Hello, and welcome to the Ancient wisdom modern mind Blog and today I want to discuss if one would easily recognize and enlightened being if they interacted with one? Plus shed some light on the idea that if by mediation alone one can achieve enlightenment?

First it is very unlikely that the unenlightened would know if someone was truly Enlightenment, for example a child assumes that their teacher is knowledgeable because they have more knowledge, but if you looked deeper than your assumption. For example in the case of a kindergarten child you would most likely be making a correct assumption. In fact when someone is more knowledge about spiritual issues it is our natural assumption to place them on a higher level, but would you assume that your school teacher is enlightened because they have more knowledge that you, and remember what the Buddha was quoted as saying. “That all sentient beings, including those in the animal realm, possess Buddha nature and therefore can attain enlightenment". 

So being more educated is not an indication of enlightenment.

So maybe one’s character could be a method of judging ones enlightenment, but when you think about the people that society considerers of good character, such as politicians and other authority figures would you consider them enlightened. Of course not, because anyone can act or create a good impression. Even a child can do this and you would not assume that every child that creates a good impression is enlightened.

So the truth is you will not find an enlightened being to follow, it is better that you make the effort to become enlightened yourself, Buddha had no help, and he lived the life of a spoilt rich kid that was indulged his every whim, and still he achieved enlightenment. So the real example Buddha showed us, is that even the most unlikely person can become enlightened.

Myth: Meditation in itself will lead to enlightenment & the modern fad where people are claiming instant enlightenment

So the first myth I need to bust is that Meditation in itself will not lead to enlightenment, now of course meditation is a vital tool needed to become enlightened, and I have a short article which explains why mediation alone will not lead to enlightenment if you wish to follow up on is aspect. Follow the link:  Becoming Enlightened | Overlooked Reason the Hermit becomes Enlightened.

Theoretically it is possible to achieve the first stage of enlightenment in about 10 years, but a more realistically time frame would be 20 years if you are very committed and do not fall for the ego traps which imprison most students. However there is a modern fad where people are claiming instant enlightenment without any effort but if you’re honest with yourself you know this is ridicules. This also has parallels with the modern born again Christian beliefs that one can be saved by converting (or being baptized).

Enlightenment is about recreating yourself, about rising above what it means to be human. It is a process that first pulls down what was made by society and then rebuilds a new mind, new person. But enlightened being are created out of silence, which is why meditation is a critical part of their development. If you do not silence the mind/ego then you will be reprogramed with the same errors that created the unenlightened humans.

Myth: enlightenment is instantaneous and I also deal with some of the confusion that revolves around enlightenment terminology

There is some confusion amongst different schools of thought, about whether enlightenment is instantaneous or progressive. But this confusion is because although enlightenment is a progressive development, it is often not recognized until it has fully manifested, thus it can seem even to the enlightened one that their enlightenment was instantaneous.

Zen is full of stories of instantaneous enlightenment, but what the tales do not tell is that the monk had already come to a particular stage where all that was missing was already there, except the realization. And the moment that came in, everything else was already in place. Everything else was already there, only this realization was missing or you could say what was missing was the co-operation of the monk’s conscious self.

The other confusion that revolves around enlightenment is terminology, because enlightenment is in four stages, and what people assume is the first stage of enlightenment is actually self-realization and this self-realization is not actually enlightenment but a profound sense of self-actualization.

This self-actualization is a term that has been used in various psychology theories, often in slightly different ways. The term was originally introduced by the organismic theorist Kurt Goldstein for the motive to realize one's full potential. Expressing one's creativity, quest for spiritual enlightenment, pursuit of knowledge, and the desire to give to and/or positively transform society are examples of self-actualization. This theory was later used by Abraham Maslow as the hierarchy of needs theory, which states that the final level of psychological development that can be achieved when all basic and mental needs are essentially fulfilled. The "actualization" of the full personal potential takes place as a sort of emotional and intellectual self-realization.

Now this state is much closer to spiritual enlightenment and usually is the same state experienced by those who practice meditation for long periods. Self-actualization and even the idea of Self-realization are NOT true states of spiritual enlightenment, all through they are precursor states that can lead to true spiritual enlightenment.

The one fundamental reason that Self-actualization and Self-realization are not true states of enlightenment is because they are Ego based states of consciousness, Self is Ego. Whereas spiritual enlightenment is a state outside the Ego, outside the Self, outside the Mind consciousness, outside Humanness. And I discuss this more in “Impeccability of Stalking Awareness” and “How to Become Enlightened and the Human Agreement” so if you want to delve deeper into my understanding of the egoless state you can also read these in blogs.

The self-realization stage is both profound and a supreme ego trap which entraps the student and this is also the very reason there are so very few actual enlightened masters. But no shortage of people claiming to be enlightened.

In the first true stage of enlightenment one develops Atman Awareness, in Hinduism this is called Savikalpa-samādhi, in Buddhism anāgāmi (Pali for “non-returning”), in Christianity this would be receiving The Holy Spirit (note this is not the modern version but would be likened to the apostles at pentecost), and in Alchemy it is creating the philosopher’s stone.

So there you have it, some thoughts on Enlightened. So Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. and an audio version is also available for download follow the link......

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Related posts:

How to Become Enlightened and the Human Agreement | The Enlightenment Trap: The Hidden Trap this State Presents | What is Rational Thinking: Rational Side of Awareness | What Is Ego and Understanding the Over-Evolved Ego | Impeccability of Stalking Awareness | Atman Awareness is the Real Essence of Existence | What is Enlightenment and how it can be Achieved | Autobiography of a Sorcerer | Increasing Awareness: Overlooked Reason the Hermit becomes Enlightened