What is spiritual enlightenment?

[Gambit]

It means to reach complete understanding of the spiritual nature.

Do you have a complete understanding of the spiritual nature?

 

[Gambit]

Is that so? I just don't see any need for either. Although I would cut the middleman and not refer to mysticism, at least for definitions.

Spiritual enlightenment is the goal of mysticism.

 

[Midnight Rain]

Do you have a complete understanding of the spiritual nature?

Nope. And I can't say that I have met anyone who has. Even the Dali Lama would not have obtained perfect spiritual understanding of the nature of the universe and ourselves. Perhaps it is even unattainable in this life.

An alternate theory that is not something I specifically believe is that through the process of energy reincarnation being able to assimilate with the universe and loose your consciousness and join the whole without a distinctive self would be the eventual "Enlightenment" but I don't really know if I would trust that theory.

 

[Gambit]

The wording is different, but the meaning is actually very much the same. Why do you think otherwise?

In Buddhism, to be spiritually enlightened is to be "awakened." A Buddha is an awakened mind.

 

[YmirGF]

Spiritual enlightenment, to my thinking, is an appellation given to a human animal and one that is never taken by oneself.

 

[Gambit]

Nope. And I can't say that I have met anyone who has. Even the Dali Lama would not have obtained perfect spiritual understanding of the nature of the universe and ourselves. Perhaps it is even unattainable in this life

Are you seeking spiritual enlightenment?

 

[LuisDantas]

In Buddhism, to be spiritually enlightened is to be "awakened." A Buddha is an awakened mind.

Correct.

 

[LuisDantas]

Spiritual enlightenment is the goal of mysticism.

Then, logically, mysticism is not automatically needed by spiritual enlightenment.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Spiritual enlightenment is the goal of mysticism.

What exactly do you mean by "mysticism"?

 

[Midnight Rain]

Are you seeking spiritual enlightenment?

Not in particularly. It seems an eventual goal if reincarnation is in fact the truth of the world. Though I myself am not sure how I feel about reincarnation. I think I align more with Buddhists than I do the Hindus or Pagans about reincarnation.

 

[Gambit]

Then, logically, mysticism is not automatically needed by spiritual enlightenment.

This is tantamount to arguing that physical fitness is the goal of exercising and a proper diet. But exercising and a proper diet are not actually needed to achieve physical fitness.

 

[Gambit]

What exactly do you mean by "mysticism"?

Merriam-Webster defines mysticism as "the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight)"

 

[LuisDantas]

This is tantamount to arguing that physical fitness is the goal of exercising and a proper diet. But exercising and a proper diet are not actually needed to achieve physical fitness.

Except that exercise is well defined, while mysticism as a concept is hard to even recognize and therefore inherently problematic to use in practical ways.

 

[Gambit]

Not in particularly. It seems an eventual goal if reincarnation is in fact the truth of the world. Though I myself am not sure how I feel about reincarnation. I think I align more with Buddhists than I do the Hindus or Pagans about reincarnation.

I see. I don't see a lot of practical differences between the Hindu concept of reincarnation and the Buddhist concept of rebirth.

 

[Gambit]

Except that exercise is well defined, while mysticism as a concept is hard to even recognize and therefore inherently problematic to use in practical ways.

This is nonsense. There are well-defined spiritual exercises even as there are well-defined physical exercises.

 

[LuisDantas]

I see. I don't see a lot of practical differences between the Hindu concept of reincarnation and the Buddhist concept of rebirth.

Oh boy, you really should look at it with more attention.

 

[LuisDantas]

This is nonsense.

I gave up on trying to follow your understanding of religious concepts, but it is always nice to have a data point.

There are well-defined spiritual exercises even as there are well-defined physical exercises.

True enough. So what?

 

[Midnight Rain]

I see. I don't see a lot of practical differences between the Hindu concept of reincarnation and the Buddhist concept of rebirth.

Hindu's typically believe in a personal reincarnation where they will be reincarnated. In Buddhism the same soul will usually never reincarnate twice. The idea of a "soul" is rather against the philosophy. Though I have heard one Buddhist say it was like the whole universe was "one" soul and when we die we simply return to that one soul and when we are born its like scooping up a cup of the universe to be put in a single container that will never be that exact soul again.

In Hinduism you are punished/rewarded for your deeds in the next life while in Buddhism this isn't the case. You simply better or worsen the universe as a whole with your karma.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

In Hinduism you are punished/rewarded for your deeds in the next life while in Buddhism this isn't the case.

Karma basically works the same in both traditions.

 

[Midnight Rain]

Karma basically works the same in both traditions.

No it does not. It is FUNDAMENTALLY important in Hinduism (especially more classical Hinduism with a cast system) that you inherit the karma of your previous life. In Buddhism when you are born (unless you are a rebirth of the Buddha or some such exception) you are born with "random" karma. You are not born with karma that you specifically racked up in a previous life but from a random accumulation of karma from the universe itself.

Within a person's lifetime karma functions the same but it is the idea of reincarnation and its dictation of karma that is different.