Actively Seeking Enlightenment

[1137]

Ok, for the sake of this thread I am going to consider "actively seeking enlightenment" a spiritual path.

My question is this: In your opinion, is actively seeking enlightenment

A.Exclusivist : There is one way to reach enlightenment (i.e. Only Buddhists will reach enlightenment)

B. Inclusivist : As long as you are actively seeking enlightenment (or whatever you call it i.e. True Will), you are on the right path (i.e. Buddhism, Luciferianism, Thelema, Hinduism, etc are all ways)

C. Pluralist : Any path you follow leads to enlightenment, whether it is through actively seeking paths or normal religious paths (aka all paths lead to god)

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I guess I would be exclusivist. I believe that the only way to achieve it is thru gnosis. Know thyself, I don't believe there is any other way. It might go by different names but the principle remains...know thyself

 

[nightwolf]

I'm going to choose D and say you cannot become enlightened.

There is so much we don't understand. Upon death we may get the answer, but being here all we can do is speculate and hope.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

I would be an Inclusivist I suppose; although I believe my perception of what 'enlightenment' would entail probably differs significantly from the norm.

 

[theirreverentconcubine]

I guess I would be exclusivist. I believe that the only way to achieve it is thru gnosis. Know thyself, I don't believe there is any other way. It might go by different names but the principle remains...know thyself

I go with B for the same reason you go with A.

It is my consideration that "faith," as commonly understood, is misplaced in "god;" it only seems to lead to limits, confusion, and controversy.

 

[SCHIZO]

Ok, for the sake of this thread I am going to consider "actively seeking enlightenment" a spiritual path.

My question is this: In your opinion, is actively seeking enlightenment

A.Exclusivist : There is one way to reach enlightenment (i.e. Only Buddhists will reach enlightenment)

B. Inclusivist : As long as you are actively seeking enlightenment (or whatever you call it i.e. True Will), you are on the right path (i.e. Buddhism, Luciferianism, Thelema, Hinduism, etc are all ways)

C. Pluralist : Any path you follow leads to enlightenment, whether it is through actively seeking paths or normal religious paths (aka all paths lead to god)

Enlightenment means to receive intellectual or spirtual light, to be instructed in the knowledge of. Men are enlightened throughout their entire lives since they are born until they die. Enlightenment is something that all men have. If you see this light in men then the whole world become full of light; but should you see the evil in men then you will see nothing but darkness. Enlightenment is evidence of the spirit that is within men. Everyone is enlightened they just don't realize it.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I would say a toss up between B and C, although I lean more, much more, toward B. Even though I believe that spirituality and religion are different, I don't think that religion is wholly without purpose, and can be a good thing, as long as one knows how to properly utilize it.

 

[1137]

I would say a toss up between B and C, although I lean more, much more, toward B. Even though I believe that spirituality and religion are different, I don't think that religion is wholly without purpose, and can be a good thing, as long as one knows how to properly utilize it.

Yes but if you use religion as a tool to spiritually advance, it is still spirituality and not religion. You are not religious, religion is just a tool.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Yes but if you use religion as a tool to spiritually advance, it is still spirituality and not religion. You are not religious, religion is just a tool.

That makes sense.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

It may be a tool for some, but for others it is a collection of understanding to follow for true enlightenment - not a tool as such but rather 'the truth'; in which case it is no longer a means to an end but rather almost as if it were the end itself.

 

[DreadFish]

Enlightenment pertains to the nature of reality, which is beyond any particular path or beliefs. Ultimately, a person will realize enlightenment when he/she realizes it, even if they are not actively seeking it. When the mind is ripe, it will happen.

I personally believe that the fastest ways are self enquiry, and the Zen/Dzogchen approach, but I feel that a person can be guided to realization through a number of ways.

EDIT: So I wouldnt say that it is exclusive, and I wouldnt say that it is inclusive, or plural. I think realization does not follow our normal ways of thinking.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Actually, enlightenment pertains to perception of reality rather than to reality itself.

