- A chrysalis is the casing in which a caterpillar begins to transform into a butterfly. The caterpillar's old body dies, with the butterfly emerging weeks later.

The Perils of Knowledge

Knowledge tends to attract too much attention to itself.

It is on too-friendly terms with Ego which wants to stay exactly as it is.

Since Ego dominates awareness, knowledge must pass through its checkpoints. Ego is stimulated by the attainment of a new fact or insight, preventing any true arrival.

All knowledge is incomplete. There must always be a hopping off point, beyond which you are in the wordless, non-conceptual heart of the matter.

True Intelligence

The ambitious person must recognize that they possess an intelligence which is far beyond knowledge. And no, I’m not saying the "universe at large" has intelligence. 

I’m simply raising the point that, for example, many people would rather follow a 'how-to' guidebook than trust the intelligence they use to understand it. 

If the proper use of knowledge can be summarized, it might consist in stopping humans from going in the opposite direction, further away from themselves.

And in bringing the caterpillar’s procrastination tactics to a halt.

Transformation

Beware the search for a method. In this life there is no time to travel piecemeal; no time to first resolve everything to the satisfaction of our better judgement.

Stop talking, and get thee to a chrysalis!

There will come a moment when the transformation is underway, when you will want to remain where you were. You may find yourself looking back at someone who inspired you; perhaps a once-transformational action becomes a habit, and starts to slow you down.

We can expect to pass through more than one great transformation in a lifetime.

The 9th century Chinese monk Linji Yixuan told his disciples,

“If you meet the Buddha on your journey, kill him.”

That’s how you become a butterfly.