Enlightenment

The ancients say that once upon a time a disciple asked the elder,

"Holy One, is there anything I can do to make myself enlightened?"

And the Holy One answered,

"As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning."

"Then of what use," the surprised disciple asked,

"are the spiritual exercises that you prescribe?"

"To make sure," the elder said,

"that you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise."

(Spirituality, Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict, 32.)