Enlightenment

"One day it was announced by Master Joshu that the young monk Kyogen had reached an enlightened state. Much impressed by this news, several of his peers went to speak with him.
"'We have heard that you are enlightened. Is this true?' his fellow students inquired.

"'It is,' Kyogen answered.

"'Tell us,' said a friend, 'how do you feel?'

"'As miserable as ever,' replied the enlightened Kyogen."

--Source unknown. Cited at http://www.futurehealth.org/enlightenment_quotations.htm.

Photo Courtesy of John B. Gage, Foreign Department, Kokusai Budoin (IMAF).

My ending for the story: Later, Kyogen was kicked out of the temple.
Master Joshu said, "That good-for-nothing Kyogen was always moping around!"

Nicklaus Suino teaches iaido and other martial arts at seminars throughout North America. Information about his seminars can be found at www.artofjapaneseswordsmanship.com. He teacher iaido, judo, and jujutsu at the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan.