“Lord, what is the Neranjara River today?” I asked.

“The Mekong River,” he replied.

“Oh! Where along the Mekong River did the Buddha attain enlightenment?” I asked
excitedly.

“On Tuesday evening, the 15th day of the 6th month, in the year of the Rooster, 46
years before the Buddhist Era, the weather that day was pleasantly cool with a gentle
breeze. The image of the sun setting on the horizon appeared as the last scene. He felt
clear and light because he was walking back from bathing in the Neranjara River. About
halfway there, or about 300 meters, he met a Brahmin hermit carrying dry grass to use
as bedding. This area was also used by other hermits as a retreat because it was
peaceful and shady, with large trees, near the river, and near the community. But when
that Brahmin saw Prince Siddhartha, he was impressed by his appearance and
complexion, which were different from ordinary people. So, without realizing it, he
gave Prince Siddhartha all the dry grass he was carrying to use as bedding, forgetting
that he also needed it for the night. When Prince Siddhartha saw that it was his
intention, he accepted it as a seat on the mound under the large Bodhi tree where he
was staying.

After spreading the grass he received, he sat down in the lotus position. His clean body,
combined with the scent of the newly spread dry grass, mixed with the gentle breeze,
and the sound of crickets and cicadas, his senses clearly perceived the nature around
him, easily leading him to a deep state of concentration. His mind was naturally
focused on himself without any effort, in a way that had never happened before. Then
he firmly resolved that he would remain in this state throughout the night to prepare
for the discovery of truth. And he asked the first question in his mind:

‘How can I access the truth?’

Suddenly, an answer popped up:

‘Just know me, because I have always been with you.’

He was surprised by the answer that popped up because normally he would focus on
his breath until it was still and try to suppress any thoughts that would arise. And in
the past, he had never asked any questions because he didn’t know why to ask them
since he was alone. But today, he didn’t know what happened to him. Why did he ask
that question, and where did the answer come from? So, he asked another question:

‘What is this thing that appears in my thoughts?’

The answer immediately came back:

‘I am the Buddha-mind. I am the source of your soul. If you doubt anything, just ask me,
and I will always have an answer for you.’ The voice in his thoughts popped up again.

‘The Buddha-mind, is that so? And where is this mind?’ he asked.

‘I am in your mind. I am in you. I am you,’ the Buddha-mind answered.

‘If this mind is in me, why haven’t I ever known it before?’ he asked.

‘Have you ever intended to know me? You were too busy seeking from external things,
looking for where it must be. Do you know that as long as you try to seek from outside,
you will never know me? Because I am in your mind. Just realize that you “are” me. Just
return to me, and you will know everything,’ the Buddha-mind answered.

‘How can I believe that this isn’t just my own imagination?’ he asked.

‘Try asking about something you doubt and have never received an answer before. If
the answer you get is satisfactory, it means the answer didn’t come from you,’ the
Buddha-mind answered.

Then the Buddha began to ask questions one by one, and he received answers one by
one, such as:

‘What is the factor that allows communication with this Buddha-mind?’

‘What is the obstacle that prevents humans from communicating with this Buddhamind?’

‘Why is there birth, aging, sickness, and death?’

‘How does karma arise and how does it work?’

‘Who am I, where did I come from, why did I come, and where will I go?’ etc. When he
received answers, new questions arose from those answers. For example, when he
knew how karma arises and how it works, the next question was:

‘If karma causes rebirth and existence, does that mean we can know our past lives?’

‘Who were we in our past lives?’

‘How can we escape this cycle of karma?’ etc.

He spent time asking and answering with his inner Buddha-mind with pleasure, and
the mind answered every question clearly. He asked until he didn’t know what else to
ask. He couldn’t think of any more doubts. The time passed until about 4 a.m. In that
silence, the Buddha-mind asked him some questions:

Are you sure that the answers you received didn’t come from your own thoughts?’ the
Buddha-mind asked.

‘I am sure. Because now I have nothing more to ask. Whenever I would ask a question, I
already know the answer. So, I don’t need to ask anymore,’ the Buddha answered.

‘Do you know who you are at this moment?’ the Buddha-mind began to ask the
Buddha.

‘Uh… I am the enlightened one,’ he answered.

‘Yes… and do you think there are other enlightened ones like you in this world?’ the
Buddha-mind continued.

‘I’m not sure… but I think there must be others,’ the Buddha answered.

‘That’s right. There are many people who can communicate with me, until they are
called enlightened ones. From now on, do you desire to be more than an enlightened
one?’ the Buddha-mind asked.

‘Is this not the highest state yet?’ the Buddha asked.

‘It is the highest but not the ultimate… Most of those who reach this state of
enlightenment can access my wisdom, can solve problems from doubts, can write
books to teach various knowledge, can create knowledge that is beneficial for living
both worldly and spiritually. And when they have this state, the people around them
will praise them as wise or enlightened. But when I ask them if they want to be more
than enlightened, that is, to help tell people how to access this enlightenment, they
refuse to do so. Because when they teach people to enter this state of enlightenment,
people will know the truth that everyone can easily be like them, which will cause
them to lose praise and no one will have faith in them anymore,’ the Buddha-mind
answered.

‘I choose to be more than an enlightened one,’ the Buddha answered immediately
without hesitation