Enlightenment... are you enlighten ?

[Storm]

Hi Storm, sorry for not explaining..lower case just means, "Minimal knowledge known about the subject" thus lower case.

You mean, you were referring to the religious concept, but don't know much about it?

 

[joea]

From an Eastern perspective the essence of enlightenment is expanded consciousness or awareness, not just great wisdom or learning.

Currently our senses and awareness are very limited. We see only a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum and hear only limited frequencies. We exist in only one place at a time and, in fact, experience only one time at a time sarcastic) -- and even that at a constant and unidirectional rate.

Enlightened awareness is an expansion of the three dimensions we currently perceive to the eleven or so proposed by current physics. An enlightened person transcends time and space. He exists and is fully aware of past, present and future simultaneously. He is fully present in all places simultaneously. He comprehends the full lifetime experiences of every being that has ever/will ever exist simultaneously.

He becomes the Universe, omnipresent and omniscient.

Beautifully said......

 

[zenzero]

Friend joea,

Yes, friend Seyorni has description of an enlightened person is TRUE not only from an eastern perspective but even from western perspective am sure since enlightenment has n east or west.

However the point is that can such an individual claim that he is enlightened or that he is *god*?
No, it is not possible simply because the individuality of such a person is lost and only on losing that individuality does a person become that *PRESENCE*! In that presence everything is complete even without words.

Love & rgds

 

[Valjean]

Good point zenzero.
God is usually conceived of as a personage. S/he has qualities; a personality.
An enlightened person has transcended these. S/he's beyond God. In Hindu parlance s/he's identical to Brahman. You may still see the shell, but you're not seeing the enlightened person.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Seyorni,

Here's another understanding.
When we see a lighted lamp we see the source of the light we may see the lighted objects around can never comment of the light itself as light has no personality but a presence a quality. Yes the lamp itself may have a personality which you take as *god*.
So the lamp can never claim that the light all around is from him as he is only the medium for that light and as usual below that claimant [lamp] is always in darkness!

Love & rgds

 

[Apollonius Zagreus]

Friend Seyorni,

Here's another understanding.
When we see a lighted lamp we see the source of the light we may see the lighted objects around can never comment of the light itself as light has no personality but a presence a quality. Yes the lamp itself may have a personality which you take as *god*.
So the lamp can never claim that the light all around is from him as he is only the medium for that light and as usual below that claimant [lamp] is always in darkness!

Love & rgds

A lamp without a power-source is useless.

 

[zenzero]

Friend AZ,

A lamp without a power-source is useless.

True, a lamp is made in that form for a particular function if you wish to take it that way.

Love & rgds

 

[joea]

You mean, you were referring to the religious concept, but don't know much about it?

As I said earlier in my post, my thread was for discussion not debating. I don't pretend to know everything. I don't pretend to know all the answers to enlightenment and neither does anyone else..it is an individual thing.

 

[Twilight Hue]

As I said earlier in my post, my thread was for discussion not debating. I don't pretend to know everything. I don't pretend to know all the answers to enlightenment and neither does anyone else..it is an individual thing.

Agreed. Enlightenment is much better and more fun than several long tail cats stuck in a room full of rocking chairs, old ladies, and knitting needles.

 

[Willowmina]

Agreed. Enlightenment is much better and more fun than several long tail cats stuck in a room full of rocking chairs, old ladies, and knitting needles.

Nowhere Man, are you saying Old Ladies and rocking chairs can't be fun???

 

[zenzero]

Friend Willomina,

Old Ladies and rocking chairs can't be fun???

Yes, that too is a fun and path to enlightenment provided one brings *awareness* to the activity.

Love & rgds

 

[Peacewise]

"And grandma's on the front porch swing with a Bible in her hand;
Sometimes I hear her singing "Take me to the Promised Land." "
John Cougar's "Rain on the Scarecrow"

Perhaps this promised land is merely the christian version of enlightenment, so it seems to me.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Peacewise,

"And grandma's on the front porch swing with a Bible in her hand;
Sometimes I hear her singing "Take me to the Promised Land." "
John Cougar's "Rain on the Scarecrow"

Perhaps this promised land is merely the christian version of enlightenment, so it seems to me.

It is!
but it needs to be understood that THIS, HERE-NOW! is that *promised land*, it is not somewhere else for which one needs just *AWARENESS* to realise IT!

Love & rgds

 

[Rainbow Mage]

There are many paths to enlightenment. I prefer the middle road, that's why one of my favorite quotes is in my signature. Yes even though it's from a video game

 

[joea]

Well at the end of the day, there are no right or wrong answers...so am I enlighten ?..NOT YET

 

[Rainbow Mage]

...so am I enlighten ?..NOT YET

I don't think I am either, but remember what the Buddha said about enlightenment. A truly enlightened person cannot claim he is enlightened.

 

[Onkara]

I don't think I am either, but remember what the Buddha said about enlightenment. A truly enlightened person cannot claim he is enlightened.

The emphasis is on "he" not on the claim, because in non-dual enlightenment the enlightenment is knowing that one is not limited but rather a part of the whole. So "he" is the whole, so to claim an individual is enlightened can only be done by someone who is still convinced that they, as an individual, are not enlightened, compared to other individuals.

It is the topic of individuality post-enlightenment on which many gurus may differ.

 

[byenvidnasi]

How does one knows, if he's enlighten ?. can everybody attain enlightenment at some point in time ?. My understanding of this is lower case, thus the reason of bringing it up for more discussion.

I think there is no such thing as spiritual enlightenment. It's just a power trip. If people say that Bob is enlightened that means that Bob, apparently is better than you are and you should do anything that Bob says. Everybody is in the same boat, and nobody is better than anyone else.

 

[joea]

I think there is no such thing as spiritual enlightenment. It's just a power trip. If people say that Bob is enlightened that means that Bob, apparently is better than you are and you should do anything that Bob says. Everybody is in the same boat, and nobody is better than anyone else.

Yes you have your point of view..just remember though, Bob has nothing to do with your enlightenment. Enlightenment is a reward for watching yourself in action. Enlightenment will be given to you just the same as Bob when the time is right. Enlightenment cannot be acquired..you can chase it all you like,but you cannot summon it. It's beyond your volition and will.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Remember, you gain nothing from enlightenment that was not already there to begin with.