You Already Have It

When the Buddha attained enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi tree, he realized that everyone already has it, but due to ignorance, most people don’t know it.

This means YOU already have it, right now in this moment—but are you aware of it?

Oftentimes, when we sit in meditation, we try really hard to “get there.”

It’s as if we are in a battle against our thoughts and desires—we force ourselves to let go of everything, hoping that if we just push hard enough, we’ll break through and attain enlightenment.

There is only this one goal in mind: “I want to awaken.” And this in itself is not a problem—it’s actually a blessing if you have, for whatever reason, the inclination to practice any spiritual tradition in order to attain enlightenment.

The only problem is that oftentimes we practice in a way where the spiritual search becomes something like a chase—we constantly strive toward this goal of self-realization, constantly hope that it will eventually appear, but we never arrive.

“We already have it, but we don’t know about it.”

Instead of chasing some vague goal, what would happen to your practice if you were practicing with the orientation that you already have it?

“We already have it, but we don’t know about it.”

What does this mean? Where does it point to?

Instead of looking for something that’s not here, we start looking into what actually is here.

Instead of searching for an impermanent experience—something we’ve just dreamed up about what enlightenment or awakening is—we start looking into what’s actually here, right in this moment.

And when we do that, we can immediately recognize how silent everything becomes. We really start to listen, and it’s as if we’re feeling into the empty space that is the basis of every appearance.

Since we are already it, but don’t know it, it means we don’t have to go very far—we don’t really have to work for it or earn it—it’s already here.

It sounds very simple, but it can be very hard—especially if we’re deeply invested in our spiritual search.

We’re so invested in our spiritual practice, convinced that we’re doing the right thing and that, as a reward, we’ll get enlightenment someday—but this is not true.

Since we’re ignorant of our enlightenment and craving an experience that will make everything awesome, we’re as deep in illusion as it gets.

Buddha said that ignorance and craving are the main roots of suffering.

We’re ignorant of our own enlightenment, we crave enlightenment, we practice really hard to get there someday—but we don’t actually get anywhere with our practice.

And then Buddha comes along and says, “Hey, you already have it.”

I mean, it’s quite embarrassing, isn’t it? You’re looking very hard for something, you even come up with all these noble concepts and ideas about your spiritual path, you put in a lot of effort and work to “get there”—whatever that means—but all you’ve done is further delude yourself.

Now, I want you to try to become a human being.

It would be a ridiculous thing to say, right? It’s even more ridiculous if you actually started trying to do it.

So, if you’re already enlightened, already a Buddha, already awake—what are you doing?

You’re only deluding yourself, thinking you can achieve becoming a Buddha by doing all kinds of things.

You’ve spent countless hours practicing really hard, trying to get there—and in the end, you see that you haven’t really gotten anywhere.

Maybe then, instead of searching for something else, you start looking into what’s actually here—what this actually is, who you actually are.

You are already it. So no matter what thought or even insight comes up, it’s just distracting you from yourself—it’s just a relative, impermanent appearance that misleads you.

Whatever comes into being will also vanish. So whatever idea comes up—that’s not it.

One of my favorite Zen masters—his name was Huang Po—once said, “Here it is—right now. Start thinking about it and you miss it.”

So, if it’s already here right now—what is it?

When we ask ourselves this question from a genuine place, we start getting really silent—we start to listen, to become open and receptive. Instead of forcing ourselves to produce some kind of experience, we begin to perceive what’s here right now.

Instead of chasing something, we start letting go of the chase—we let go of our tendency to grasp at things, to want things or experiences, and we drop deeper into our felt sense of being.

This is what Zen practice is all about. It’s not about going somewhere or realizing something—it’s about dropping all these things to realize that you are already it.

Huang Po also said that our true Zen nature can never be gained or lost—it is what we are.

So, if you don’t get it yet—that’s perfect. There’s nothing to get. Just become silent, and see for yourself who you truly are.

I wish you all the best.

Your friend on the Way—bye.