4 ms·

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

• rtkaratekid 7y ago
  Is there an attribution for this quote? I’m interested
  • mlrtime 7y ago
    sounds like Zen Buddhism to me
    • ryansc0tt 7y ago
      Zen Buddhism would point out that you and everybody around you dies in both scenarios.
• softwaredoug 7y ago
  Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water, get smallpox, let doctor do bloodletting, watch everyone around you die After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water, get smallpox vaccine, live to play with your kids and watch them grow up...
  • asdff 7y ago
    Only if you are born into a country or find yourself with an occupation that grants you access to the smallpox vaccine for little cost.
  • curiousfiddler 7y ago
    This resonates with my recent attempts to find meaning and purpose in things I do. As you point out, it's almost the same things I do, but some seemingly small things seem more meaningful...
  • tarsinge 7y ago
    Actually contrary to popular belief medieval peasants had plenty of free time, and holiday occasions: https://www.businessinsider.fr/us/american-worker-less-vacation-medieval-peasant-2016-11?op=1 https://www.businessinsider.fr/us/american-worker-less-vacat...
  • edanm 7y ago
    I'm not sure, but I think you're thinking of enlightenment as in "the age of enlightenment", whereas the quote is about the zen/buddhist idea of "enlightenment (as in, even after reaching enlightenment, nothing much changes materially).