In the journey of spiritual enlightenment, every stage presents its unique challenges, however, a particularly intricate phase that many practitioners deeply ensnared in is the realm of non-material awareness.
(This profound discovery holds a deeply personal significance in my spiritual journey, but before I delve into that intimate narrative, let me guide you through the broader story.)
This stage (non material perception), while profoundly subtle and expansive, holds a paradoxical trap: the ego can subtly coalesce around the very essence of consciousness—experiences of boundlessness, omniscience, and the like—thereby subtly reasserting itself in a new, more elusive form.
The challenge of moving beyond the non-material perception stage largely stems from the ego’s subtle and nearly invisible entanglement with consciousness itself. At this advanced phase, the ego doesn’t attach to tangible, worldly identifiers but instead identifies with the essence of consciousness, making it exceptionally elusive and hard to transcend.
A second reason this stage is difficult to navigate is due to the spiritual practitioner’s significant progress in shedding layers of identification, which brings about a certain stability amidst suffering. This progress, while beneficial, can inadvertently reduce the impact of suffering as a catalyst for spiritual growth. When suffering becomes less “bitter,” its effectiveness in challenging and thereby dissolving the ego diminishes. This plateau can persist unless the practitioner is fortunate enough to encounter a potent catalyst for further awakening. This catalyst could take the form of guidance from a deeply insightful guru, an intrinsic drive towards truth and self-honesty, or a confrontation with experiences that undeniably challenge deeply held beliefs and the super-ego. These experiences often come from interactions with practitioners who are further along the path and can provide perspectives or challenges that are impossible to ignore or deny.
My personal breakthrough started with such an encounter on Quora, where I was faced with insights and challenges that I couldn’t sidestep. This confrontation was a turning point, propelling me beyond the confines of my previously unassailable understanding of my spiritual journey. It highlighted the subtlety and depth of the ego’s mechanisms, especially when it cloaks itself in the guise of spiritual attainment.
Back to this phenomenon of the identification with essence of consciousness, it explained why the Buddha, in his own quest for enlightenment, moved beyond the teachings of his initial mentors. They had guided him to the heights of “boundlessness” and the realm of “neither perception nor non-perception,” but it was precisely here that he recognized a pivotal juncture. These states, though transcendent, were not the end point; they were still within the domain of potential attachment and identity formation.
The Buddha’s subsequent emphasis on “anatta” or “non-self” emerges as a masterstroke in spiritual pedagogy. By highlighting the non-self, he provided a safeguard against the mind’s proclivity to grasp and conceptualize experiences, thereby forming a new identity around them. This insight points to a deeper understanding of true freedom, which is not about attaining a particular state of consciousness but realizing the inherently empty nature of all states and experiences.
True freedom, then, is not a static achievement but a dynamic process of continually recognizing and letting go of attachments, even to the most sublime spiritual experiences. It’s about seeing through the illusionary constructs of the mind, including the most subtle ones that masquerade as enlightenment itself.
“An Arahat sees Nirvana as Nirvana, he doesnot think Nirvana is me nor mine” (Mùlapariyàya sutta)
The most arduous task for many practitioners is not reaching high states of awareness but navigating the subtleties of ego that can entangle one in those very heights.
Direct experience is the crucible that verifies this understanding.
However, the moment this experience is codified into a new identity, the practitioner is once again ensnared by thoughts and conceptual constructs.
True liberation lies in the unceasing vigilance and the profound realization that there is no fixed self to attain or maintain. In this light, the path of enlightenment is not a journey towards acquiring something new but a process of uncovering and letting go of what we are not, revealing the boundless nature of awareness that is ever-present, unconstructed, and free from the confines of egoic identification.
I came to these realizations on my own, in 2021, at the final stretch of my journey, after being mired in the same spot for three years. Up until that point, I hadn’t really given much thought to the Buddha or participated in pagoda visits, despite them being a part of my Vietnamese heritage.
Discovering how Gautama Buddha, thousands of years ago, developed such a profound and comprehensive approach to teaching is truly awe-inspiring. As I ventured deeper into my own explorations and realizations, my reactions evolved from surprise to amusement, from being touched to an overwhelming sense of admiration. It was a revelation to find that everything I had just discovered had already been contemplated by Gautama Buddha with such depth and insight. His genius is truly astonishing.
Phan Y Ly 