We may be able to find things that are lost. We may be able to take a path to a given destination.
How can we find something that never came into existence - the not-born? Something that was never possessed or, lost to anyone, at any time or place.
How are we going to proceed along a path to a destination that is nowhere to be found? That has no location in time and space.
The ‘path’ may be a metaphor and nobody is actually going anywhere to find anything at all?
The Buddha gave this succinct teaching:
“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In what is seen there must be only what is seen, in what is heard there must be only what is heard, in what is sensed there must be only what is sensed, in what is cognized there must be only what is cognized. This is the way, Bāhiya, you should train yourself.” - Bahiya Sutta
After the establishment of an unbroken reaction-free attention in every waking moment a practitioner would have insight into the consequences - of this practice.
During meditation, the consequences may include jhanas and liberating insight (the disappearance and reappearance of consciousness).
Bahiya heard what the Buddha taught and he also realised what the teaching was pointing to. Seeing the Dhamma is not the same as hearing a teaching.
Someone else must have heard the teaching and passed it on. Did they wake up in the same way Bahiya did?
Whatever happened to Bahiya in that brief encounter happens to everyone who completes the ‘training’ (purity, natural stillness and, wisdom). Some take a long time and others are ready to let go completely.
Its best to get out of the way and let the Dhamma take its natural course.
There is a point between deep stillness and ordinary waking consciousness when the sense of self is absent. When awareness is established at this point and, is uninterrupted through activity and periods of rest everything begins to unravel (move towards cessation).
Let it settle itself, it happens by itself, awakening cannot be engineered or controlled. When nibidda arises and the right supportive conditions are present the practice happens but nobody is doing anything and nobody is going anywhere. An inner silence pervades - as fresh as the dew.
"Arogyaparama labha
santutthiparamam dhanam
vissasaparama nati
nibbanam paramam sukham.
Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss." - Dhammapada