Enlightened People

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

I'm, more familiar with Self-realised as well. Enlightenment connotes Buddhism to me. I've met several people on-line who claim to be enlightened, but their words generally make me very skeptical. When confronted with the idea they might not be, they either get angry or defensive, which leads to far more skepticism of course.

I've never met any Hindu swamis who claimed it. Some talked about it, but didn't claim it. I doubt they would.

It seems you assume swamis are enlightened - how did you get that message?

[Vinayaka]

Originally Posted by Gem

It seems you assume swamis are enlightened - how did you get that message?

I don't know how you got that from my words. A Hindu swami is simply, by tradition, one who has renounced the world, and taken sannyas vow, although that too these days has changed.

I'm guessing I just said that because this is the Hinduism section. For the record, I certainly don't assume swamis are enlightened. I'm guessing a few are though, as there are a few million of them.

[kralaro]

Originally Posted by Vinayaka

I've met several people on-line who claim to be enlightened, but their words generally make me very skeptical. When confronted with the idea they might not be, they either get angry or defensive, which leads to far more skepticism of course.

Yeah bro I've had many such experiences. Some get angry, some reply illogically. Met many such people on this website itself.
The person: I can channel God (or some other divine being).
Me: Can you please ask God that what's the number I've written? If you get it right then I've some important questions to ask aimed towards benefit of the world.
The person gives an illogical or illogical+angry reply.
Have tried this both with offering money for service and without offering money. Few exceptional people have been there (example, gave wrong answer or politely refused) but no one has passed my test yet.

>"which leads to far more skepticism of course"
Yeah I cross out the illogical or angry people and keep the exceptions in my maybe list.

[TheImmortal]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I just found the thickest Ramana Maharshi book! Wow.

No...these states of Realization are now at our reach!
And maintaining them, is my point...

Ramana is indeed a "WOW" ! I'm glad that your found him.

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

An 'enlightened person' will make no claim to be such. Their 'enlightenment' will produce subtle outward effects to testify.

This may not mean 'changing water into wine' or 'walking on water' or anything like that.

The first clue that an individual may be enlightened, is their total, abject humility and their desire to do humanitarian and charitable work for the betterment of mankind.

'Enlightened people' are usually very quiet and let their deeds attest to the fact. You can also see it in their eyes...the way they walk and carry themselves...the sweet nature of speech and the distaste for mundane or trivial worldly affairs.

They will never get into an argument and do their best to avoid all kinds of pointless debate on anything. If anybody tells them off, they're like 'yeah, and may God bless you, too'.

'Most of us' are not fools, we are just waiting to get there...whether that be in this lifetime...or the next...or the one after that...

Om Namah Shivaya

[jimrich]

Originally Posted by themyth

I was told that enlightened people live among us.
They have a direct connection with God.
They love him and see him as their Father and the Ultimate One.
Are most of us fools then?
Is this true?

IMcurrentO, we are all absolutely equal and on the path or adventure that is just right for the infinite being or life that is eternally unfolding. Some energy or Wholeness is playing the wizard or messiah while others are playing the fool. It's all just the Play of Life or eternal game and everyone truly is "the Ultimate One" (in disguise).
LOL, enjoy it!

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by themyth

I was told that enlightened people live among us.
They have a direct connection with God.
They love him and see him as their Father and the Ultimate One.
Are most of us fools then?
Is this true?

Enlightenment comes with total cessation of duality. So there is not even a God or Ultimate One to point to.

You just become one with everything that is, and stop labeling people as Hindu,Jew, Muslim, Russian, Mexican, Catholic or Protestant, Shia or Sunni, gay or transgender which is the basis of all unconscious differentiation born of duality and source of conflict .

Psychological time, which is illusory, creates the observer and observed, the duality which creates inner conflict which then transforms into outer conflict described above. Pollution seen in nature and the world too is an external manifestation of the psychic pollution within the individual and mankind collectively.

Thus cleaning up one's consciousness of psychological time and dualistic content, and being established in Being is the responsibility of each and every human being, so that cessation of inner conflict will automatically result in cessation of outer conflict, along with the cessation of external pollution and destruction of nature.

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by kralaro

Yeah bro I've had many such experiences. Some get angry, some reply illogically. Met many such people on this website itself.
The person: I can channel God (or some other divine being).
Me: Can you please ask God that what's the number I've written? If you get it right then I've some important questions to ask aimed towards benefit of the world.
The person gives an illogical or illogical+angry reply.
Have tried this both with offering money for service and without offering money. Few exceptional people have been there (example, gave wrong answer or politely refused) but no one has passed my test yet.

>"which leads to far more skepticism of course"
Yeah I cross out the illogical or angry people and keep the exceptions in my maybe list.

Yea pretending to be "enlightened" is not unusual. Really everybody is on the same road heading to the same destination. The term "enlightenment" to me refers to a certain distance ones learns to have from one's thoughts. This distance can be for a second or permanent or anything in between. A person can get better at practicing it with effort. You can get it then lose it over and over. Also, the actual practice can be shallow or week. Thought is like an onion with multiple layers which go deeper and deeper. That's something else you can advance in.

As far as someone knowing what you have written, I have a friend with psychic abilities. They are pretty raw and he never thinks about them or knows what he can do with them but one day I wrote down a number from 1 to 10 and had him try to guess them. He got 6 in a row right. Wish he could pick lottery numbers lol.

[mulyo13]

I think, enlightened is same with wise.

A wise man won't declaring himself as a wise man, only for show off or only to prove to the others. When a person is 'testing' a wise man, a wise man always withdraw/retreat. People will think he is not wise because he not pass the test. But the truth, he pass the test. A wise man won't declaring himself as a wise man, because is not wise declaring himself as a wise man. And proving to others that he is a wise man is also not wise. A wise man will declaring himself as a wise man, only in a specific situation that he have/must to.
Since this is a knowledge, everyone knew it. So it's hard to know if a person is truly a wise man or not. They can act like a wise man.

Same with enlightened. Time will answer if a person truly reach enlightenment.

[Floatsy]

If you want to know who is enlightened, you would have to first be fully Awakened/Enlightened yourself.

That is the best way, not through relying on thought, conjecture, opinion or even perception.