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Shen Yeng compares enlightened beings to jade in a rock, saying, "You cannot tell an enlightened person just by outward appearances, just as you cannot tell that a rock contains a jade just by looking at it from the outside." He cautions of Zen practitioners who might present themselves as awakened beings, possibly not being what they claim, for, "Thus there's a saying, 'One with great wisdom is like a great fool.'"
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Shen Yeng's comments are reminiscent of scripture on angels in the Christian Scriptures, Hebrews 13.2 (GNT):
Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it.
That you would meet a heavenly being, does not mean you would recognize it as such. Appearances can be misleading, even as we can be undiscerning.
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The Sage, in speaking of enlightenment, warns us we need to be careful in our use of words regarding persons, words like holy, liberated, enlightened, and awakened. Such words are helpful words, and they arise out of real experience. Yet, they suggest a progression ending with an attainment. They are substantives, implying a something, denoting a dead-end, not a verb, indicating a process. There is a big difference between saying, "I pray to be a holy person," and, "May I ever-grow in holiness."
I believe some beings have become spiritually realized, even as persons become realized in other areas of life. I can cook a modest meal, but I am not a master chief. And why should I deny there are such? Why should I assume a person might know he or she is and be grateful for the skills attained through natural giftedness and hard work? One can be aware of his or her excellence and not be arrogant about it.
Why should there not be expertise, or mastership, in spirituality? While all persons are equal, there is a hierarchy of knowledge, skill, and realization in spirituality. If I, for example, were to want a spiritual guide, I would want one who could demonstrate in knowledge and presence a depth of grace that suits my aspirations and sense of divine calling. I would never just walk up to anyone and say, "Hey, how about being a spiritual guide for me?" Likewise, I would likely best be served to find someone more advanced than I am, to guide me with spiritual wisdom from his or her experience.
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Sheng Yen recognizes spiritual realization can be something one egoically claims. Likewise, a person can present himself or herself in such a way as to mislead others. As I believe there are enlightened beings, I sense many present as such and likely are not. In the spiritual marketplace, more so for the field is wide open in the virtual world, the setting is ripe for persons to present themselves as spiritual adepts. And, as always, there will be a large group glad to believe. This vulnerability to deceptive "gurus" is heightened presently in the West by the loss of grounding in religion. Persons who have no home base from which to seek guidance are more vulnerable to deception, especially alluring promises that appeal to persons suffering much emotionally and existentially.
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Here are some wisdom markers regarding the spiritual marketplace that can guide in relating to persons making spiritual claims.
1) An awakened being will be deeply humble; hence, what he or she offers as to teaching and his or her behavior will not be extreme, displaying self-infatuation, or ostentatious. Spirituality is not about appearance; it is about character, including respect, kindness, modesty, and integrity.
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