Zen Beyond Illusion: Ending the Endless Struggle

The Illusion of Overcoming Illusions

In spirituality, it's made clear that we are already enlightened, but illusions cloud our capacity to recognize this truth.

Everyone has had this experience: you are caught up in an illusion, trying to get rid of it in various ways, and then you suddenly realize that it’s not about overcoming this illusion, but rather recognizing that you have been caught up in another illusion. Therefore, we must let go of all illusions in order to recognize our true Self.

In Zen Buddhism, for example, reciting the "Four Great Vows" before and after practice is essential. One of these vows goes like this: "Delusions are endless. We vow to cut through them all."

Also, in many other spiritual teachings, you will find that overcoming illusion is emphasized. Different examples are used to explain this, like comparing the truth to the sun that gets covered by clouds of illusion.

Now, in order to see the sun, we’ll have to get rid of the clouds. This makes sense, right?

However, what can happen is that we actively try to fight illusions in a way where the very act of fighting these illusions is itself based on an illusion.

Seeing Through Illusions

Have you ever been caught up in trying to fight an illusion, trying to get rid of it, or trying to figure it out, only to suddenly realize that the fight itself, the attempt to get rid of it, was itself an illusion?

And this illusion made you forget about everything else. It caused you to become very narrow in your awareness, focusing only on this one thing, forgetting everything else. And suddenly, in the midst of this battle, you realized that the whole game you were playing, trying to fight an illusion, was itself an illusion. At this realization, you may have noticed how your awareness expanded from being narrowly focused to becoming wide open again.

Instead of being overly focused on overcoming this one illusion, as if your life depended on it, you suddenly find yourself in a wide-open space, aware of your surroundings, hearing the sounds in your environment, like birds singing or cars driving down the road. And you recognize that you have been deceived by this apparent illusion, which made you forget everything else, focusing only on this one illusion.

These illusions can take an infinite number of forms.

We feel like we are not good enough, and we want to overcome this feeling. 

Or we think we are not worthy of enlightenment, and we try to become worthy. 

Or fear arises, and we try to get rid of it.

These illusions can take many forms, but what they have in common is that the solution is not found within them, as if we need to finally figure them out or resolve them. Instead, the solution is to simply recognize and accept these appearances, these thought and feeling patterns, without getting sucked into them.

The Path to Clarity

So what can we do about it?

Should we try to find a solution so that we don’t get sucked into illusions anymore? Should we now narrow our minds to achieve that and claim a final victory over illusions?

If you paid enough attention, you will immediately recognize that this attempt would be just another illusion.

Let's take another look at this one line from the Bodhisattva vows that I discussed earlier: "Delusions are endless. We vow to cut through them all." Up to this point, I have emphasized the second part of the vow, which is to cut through all illusions, and I have come to the conclusion that trying to cut through all illusions is, itself, an illusion. Trying to cut through all illusions, in order to attain enlightenment, is itself an illusion. It implies that illusions are real, and that we need to overcome them in order to get enlightenment.

The more we try to do that, the more we get caught in this illusion, which in return makes our minds very narrow.

However, let us take a look at the first part of the vow, which is that delusions are endless. It means there will always be one delusion after another, never-ending. If this is true, then what good does it do to overcome a delusion? The next one is already waiting in line. And maybe the next one in line, after you’ve “resolved” the previous delusion, is its opposite—a delusion that tells you you’ve finally resolved it, that you’re now super clear, and one step closer to enlightenment.

If you think the “previous” illusion was bad, whatever it was in your situation, you’re not considering how dangerous a delusion can be when it promotes egotism and self-centeredness, such as the belief that you are now something special.

Okay, back to the endless appearances of delusions. Whenever we try to do something in order to attain something, we are caught in delusion. We cannot become what we already are, and according to every spiritual scripture or teacher, we are already enlightened. Trying to get rid of all delusions is itself a delusion.

Now we might try to accept this truth, and to overcome our attempt to overcome all delusions, in order to recognize that we are already enlightened.

You see, delusions are truly endless.

Now, this matter might seem very difficult and complex. I mean, we have to deal with an endless array of delusions. How to resolve all of this? Maybe you have noticed, but right now your awareness might have become extremely narrow, only thinking about endless delusions and perhaps also feeling hopeless about all of this.

Now, ask yourself: Who is it that’s aware of all this?

Don’t jump to conclusions; really ask yourself this question and try to find out.

…

I can’t speak for you, but when I do this, the whole idea of endless delusions and the question of trying or not trying to overcome them immediately vanishes.

When I do this, it’s as if the “I” that this body identifies with comes forth with all its ideas and struggles, separating itself and then dissolving into the background of complete stillness— of this vast and empty spaciousness that we really are.

Suddenly, I’m no longer caught in the question of delusions or anything else. It’s as if I pressed the reset button and I am now dissolved in this vast space of not-knowing. In this space, everything is alright. Everything is already as it is. I may become aware of myself sitting in a chair, or on a walk, listening to the environment. Very simple. Very peaceful.

Did I need to figure out the delusion I was struggling with before in order to come to this vast space of awareness?

A famous Japanese Zen Master, whose name was Kōdō Sawaki, once said, “Don’t seek enlightenment; just drop your illusions.” So don’t try to figure out your illusions, don’t make them bigger as they already are. Just become aware whenever you identify or struggle with an illusion, and drop it.

One way to do that is through self-inquiry, as in my example. You can ask yourself, "Who is having this illusion?”

And you will probably see that figuring out the illusion was never the point. You can’t become what you already are. No amount of resolved illusions will get you to that point.

So what are you doing now? Do you think, “Ah, this makes sense, I understand it,” or maybe you have another thought?

Don’t get caught up in these illusions. Who are you? Who is it that’s looking at the screen right now? It’s not about figuring out illusions, it’s about YOU. 

WHO ARE YOU?

Alright, I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. I hope you have a wonderful and clear moment right now.

All the best, your friend of the way. Bye.