--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's consider: at the time of the…" description: "\"Let's consider: at the time of the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, according to the old texts, in the first watch of the night, he went through..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/tenzin-palmo-1431_buddhism_let-s-consider-at-the-time-of-the-buddha_2298196.jpg" --- # Let's consider: at the time of the Buddha, when he… ![“Let's consider: at the time of the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, according to the old texts, in the first watch of the night, he went through all of his past lifetimes. Then in the second watch of the night, his mind opened still further and encompassed the coming into being and dying…” quote by Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/tenzin-palmo-1431_buddhism_let-s-consider-at-the-time-of-the-buddha_2298196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/tenzin-palmo-1431_buddhism_let-s-consider-at-the-time-of-the-buddha_2298196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/tenzin-palmo-1431_buddhism_let-s-consider-at-the-time-of-the-buddha_2298196.jpg) > “Let's consider: at the time of the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, according to the old texts, in the first watch of the night, he went through all of his past lifetimes. Then in the second watch of the night, his mind opened still further and encompassed the coming into being and dying and re-coming into being of all beings, everywhere. The third watch of the night, he realized interdependent origination. He realized interdependent origination because he saw it. It wasn't some theory he thought up. He saw it. That was his enlightenment experience. That was why he was a Buddha.” [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Buddha’s enlightenment involved sequential night watches revealing past lives, future cycles, and interdependent origination, experienced directly not theorized **In simple terms:** Enlightenment is a progressive, experiential insight into reality’s interdependence Key Takeaway Seek direct experience of interdependence Themes spirituality awakening interdependence Mood calm contemplative Type philosophical spiritual. When to use this quote - meditation - teaching - scholarship - ethical living Key Concepts emptiness causality mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice seeing interdependence daily? - What obstacles arise when confronting emptiness? A Different Perspective Understanding interdependence can be intellectually overwhelming ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attained Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attained-enlightenment-3074371/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Enlightenment According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment-according-5425330/) [Enlightenment Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment-experience-691920/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Interdependent Origination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interdependent-origination-5425329/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-life/) [Saw Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saw-enlightenment-5425328/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [To become enlightened is not just to slip into some disconnected euphoria, an oceanic feeling of mystic oneness apart from ordinary reality. 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What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Exactly. 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