words, Anisha Shenai delivers the message to-the-point, concise and crystal clear that (one should) NEVER CONCEDE and NEVER SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS. That’s the key to the path to enlightenment.

    “Be remarkable. Let a flame of passion illuminate your way. Be extraordinary. Stray from the dullness of shadows, into a radiant glow. Feel. Dream. Live. And never concede. Never settle for anything less, as you move full speed ahead in the quest for a life full of light and color.” -Anisha Shenai

    I know that the path to enlightenment is not easy. For many, it is unattainable. Nonetheless, they who aim at it and never concede and never settle for anything less, will only achieve it…..if not, at least come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.

    Thanks Anisha Shenai and Courtney Autumn Martin, for enlightening me about the path to enlightenment. God bless you in all your endeavors.

  8. So the succinct six-words-summary on the path to enlightenment is “Feel. Dream. Live. And never concede.” from the quote by Anisha Shenai. I like it.

  9. My teacher would use this quote. When one is doing I-Chuan qi-gong after all the alignments and other visualization/feelings are set up my teacher would then say the fore mentioned quote. Jerry Alan Johnson also states this in his books when doing I-Chuan.

  10. relevant to this is the quote by Mahasiddha Tilopa: “Looking beyond duality is the king-like view; defeating all distractions is the king-like practice; the practice of non-practice is the deed of the Buddhas.”

  11. Here is my fav0rite quote by Mahasiddha Tilopa about the symbolism of the sesame. It teaches us how the supreme knowledge and enlightenment are always all around us in this world, and how we can seek those to illuminate the path to enlightenment…..

    “The oil, which is the essence of the sesame, although known even by the ignorant to be in the seed, cannot be extracted unless it is learnt how to do so. Likewise, the innate gnosis (sahaja-jnana), though always present in the hearts of beings, is not realized unless a wise Guru explains the way. By pounding the sesame, removing the husks, it is possible to extract the essential oil.

    Likewise, when one attends to the Guru’s Instruction, the truth of Absolute (tathata) is revealed. This is the symbolism of the sesame. Indivisible and one is the Innate Essence (sahaja) of all that exists!”

  12. I like the enlightening quote by Anisha Shenai “Feel, Dream, Live, and never concede”. Great message. Dreams are the touchstones of our character, and strong determination turns them into reality resulting in enlightenment. So it’s very important to never concede and never settle for less.

  13. Mind is enlightenment. You know mind you don’t need to know nothing else. Mind is what you have but don’t use. Hahaha. Hohoho. Use your mind by letting go of what you use it for. Mind does not have much other then itself. Enlightenment is real. Real self is change. Change your thinking pasterns. Stop. Try it and you might like it, but you have to do it first. Hahaha. Without effort no fish can be caught out of the river.

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