You Are Not Book.indb - Stephen H. Wolinsky Ph. D.

312 / You Are Not
EpilOGUE
enlightenment
Is Not
How does one end a book called YOU ARE NOT?
Since personal enlightenment is not, perhaps the words of
the Buddha would be apropos.
A questioner asked the Buddha, “Have you attained?” Buddha
replied, “I cannot claim that I have attained because I have
attained.” (Diamond Sutra)
This most crucial understanding also exists in the Guru
Gita, namely “Those who claim to know me know me not.”.
. . Nothing else but the SELF (THE SUBSTANCE) exists.
Why is there no personal enlightenment? Because YOU
Are Not, and since YOU ARE NOT, how can a “You,” which
IS NOT, possess, be, or have a thing or state—in this case, a
personal enlightenment?
So how can one claim to attain when They Are Not?