I know that I may never get to any “final” stages of enlightenment, but IMHO and as near as I can tell from my current meditation practice level, the last steps leading up to enlightenment/awakening/liberation are:
- The need to have a total belief and commitment that what you are doing is right.
- The determination to finish the job. (Fear can kick in, and determination gets you through.)
- Having no desires (and very specifically, having no desire to be enlightened).
- Next, this goes along with “no desires,” but you should have no preconceived notions or expectations about what might happen as you continue meditating.
- Knowing that the only thing that is real is the present moment.
- Putting all of your focus on the present moment. You need to be absoluted immersed in The Now.
To that last point, if you ever find that you are doubting yourself or second-guessing yourself, that’s the extra mind that you need to drop.
Once you do all these things and are sitting in the stillness of your meditation, as Maharaji said, you now “wait for grace.” Any effort to “do” or achieve something are on the wrong path.
I believe that Ram Dass said something like, “Enlightened beings are pure awareness,” and AFAIK, these steps are what will get you there.
A few related quotes
Lastly, here are a few quotes from meditation masters related to the points I made above:
“You must concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair.”
~ Taisen Deshimaru
“When you do something, burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
~ Shunryu Suzuki
Also note that in Zen, some of the things I have written about are known as Great Doubt, Great Faith, and Great Courage.
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