In a serene mountain village, a curious seeker asked a wise Zen master, “What is enlightenment, and how can I achieve it?” The master invited the seeker to a peaceful lake and asked him to watch its surface. As they sat in silence, the master eventually dropped a small pebble into the water, creating ripples that disturbed the calm surface.

The master explained, “Enlightenment is like the lake’s surface. It is a state of perfect calm and clarity. Just as the ripples disturb the lake, our desires and thoughts disturb our inner peace.”

The master then instructed the seeker to let go of attachments and distractions, allowing his mind to return to its natural state of stillness. Over time, with practice and patience, the seeker found that achieving enlightenment came from inner stillness and acceptance, rather than from external pursuits.

The story highlights that enlightenment is the state of inner peace and clarity achieved by quieting the mind and letting go of distractions.