I am offering you the quick method. Take all of your thoughts ─ good, bad, indifferent ─ and drop them. If you can do this, you will be enlightened instantly. If you can reach the state of mind where there is no self, no other, no discrimination, no sentient beings, no Buddha, then you will realize the true reality of things. Take the sword of practice and cut open the mind of discrimination. When enlightenment cuts through the discriminating mind, it leaves nothing behind, because from the beginning there has never been any real self to divide.

You must have faith that this can happen. On the last day of a retreat, I encouraged two students to make the most of the time remaining. They protested that there was not enough time to accomplish anything. I said, "You can be enlightened in an instant. If you practice hard every moment, then there is plenty of time in which to experience enlightenment. One day is more than enough time, but whether you can accomplish anything is another matter."

Forget about time while you practice. Do not think, "I don't have enough time to experience anything." Do not think, "I'm young, there's plenty of time to practice." During retreat, the best attitude is to make full use of every instant, from beginning to end, grasping hold of the moment and practicing hard. Do not think about the past or future. Stay in the present moment.