I. Sotāpanna
Introduction
In Buddhism, there are four levels of realization.
During each phase, more enlightenment and understanding occurs, leading to new ways of experiencing the world.
When coming to these realizations, three marks of existence — selflessness, impermanence, and dissatisfaction — underline changes in one’s behavior and outlook on life.
These are the four stages of enlightenment.
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I. Sotāpanna
When you embark on your journey to enlightenment, you discover there is no separation between what’s in your head and what you see through your eyes.
You look within and search for a separate being, but you do not find a self.
You realize it is all an illusion.
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who am i?
a damaged soul
struggling to make sense
of things
beyond her control
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i’m a house with four walls
but no stable foundation
the floor creaks
the faucets run
the pipes leak
and yet i find comfort
in knowing i built it
all on my own
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i keep searching
searching
searching for answers
a reason
a cause
but there’s nothing to grab
or hold on to
so i continue on this journey
looking for something tangible
physical
real
that i can point to
and say
“that’s why i am the way i am”
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i wish i could know
all the answers
discover all the truths
but instead
i wander this world
looking for love
in all the wrong places
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where to find me?
in a black hole perhaps
disappearing into an abyss maybe
wherever i am
the destination is always
far from the security
of a tangible reality
