Every one of these Zen stories point exactly to what we’re talking about in enlightenment teachings. You are trying to find yourself. The question is, “Who are you?”
This one points directly at it (pun intended.)
In this week’s story it’s glaringly obvious. The ten friends are in a circle counting themselves. They start around: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… Oh no! Someone’s missing.
Who is missing is the guy counting. He forgets to count himself because he can’t see himself.
Enlightenment, in a nutshell, is when you remember to count yourself.
Now picture that you are standing there in the circle. You are looking outward. Imagine yourself looking out at your ten friends in the circle. You see everyone but yourself.
That’s how we live life. It’s so easy to miss counting yourself. This sounds like a stupidly ridiculous story… because it is. How do we miss something so blazingly obvious! You are you. You don’t have to hold out for some magical mysterious, wonderful bliss filled thing… you ARE the thing.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… ten. You.
That’s it.