Are you Enlightened?

Thank you so much for your enlightened opinion.

You obviously have an ability to see beyond the statements of others to deeper truths, so please bless us with your wisdom and illuminate us with your knowledge.

We sit at your feet awaiting your instruction.

This is not intended to be sarcasm. I learn from your statements and I thank you for them.

EDIT: I had errands to run but more to say, so here goes. Enlightenment means different things to different people and for many it will always be out of reach because their definition is that such awareness is unattainable. This is the danger of defining God or enlightenment because when we define we limit. I can tell by your rant that your ego is repelled that someone would dare consider themselves enlightened, but most of us are struggling on the road to enlightenment.

I thanked you because you have said the right thing at the right time. Other people could have said it but you were the one willing to take the risk. I commend you for it. There is now and always will be a danger of ego swell that prevents us from getting to the place we wish to be. If one has ever become enlightened then we all will become enlightened because we are one. If you will be enlightened then you have always been and will always be enlightened. While you do not realize that process yet you fulfill the requirements of yourself to take you to your enlightenment. It is part of the balance that you do what you do, say what you say, and believe what you believe. That you do is proof that the universe is still in order.

Crudeness is part of life. Some would argue that a man that passes gas without apology is unenlightened but I believe that if he doesn’t fight his need to pass gas then he is more enlightened than the person who struggles to be polite and is embarrassed after.

♥Blessed Be♥

♥=∞

This is difficult to discuss, and although I think I understand your position, you are still not fully clarifying the meaning of 'enlightenment.'

Re: "Oneness is the end of the individual identity" is the tricky part. Many people have moments where they have a sense of losing their individual identity and experience some kind of awareness of oneness with the All or Absolute, and presume this is enlightenment. Sometimes it is only the BEGINNING of the spiritual journey, and sometimes it is as high as they are capable of (interested in) going - so it is their version or understanding of enlightenment.

To add my "two cents worth" to the discussion, enlightenment is the end of the egoic 'learned' identity and an internal realization of oneness with the essential nature. (Unity with the All goes without saying)

Realization of the truth regarding one's authentic Self and unity with 'the Real' occurs after ego death. It is a dissolution of the delusional self and a permanent stabilizing of one's awareness of being the Observing authentic Self - no longer at the mercy of ego beliefs/illusions. This is the truth that sets us free, the truth of who we are and why we're here.

I do not know what "yes, answers" you are referring to, of course. You may be right that people are claiming enlightenment because they have had momentary unity experiences they FEEL as an awareness of "oneness." If this is the case, I agree with the rant, but 'unity consciousness' is not an easy topic for most people to discuss or understand.

Thanks for bringing it up.

Hey Phil ~

Perhaps it is worth considering that to "wear the coat" of a thing, to first "act as though" a thing were true, is a valid path to cognition.

Have you ever tried that? Sometimes, that act allows the mind to exist in effortless effort, and slid right into acceptance that this is so......

there seems to be a difference between saying, yes I am this thing and therefore "finished", (the ego)

and yes, I am this thing as a practice of inviting further awareness...... (humility) -

as I believe that in truth, we are indeed this thing, this Enlightenment, and we have only just forgotten.

It is also my understanding that "Enlightenment" is a process of refinement - not a state of "either ~ or". The remembering occurs in levels, allowing for integration and further contemplation, inviting further Enlightenment and so on.

Awareness allows the veils that cloud the truth to drop away, fall away......

and in that, we come to know ourselves more and more deeply - until we see there really never was anything to do after all......because we never really went anywhere anyway......

and the funniest thing is that all the effort must be put forth, until no~effort is achieved......

You're right as far as those who claim enlightenment are concerned, of course.

Even Kensho or Samadhi or whatever name you use doesn't confer full enlightenment, only a Buddha achieves that distinction. Basically, anybody who claims to be enlightened

- ain't!

But I must be reading the wrong questions because I don't see many people claiming enlightenment. Some hint - and it's pretty obvious who's right.

I think quite a few claim it in the sense of social and artistic enlightenment, which is fair enough. But that's quite a different thing.

Anyway, it sure ain't me you're talking about. Especially earlier on today when I realised that I'm going to have to pay x amount of £££s to have my car air con serviced!!

Individuality is not loss, if so then the WHOLE would suffer loss. Our uniqueness nourishes the whole. Ego is not individuality, ego is organic personality, which such is a divided multitude within ourselves, many sub-personalities each invoked by an outer stimuli (of this world). The source of our individuality is in the macrocosm, as above so below we are holographic embodiments of the WHOLE and our individuality is our place or individual relationship, which supports all the other relationships that have been built. We are not to avert back to a amoeba but to continue to expand, not only for the individual completion, since the individual completion serves the greater one. The One is knowing self through us. We have a higher being, one that is a being of light, and while we share the same spiritual DNA, we are the many within the one, the fullness would not be full without our uniqueness that makes it full.

The pattern of the lower is a holographic allegory of what is within ourselves. The ONE is the ALL, the ALL is the One, we are co-creators, we have a higher innate being that knowing such we can know the whole as it is, as divinity can only know divinity. Oneness is not the end of the individual, rather oneness supports the individual until that individual becomes harmoniously supportive to it by becoming full and entering into that be-ing of one. We are shards of a broken mirror, each shard doesn't loss its individual place, its actually its shape that supports the other within the mirror of parcels. For the mirror to reach that ultimate state each individuals must be be harmonious with the whole, support the whole as the whole supports it and the cracks of its individuality remains as a sign of its embodiment and holographic acquaintance. What is it that makes a body complete, the many parts that support the whole. People need to overcome duality of mind, and see that all dualities are triads. And simply put Buddha said that enlightenment was the end of suffering, there are various degrees of enlightenments.

Not everyone believes that only oneness exist, I do not negate individuality to choose one over the other, because they are both concepts that are resolved on a higher plane. I have interacted with the higher soul "self" that has emanated me in this world (of whom is not of this world and not in this world - but an inner independent reality), this is the authentic self which that is light and intellect which seeks to know its source in completion and the lesser self serves this feat. I seek to develop mind, not negate it, I seek to develop/transform my earthly nature and bring it into the light for balance/harmony of being not negate it. It would be like negating the female for just the male and expecting a child without that which the child is grown in, the child is the product of the two and the higher reality of that two.

Heh hee, this was a cute rant. Well, 'enlightened' is kind of cute word even though I am a Christian woman and I do not use it very often. To me Jesus is the Truth and the life and the way, I enjoy about that 'enlightenment'...I have realized that Jesus is the Son and the Father and the Holy Spirit...one true God. I am very 'enlightened' about that oneness and the truth. ; )

Hi Phil,

"We ourselves must walk the Path. Buddhas merely show the way".

Your question, whilst interesting does not 'feel' that appropriate.

Were there a Buddha or more than one in our midst, could they / would they shout about it?

It would hold them open to criticism, whilst doing them & others little good in the long run.

An intelligent person can generally tell another one, likewise with virtues, generosity, etc.

I think the same principle applies in these realms of the Spirit.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.110....

The Dharma preserved in the Theravada Tradition explains that on the road to Bodhi, one may pass through 3 preceding stages / or bypass them altogether.

At the first of these 4, one gains a glimpse of Nirvaana (Satori), but doesn't dwell in it 'touching it with the body'. (There's more work to be done).

Such a person's said to've open the 'Dharma Eye'. They're irreversible & will attain Enlightenment within at the most 7 births.

They're called 'Stream Enterers'.

They're Noble (Ariya).

As these people grow in qualities of mind & conduct, they gradually become released to greater & greater extents.

That is the theory, at least as I understand it.

So, to summarise, there're are / may be levels & stages to Enlightenment, and the people to whom you allude may be amongst those who've attained them.

Or they may not.

What is probably true though, is that it probably takes one to know one. :-)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an...

The way, I've heard is more a search for skillfulness, "Kim kusala gavesi", more than 'Truth'.

A Prof. of mine once said that the concept of Truth-seeking is, contrary to popular opinion, not to be found anywhere in the Pali Canon, at any rate.

I'm yet to prove him wrong. :-)

Enlightened enough not to be ashamed or think the human body being nude with one another or in groups is not sinful but the way the creator wanted humans to be otherwise we would be covered with lots of fur or clothing

Enlightened enough to realize that we are all share the planet together and that the earth is a awesome spiritual thing and to be peaceful and make love not war.

We are born with the truth residing in our spirit. We have to learn to tap into our spirit. When we shut off our minds we can hear truth from our spirits. There isn't anything in this big wide universe that our spirit doesn't know. Our mind/ego keeps us from knowing, much less hearing from our spirits. That's where the still small voice lives that speaks only in wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Enlightenment comes when we listen to our spirits speaking to us. All is there if we just listen. But, we must first become awakened to the fact that our brain is just a computer out of control. This is taming the beast. Once we are awakened then we begin our path of enlightenment.

I am seeker of truth. I am working on the journey of getting the enlightenment. I know the truth what is true to me.

What is true to me, might or might not be true to you. You have to do the individual investigation for yourself to find truth in anyone's speech, suggestion, action, or words.

I like the concept of "individual investigation towards the universal truth". Delusion can be a situation where a person's experience or personal reason made them realise their choice is their personal truth. But it might or might not be universal truth.

If personal truth does not vibe or agree with universal truth, then I think the individual needs to work on seeing past their personal truth.