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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[–] middle_path [S] ago
I think that's fair enough. I don't think it's inherently eastern, I feel it does mainly come through meditation - and that concept has really only been around in the western world for the past half century.
But I guess I'm also including the saints in my definition of enlightenment - and they're westerners for sure.
[–] Kromulent 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
The world is full of legends. I'd like to meet an enlightened person, or participate with one in an AMA.
If I somehow managed to stumble upon a way to experience extraordinary happiness, with a new and different view of my place in the cosmos that rocked my old perceptions and left them feeling like a tired illusion, I'd like to think that I'd share this with the few million of my fellow citizens who would surely be interested. Why wouldn't I help them to the same satisfaction, and improve society and humanity as well? Isn't this what the ancient masters did, by writing and preaching, for just this reason?
"Guys, here's what I've learned. Here's the way I interpreted all those obscure and conflicting instructions, and this is what the path looked like to my 21st Century American eyes, and this is what it feels like now". I'm here every Monday to answer questions and I have a YouTube channel."
If I was legit, how badly would you want to hear what I had to say?
Now maybe enlightenment does something to people that turns that away from that sort of action, but if it does, that seems to conflict pretty strongly with what my conception of enlightenment is.
There are few religious or spiritual beliefs that offer a demonstrable, physical artifact as proof of their truthfulness. This is a rare example; if following a given path of instruction is said to offer the opportunity of enlightenment, then we should be seeing enlightened individuals, people who started like us, people who would see no reason to hide themselves away.
And I'd also expect that some of the folks who they set out to guide would find enlightenment as well. They would be pretty hard to ignore after a while, if they really managed the trick of it.
[–] middle_path [S] ago
I agree. I think we both feel the same way, I clearly just lean a little more on the hopeful side of things.
I wish you well, synchronicity will show you something I'm sure, as long as you keep an open mind.
Namaste, nigger.