Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
I'm the most enlightened person I've ever encountered. Unfortunately, I have little to offer that most people want - even though they need it.
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Who here is enlightened?
- Thread starter Penumbra
- Start date
Sir Doom
Cooler than most of you
It's curious that the wrongest ones seem to also be the flauntiest ones.
Yes, the age-old human practice of over-compensation. If they can't make themselves believe it, they try make a lot of other people believe it instead.
No way, then everyone would be god! Hands off!
If you are referring to everyone else's superficial disagreement with me, maybe
I guess that must be how enlightened non-dualists see it
I prefer semi-unenlightened non-arithmetician.
"If you want to be right all the time, learn how to change your mind."
-Doom's Maxim
apophenia
Well-Known Member
LOL. Of course.
chinu
chinu
What's new in this, even a five year child think this.
:no: there- god is a biscuit
Have a cookie.
(if god can be a wafer god can just as easily be a cookie. or a waffle. or maple syrup.)
MMmmmMMmmmMmMmmmmm..... etc... :drool:
Everyone is enlightened in some ways and unenlightened in other ways. It has to do with transcendence over an outdated status-quo. One key is realizing the difference between that which is outdated and the convention that is still useful. To complicate things, some useful conventions may lead themselves to more enlightened ends. On a personal level, this means discerning between that which can be changed and that which cannot. How else would some historical figures, such as the Buddha, been incited to seek a "truer" reality to begin with?
I don't know of a final Enlightenment, however. Just as I don't know of an absolute beginning, I also don't know of a definitive end. The process of enlightenment must be eternal it seems. Perhaps the direct personal realization of this eternal process may be considered final, but it would still involve the acceptance of constant change and receptivity to Truth. Having said that, it must also go beyond words and concepts, which are inherently relative.
It also appears that enlightenment is impossible for individuals to seek separately from society. As social animals, we must seek total "truth" together. I believe this lack of realization may be detrimental to social progress as a whole and might even explain the real reason why Bodhisattvas are still sticking around. Again, not that there is a final Enlightenment that I may pin-point, but rather there is a process of total transcendence over the status-quo at any given time within any given culture when it becomes necessary. Eventually and essentially, over time, it will become necessary in order to evolve consciousness as a collective whole. That's how we human beings play the game of life in the long run.
I don't know of a final Enlightenment, however. Just as I don't know of an absolute beginning, I also don't know of a definitive end. The process of enlightenment must be eternal it seems. Perhaps the direct personal realization of this eternal process may be considered final, but it would still involve the acceptance of constant change and receptivity to Truth. Having said that, it must also go beyond words and concepts, which are inherently relative.
It also appears that enlightenment is impossible for individuals to seek separately from society. As social animals, we must seek total "truth" together. I believe this lack of realization may be detrimental to social progress as a whole and might even explain the real reason why Bodhisattvas are still sticking around. Again, not that there is a final Enlightenment that I may pin-point, but rather there is a process of total transcendence over the status-quo at any given time within any given culture when it becomes necessary. Eventually and essentially, over time, it will become necessary in order to evolve consciousness as a collective whole. That's how we human beings play the game of life in the long run.
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Desert Snake
Veteran Member
Your opinion only. People could claim that Buddhism is outdated.
.. and find out, Who here is enlightened.. loll ?
Or maybe just who likes (metaphorical) toys and cookies.
(that might be me) hahaha
People most likely ... open up... the types of "enlightenment experiences" that speak to them personally. (ontologically this must be so)
Now that I think about it- my whole life led up to my experience (it was the "type" I always wanted- for almost 20 years- though I'd given it up for lost), and now I know what it's like to live on the other side of it. The world looks very different from here. Though it was a reality deconstruction/re'construction type experience- I don't think I suspected how much unwanted debris would be left to sort through and rid myself of in the fallout.
Now that I think about it- my whole life led up to my experience (it was the "type" I always wanted- for almost 20 years- though I'd given it up for lost), and now I know what it's like to live on the other side of it. The world looks very different from here. Though it was a reality deconstruction/re'construction type experience- I don't think I suspected how much unwanted debris would be left to sort through and rid myself of in the fallout.
The teachings of original Buddhism itself seem to admit that folks should be open to change, as far as I understand it. I don't know either way as I'm not officially a "Buddhist". These are all our opinions only and should go without saying. How can absolute reality be put into words anyway?
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
True. Buddhism also varies in it's approach to "enlightenment", I think Pure Land Buddhism seems obviously variant from a personal enlightenment path.
ratikala
Istha gosthi
dear diciple ,
Haa , ...... but people claim all sorts of things without realy examining their validity .
buddhism will only be outdated when mankind ceases to suffer from dellusions , ignorance and the aflictive emotions ,
when there is no more suffering in the human realm .
Haa , ...... but people claim all sorts of things without realy examining their validity .
buddhism will only be outdated when mankind ceases to suffer from dellusions , ignorance and the aflictive emotions ,
when there is no more suffering in the human realm .