Buddhism Quote by Jan Esmann
““No, on the contrary! In enlightenment you have freed yourself of any sense of “I”, and you certainly have not evolved into an enlightened “I”. You can say there is “AM” (nothingness-beingness), but you cannot say there is an “I” that is or owns or experiences that AM-ness. Now, language bids us to use phrases like “I AM”, but it will have one meaning from the enlightened perspective and another from the unenlightened. I have seen this phrase cause much confusion in many seekers because it makes them believe that they as persons have to evolve to a serene point where their individuality simply is. But it will never happen, because it is not in the nature of the “I” to simply BE. It is the nature of the “I” to change and to interact with what changes around it. The “I” will never, ever get enlightened””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Buddhist perspective on self, 2018
Enlightenment dissolves the self; identity is fluid, not a static “I”. Language creates illusion of a fixed self, but true nature is change and interaction.
In simple terms: Enlightenment removes fixed self; identity is fluid.
Key Takeaway
Embrace impermanence of self.
Themes
philosophy
spirituality
identity
mindfulness
Buddhism
Mood
contemplative
serene
Type
essay
spiritual teaching
When to use this quote
- meditation practice
- spiritual counseling
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
non-self
impermanence
self-transformation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does letting go of self affect daily life?
- Can identity be both fluid and stable?
A Different Perspective
The view may conflict with psychological concepts of self.
![“What do the vitarags [the enlightened one] say? This world will keep on running, You do not interfere with anything in it. If you want to attain ultimate liberation (moksha) then you will have maintain a state of vitaragta (state free of attachment).” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d3/dada-bhagwan-31_attachment_what-do-the-vitarags-the-enlightened-one_1355272.jpg)
![“What do the Vitaraag [the enlightened one] say? ‘If you want to continue to remain in the worldly life, then do what people say, but if you want to attain Moksha [ultimate liberation], then do only what I say, then only you can go to Moksha!” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05d/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_what-do-the-vitaraag-the-enlightened-one_2674917.jpg)
![“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted through other Tibetan Buddhist lineages. For example [...] Chöd practices gradually merged with pre-existing models of deity yoga, such…” quote by Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b05/michelle-sorensen-60370_2013_the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d_4303.jpg)
