The question whether the enlightenment is sudden or gradual is an important problem of Zen philosophy and remains the source of vivid discussions. A phenomenological analysis, which has been undertaken by the author, has resulted in one of its possible solutions. He has stated that the two views: the first – that the enlightenment is sudden, and the second – that it is a consequence of training, render perception of practitioners from two perspectives: meditative state of consciousness and ordinary state of consciousness. His comprehension of these views implies that they are separate in a sense and they neither contradict nor complement each other.
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