THE SECOND ENEMY OF MAN

Once a warrior has vanquished his fear, he is free from it for the rest of his life. Instead of fear, he has acquired clarity--a clarity of mind that erases fear. By them a warrior knows his desires; he knows how to satisfy those desires. he can anticipate the new steps of learning, and a sharp clarity surrounds everything. The warrior feels that nothing is concealed.
 Thus he has encountered his second enemy: CLARITY! That clarity of mind that is so hard to obtain, dispels the fear, but also blinds. It forces the warrior never to doubt himself.  It gives him assurances that he can do anything he pleases, for he sees clearly into everything. He is courageous because he is clear,  he stops at nothing because he is clear, but all that is a mistake, it is like something incomplete . If the warrior yields to this make believe power, he will succumbed to his second enemy. He will be patient when he should rush, and he will fumble with learning until he winds up incapable of learning anything more. A man who is defeated in this way does he die? No, he doesn't die, his second enemy has just stopped him cold from trying to become a man of knowledge. Instead the man may turn into a buoyant warrior or a clown. The clarity for which has been so dearly paid will never change to darkness and fear again. he will be clear for as long as he lives, but he will no longer learn, or yearn for anything more.
 What does a warrior do to avoid being defeated? He must do what he did with fear: He must defy his clarity, and use it only to see, wait patiently and measure carefully before taking new steps. He must think above all that his clarity is almost a mistake. A moment will come when he will understand that his clarity was only a point before his eyes. Thus he will have overcome his second enemy and will arrive at a position  where nothing can harm him any more. This will not be a mistake, it will not be a point before his eyes . it will be true power.
 He will know at this point that the power he has been pursuing for so long is finally his. He can do with it whatever he pleases. His ally is at his command, his wish is the rule. He sees all that is around him.
 
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