Kuho: Hey Shozan, tell me, are you "enlightened?"
Shozan: Hum…that word again. Tell me first, what do you mean when using that word?
Kuho: Well, I think enlightenment is some kind of bliss, or is insight, is release from suffering, an "ah-ha" wisdom hit, a wake-up call, the right answer to the right question, seeing one's truth, seeing the truth of it all, being compassionate, being really complete and good, etc. etc. etc. blah, blah (he goes on for at least ten more minutes).
Shozan: OK, OK, your answers all seem good, but in hearing your answers I am seeing you, and I see that you are guessing, conjecturing, hypothesizing, that you don't really know for sure. Would you acknowledge that assessment?
Kuho: OK, I will accept that.
Shozan: Good, you accept it. Acceptance itself is a gate of enlightenment to me. It introduces the arrival of a sravaka or "hearer." One who is ready to hear. With opportunity and openness to receive dharma, a sravaka is able to be affected, is teachable, interested, curious, interested to know, and also knows clearly that he does not yet know. You are thus, I am thus too.
As to enlightenment, for myself, I am content to put aside the term "enlightenment." All I can say is that sometime I am able to get out of the way. It could also be said: drop-off, dissolve, lose one's self within activity or practice, and then being "with-it" or present is just business as usual. But I just like to say: "I get out of the way." Thats how it is for me. So Kuho, then how is it for you?
Kuho: Yes, sometimes also, sometimes I drop it off.
Shozan: When you do drop it off, tell me, Kuho, what is left, what remains?
Kuho: What's left? Well, what isn't? Everything else remains, even what is dropped off remains, what's right at hand remains, all of it, whatever is playing at the sensorium cinema, whatever is here remains. And for you, Shozan, how does it go, what remains?
Shozan: I agree with all you said, but I could also add: Nothing remains. Also nothing is missing. There is time enough. There is just enough.