Q. It is said that we should find an enlightened man so as to attain enlightenment. How can we find him? – Zen Fools

A. It is true that in reality it is not easy to find an enlightened man both because we can’t tell whether a man is enlightened or not and because we don’t know where he is. 

However, there is a saying that if we practise hard in the right way with an ardent mind, an enlightened man comes to you and helps you unexpectedly.

According to the Sutras, this means that everything we see and hear is the Buddha who is leading us to enlightenment by preaching incessantly. You can come across a moment out of the blue when one of the common things in your life gives you a marvellous teaching that is beyond your imagination.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway