is seeking enlightenment a need or a craving?

a need. Once we stop changing, we are done.

Enlightenment is a state beyond mind. Any need or craving is mind generated. However, the state of enlightenment is intoxicating to the mind and just as easy to get trapped in. Practices towards enlightenment give power and vitality to the mind and organism. As such it is happy to generate and circulate energy in this manner as the ego wants more power. When the power reaches its climax it will bring on the dark night of the soul, which must be passed through into enlightenment....a place beyond mind.

Enlightenment is heightened perception, awareness and observation of one's own internal processes. As such it is still an experienced state. Here many will become intoxicated and turn their power towards healing and other "spiritual" goals.

Beyond this is the very no-thingness of the void of meditation. Where there is no experience nor experiencer. Only pure, uncoloured observation. Being enlightened and not pulled to utilise the power generated but only to observe any and all states without attachment. Then being able to drop all faculties and return to the void until they are again required is the true connection to our internal source of power and unless this is experienced directly - it will certainly never be looked for as the ego ultimately will find a distraction.

So a need or a craving ? If it is beyond mind it can be neither. It cannot really even be a concept if you look at it deeply enough. But we need our flags, belts and stage upon the path to note progress and to feed the ego. So some description must be offered to those that wish to understand....

First understand craving. Craving means you have no control over a particular desire to have something. Craving also means one’s desire goes beyond reason. For example, smokers crave smoking and are unable to control their desire. They will not quit smoking even though they should, given the harm that smoking does to their health.

Seeking enlightenment is the result of introspection, analysis and wise decision. It is not an uncontrollable desire. Thus it is not a craving. Seeking enlightenment is a conscious decision and behaviour to be free of craving and its precursor, ignorance.

About need. It is not a need like the way one needs to urinate when one’s bladder is full. It is not one of those bodily or even mental needs like sleep. It is not something automatic, devoid of mental volition.

But everyone REALLY NEEDS to seek enlightenment in the sense of we SHOULD, we OUGHT TO seek enlightenment given the state of suffering that we are in as human beings, for starters. It is actually, an urgent necessity that few people realize. That’s why the Buddha preached the Dharma to all sentient beings because few realize they ought to seek enlightenment.

So seeking enlightenment is not a craving; but you need to do it if you know what’s good for you and all sentient beings.

Neither. It is the very original nature which the mind has masked and the cravings and needs are the mental activity/states and such activities on its part is bound to be futile as why do we need and crave that we already have? Any such mental states ( of craving and needing ) bound to strengthen the mind and thereby further masks the real state of enlightenment.

seeking enlightenment is just life wanting more life. it's both a need and a craving.

Personally it's no more of a need than looking for love..

Sometimes enlightenment turns up in the darkest of darkness

A craving for the likes of a Buddhist perhaps, but most folk don't seem to need any.

You offer a limited choice. It appears you can never find enlightenment by seeking it.

How can something be both fragmentary and complete?

There's a mystery here calling for a deeper perception

A perception from which all spirituality springs

For me it's a need craving.

I'm not sure what the difference is. I ask so many questions in the paranormal section I"m beginning to think it's an obsession.(or lack of "having a life".lol)