In revealing (one could even say transcendent) moments one's perceptions shift in such a way that their comprehension is altered to an extent towards some conceptual end, sometimes this would be a gradual evolution of perception while other times it would be more dramatic (most likely the former probably happens more to those who examine their beliefs critically while the later happens more often to those who do not often examine their beliefs as often and therefore the subconscious has more time to work things out).

Whether you are Exclusivist, Inclusivist or Pluralist would not be particularly important, what is more important is the conscious mind's capacity to evaluate your position on things and the subconscious mind's capacity to do so on its own.

Perhaps an Exclusivist may be more likely to progress towards developing their own particular understanding of the truth along their given spiritual pathway, to have moments of revelation that provide them more understanding of that pathway... alternatively perhaps it may lead them in another direction away from that pathway (though that would be more likely to be one of the radical changes, perhaps triggered by some sort of major event).

Perhaps an Inclusivist might tend towards that gradual change, given that they are 'actively seeking' enlightenment this means they may be more likely to engage in conscious and critical self examination which may be more likely to lead to more frequent, small modifications.

 

[Me Myself]

My answer is: Like it or not, you are in the path. There is nothing outside the path, because there is no path.

You arrived already and the only path to here is realizing you already are

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

My answer is: Like it or not, you are in the path. There is nothing outside the path, because there is no path.

You arrived already and the only path to here is realizing you already are

How Zen of you.

 

[Me Myself]

How Zen of you.

I have my moments

 

[YmirGF]

My answer is: Like it or not, you are in the path. There is nothing outside the path, because there is no path.

You arrived already and the only path to here is realizing you already are

I quite like this answer. The thing is, as long as you are pursuing enlightenment, you are only succeeding in pushing it away. There is simply no way to prepare for "the event" and so any attempts at preconditioning the psyche will not work. At best, you will only find what you expect and sadly, that is not enlightenment, though, perhaps, such endeavors can be somewhat illuminating.

Another facet of this riddle is the timeless nature of enlightenment. In some terms, a part of yourself is already fully enlightened. Understand that that aspect of your identity is quite real and has existed all the days you have been alive. Understand that you have arisen from what it is and are what it is wrapped in a mask of physical clothing, camouflaged perfectly in your surroundings...

Get to know that aspect of your identity and you will soon forget about enlightenment altogether. Why settle for an illusion? Just be, what it is, you already are.

 

[Me Myself]

I quite like this answer. The thing is, as long as you are pursuing enlightenment, you are only succeeding in pushing it away. There is simply no way to prepare for "the event" and so any attempts at preconditioning the psyche will not work. At best, you will only find what you expect and sadly, that is not enlightenment, though, perhaps, such endeavors can be somewhat illuminating.

Another facet of this riddle is the timeless nature of enlightenment. In some terms, a part of yourself is already fully enlightened. Understand that that aspect of your identity is quite real and has existed all the days you have been alive. Understand that you have arisen from what it is and are what it is wrapped in a mask of physical clothing, camouflaged perfectly in your surroundings...

Get to know that aspect of your identity and you will soon forget about enlightenment altogether. Why settle for an illusion? Just be, what it is, you already are.

We are always pursuing something until we have found. If I amto pursue something anyways, let it be enlightment, and may enlightment find me when the maya expires around my buddhic nature o.o

 

[YmirGF]

We are always pursuing something until we have found. If I amto pursue something anyways, let it be enlightment, and may enlightment find me when the maya expires around my buddhic nature o.o

Hopefully that sun of understanding will shine sooner, rather than later. Good luck on the expiration date.

 

[Prophet]

C. All paths lead to God.

P.S. Some paths are much shorter.

 

[Me Myself]

C. All paths lead to God.

P.S. Some paths are much shorter.

Ha! I do agree

Though the shortest path also depends on where are you starting from and what vehicles you´ve got available.

If you ae a sailor with a big ship the shortest path for you is probably bound to be by sea