Who do you think is enlightened in the world today?

[MysticSang'ha]

My first answer is a little obvious.



His Holiness the Dalai Lama.



Peace,
Mystic

 

[xexon]

It is easier to see who isn't than who is.



x

 

[MaddLlama]

Not really understanding exactly what enlightenment is, I don't think I can answer that.

 

[Katzpur]

My first answer is a little obvious. His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

That's okay, mine is too. President Gordon B. Hinckley, current Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'd have to also say that I felt that Pope John Paul II was what I'd call enlightened.

 

[Katzpur]

It is easier to see who isn't than who is.

I think it's easier for people to see what they are looking for than what they aren't.

 

[Hacker]

My first answer is a little obvious.



His Holiness the Dalai Lama.



Peace,
Mystic

I second that Mystic!:yes:

 

[MysticSang'ha]

That's okay, mine is too. President Gordon B. Hinckley, current Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'd have to also say that I felt that Pope John Paul II was what I'd call enlightened.

Those are good, Kathryn.



I thought Pope John Paul II is considered for sainthood. I have no further knowledge on his status, but I think he is a superb consideration for it.



Peace,
Mystic

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Not really understanding exactly what enlightenment is, I don't think I can answer that.

To be enlightened means to be "awakened." To be free from delusion. Whom do you consider, then, to most have this quality? Who do you consider has by teachings or example (or both) to lead people away from suffering and ignorance?




I'm looking for people who are alive today or who have recently departed.



Peace,
Mystic

 

[Katzpur]

Kind of a sidenote here. Last year (or maybe the year before, I'm not sure), the Dalai Lama was in Salt Lake City and paid a visit to President Hinckley. Wouldn't you just loved to have been able to listen in on that conversation?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Kind of a sidenote here. Last year (or maybe the year before, I'm not sure), the Dalai Lama was in Salt Lake City and paid a visit to President Hinckley. Wouldn't you just loved to have been able to listen in on that conversation?

LOL Yeah..........wouldn't it be funny if all they wanted to do was play parlor games?



"Well, you wanna play Twenty Questions, Charades, Tiddlywinks, or Duck, Duck Goose?"





Peace,
Mystic

 

[YmirGF]

There are currently no well known public figures currently that are 'enlightened', not in the "textbook" sense, at least. There are however a growing multitude of human animals in various stages of Illumination. That "force" grows stronger with each passing moment and in many ways is an unstoppable tide.

 

[Willamena]

Joseph Campbell was enlightened.

 

[autonomous1one1]

There are currently no well known public figures currently that are 'enlightened', not in the "textbook" sense, at least. There are however a growing multitude of human animals in various stages of Illumination. That "force" grows stronger with each passing moment and in many ways is an unstoppable tide.

Frubals to you, YmirGF, about the ever growing multitude. I am not sure about the public figures for the Dalai Lama, Pope and Prophet mentioned seem pretty good answers to me. I know the Enlightened are here, living amongst us.

 

[maggie2]

The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandella, Oprah, Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Maya Angelou, Jimmy Carter, Neale Donald Walsch, James Ray, Michael Beckwith, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer and many others, but at least that's a few.

 

[eudaimonia]

No one is free from delusion. I don't think that anyone ever was. So, I'll have to answer "no one". At least not yet.

Whom do you consider, then, to most have this quality?

Oh, to most have this quality? Ayn Rand came close in some ways, though is not a "perfect" example. I'll still mention her because no one else will.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[cardero]

My vote is for Maggie2.

 

[fantome profane]

Joseph Campbell was enlightened.

I agree. And if we are allowed to include people who are no longer with us, I would like to include Albert Einstein.

(and if we are not allowed, tough, I just did )

 

[PureX]

I don't believe that any living human being is truly "enlightened". However, if a few of us were to become fully enlightened, it would be very likely that the rest of us would never know it, I think. As with Jesus standing before the high priests, we would not be able to recognize the face and voice of our own salvation.

 

[joeboonda]

I don't believe that any living human being is truly "enlightened". However, if a few of us were to become fully enlightened, it would be very likely that the rest of us would never know it, I think. As with Jesus standing before the high priests, we would not be able to recognize the face and voice of our own salvation.

I agree, Jesus said that many who are first shall be last, and many who are last shall be first. Some people who seem 'enlightened', and are even widely known and adored by many, may actually be deceivers or deceived themselves, false teachers tickling the ears of their followers and leading many to destruction.

1 But there were also false prophets among the people. In the same way there will be false teachers among you. In secret they will bring in teachings that will destroy you. They will even turn against the Lord and Master who died to save them. His death paid for their sins. They will quickly destroy themselves. 2 Many people will follow their shameful ways. They will give the way of truth a bad name.
3 Those teachers are never satisfied. They want to get something out of you. So they make up stories to take advantage of you. They have been under a sentence of death for a long time. The One who will destroy them has not been sleeping.
3 The time will come when people won't put up with true teaching. Instead, they will try to satisfy their own longings. They will gather a large number of teachers around them. The teachers will say what the people want to hear. 4 The people will turn their ears away from the truth. They will turn to stories that aren't completely true. (from the books of Peter and Timothy)

 

[Katzpur]

There are currently no well known public figures currently that are 'enlightened', not in the "textbook" sense, at least.

To me, the "textbook" sense of who's enlightened is as meaningless as the "textbook" sense of who's saved. How does one person presume to know whether someone else is enlightened? Isn't this a highly personal thing?