We all know the Buddha claimed to be enlightened. And most claim in that same regard, Jesus was too. Buddha described it as an end to suffering, Jesus saw it as salvation.
I know it's an apples to oranges comparison, but many who claim to be enlightened say that everyone is capable of this. Along with the process comes compassion, forgiveness, lasting happiness, gratitude for all life, and really every positive emotion without any of the negatives.
So how do you guys feel about the concept?
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[–] Kromulent 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
There do not seem to be very many Westerners who have credibly managed the trick. It seems somewhat less likely than winning the Powerball.
There's a lot of good than can come from exploring your mind and sorting yourself out, and it can be a very worthwhile thing to pursue for as long as you'd care to pursue it. But I think the idea of enlightenment is a myth.
[–] middle_path [S] ago
Why do you feel this way?
[–] Kromulent ago (edited ago)
Because we don't have any Westerners who have credibly managed it, as I've said.
Of course it depends what your definition of enlightenment is; there are certainly some folks who are unusually happy, and unusually kind, and who seem remarkable to those who know them. I suspect that many of these folks could't tell you the basics of any Eastern philosophy; they might have found their own way to an enlightened end, or they might just be on the long tail of the bell curve for no reason at all.
But I have never met, and never heard of, any living, accessible Western person who could credibly claim to have achieved enlightenment by following an Eastern Spiritual path to that goal. Some have become happier, healthier, better people, but enlightened, in my mind, suggests something more than that.