The Gold Light of Enlightenment

A Rama student received a phone message from a local bookstore that some copies of "Surfing the Himalayas" that had been ordered had come in. The student went down to pay for them and pick them up.

The clerk who rang up the books at the register mentioned she had read this book and asked the student, "How did you happen to find out about this book?" The student said simply, "I studied for several years with the author."

"Really?" asked the clerk with curiosity.

Then the clerk leaned forward and asked with great interest, "Was he enlightened?"

"Oh, yes."

"You could actually see the gold light?"

The student knew the clerk was referring to the explanation Master Fwap gives in the novel about the two conditions that are the test of whether someone is really enlightened. One of those conditions was "that the master's aura would turn a beautiful, bright, golden color when he meditated." (p.22)

"Yup. When he meditated, I saw gold light come out of him and fill the entire room. It was quite beautiful."

And the clerk asked, "Really? Like it says in the book? Like 'snowing'?"

The student was familiar with the passage the clerk was alluding to.

In the novel, the young American snowboarder describes that while sitting with Master Fwap when he is meditating, "the air in the room began to thicken and turn a beautiful, bright, golden color--not all at once, but very gradually."

The snowboarder continues, "At first I thought it was 'snowing' golden light around Master Fwap. I noticed the phenomenon first around his head; then the golden light seemed to spread all around his body, and finally it filled up the entire room." (p.96)

The student assured the clerk, "Yes, I saw it 'snow' gold light when Dr. Lenz was meditating, just like the snowboarder sees it with Master Fwap."

"So he really was enlightened?"

"Well, he did also fulfill that second condition for enlightenment", said the student.

"Being funny?" asked the clerk.

In the novel, Master Fwap explains the second test for whether someone is enlightened is that in addition to emanating the gold light, "an enlightened Buddhist master would always have a totally outrageous sense of humor, because life, when viewed through the eyes of enlightenment, was incredibly funny!" (p.22)

"He was absolutely the funniest person I ever met. I don't think I ever sat with him without laughing several times during the evening", replied the student, smiling at the many memories.

"So he really was enlightened?" asked the clerk again.

"Yes", nodded the student, "he really was enlightened. The gold light came out of him, and he was really funny."

And the clerk brightened at hearing this, saying, "You read this book, and you want to believe it can be real."

"As Calvin** would say to his mom, 'Believe it, lady!'" said the student and the clerk laughed and handed over the books to complete the sale.

**Note. Calvin is a cartoon character created by Bill Watterson. Rama was very fond of this series, featuring a little boy who has a tiger named Hobbes as a companion. All the Calvin books by Watterson are recommended reading for their humor.

Surfing the Himalayas

For more information:
Rama Meditation Society

Calvin is a cartoon character created by Bill Watterson. Rama was very fond of this series, featuring a little boy who has a tiger named Hobbes as a companion. All the Calvin books by Watterson are recommended reading for their humor.

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