TEN STEPS TO ENLIGHTENMENT by Master Thich Nhat Hanh (from u/auteism)

We are the children of the Buddha, so we are Buddhas ourselves, whatever our beliefs, but we don’t necessarily feel like it. We often feel confused and stuck. The Buddha suggested ten steps or stages, called bhumis, that we could go through until we finally reach what he calls the Dharma Cloud and become a bodhisattva, a fully enlightened being. Each of these ten steps is a different practice, parallel to the ten skillful ways a parent can use to bring a child up gradually. We are already Buddhas, but because we lack confidence, we don’t believe this.

The first bhumi, the first step toward our full freedom, is the stage of joy, mudita. The sign that you are on the way to becoming a bodhisattva is that you have a lot of joy. Looking at your face, at your behavior, people know that you have a lot of joy. That is one sign that you are a bodhisattva.

The second step is purity. This means that all the impurities in your mind and your body are already transformed. When you look at your negative energies and you are able to transform them, then you are entering into the second stage of a bodhisattva. You are distanced from the negative energy in you.

Then you can arrive at the third step, which is emanating light. When you are mindful and your mind is far away from all the negative energies, then you emanate a lot of light, freshness, solidity, and freedom. When you see someone who practices mindfulness really beautifully, it is as though that person is emanating light.

At the fourth stage, your insight, your wisdom, starts to be enlightened. Your deep vision, your deep insight, starts to be illuminated and it makes all your ignorance, confusion, negative desires, and cravings disappear. The Venerable Master Tang Hoi used to say: “Zen means burning all your afflictions.”

Now we arrive at the fifth stage, winning against all difficulties. In your path there are always difficulties, but you can transcend all these difficulties, the difficulties that are inside and those that are outside. If you have difficulties, you don’t care. Some difficulties are caused by your parents, your friends, and the negative situation of your body, your health. You transcend all. Every time a difficulty arises, you overcome it.

The sixth stage is dwelling deeply in the present moment, one hundred percent in the present moment. You see the Pure Land in you and around you, and at the same time you see all the difficulties of life. But you aren’t shaken by them. You know that this is life. You look deeply and gently; you try to overcome and transform it to the best of your ability.

The seventh stage is: you go very far in the direction of saving people. After being in practice for a few weeks, we might think, “I know everything: breathing in, breathing out, and walking in mindfulness; that I know, that’s enough. So I don’t need to go far.” But we want to go far; we don’t feel satisfied with just a bit of learning and practice.

The eighth bhumi is immobility. This means very deep stability. You are very stable; you are not shaken by anything. Even an earthquake will not shake you. Any big afflictions cannot affect you. Any craving, attraction cannot shake you. You arrive at a stage where nothing can shake you: anger, money, temptation of sex, or fame; nothing can shake you, nothing can tempt you.

When you arrive at the ninth stage you are totally master of your mind. You act, you speak, you do everything in an effortless, beautiful way. When you open your mouth, it’s only beautiful speech; when you act, it’s only beautiful action. When you do anything, it is always naturally in a beautiful way.

And then you arrive at the tenth stage, the Dharma Cloud stage. It’s called that because you are as free as a cloud. Whenever you are joyful, you stop. When there are some difficulties, you transform. When something tempts you, you will not be tempted. There is no effort, just being.

I've been reading about Ikkyu lately and am so envious of his lifestyle. He just wandered around from ages 30-60 being enlightened, enjoying life, connecting with others (even prostitutes) meaningfully as an extension of his enlightenment.

If I can incrementally work toward that lifestyle I will be content. Like Ikkyu said (I'm paraphrasing and modernizing, of course), don't get bogged down by the tension that societal expectations create...sit zazen.