Enlightenment

[happy soul]

Originally Posted by Uday_Advaita

Enlightenment cannot be obtained. It cannot be achieved by someone. It is a happening only if the Source by its grace decides to reveal itself to the seeker.

Yet the READINESS for enlightenment must be achieved.

We must get to the point where we're fully PREPARED and READY for Source to take the 'final step.'

Each person has their own unique path to the readiness for enlightenment.

Traditionally, there are said to be four paths one may take - jhana yoga (the path of knowledge), raja yoga (the path of meditation), bhakti yoga (love and devotion), and karma yoga (selfless service).

It can help to know which of these four paths we've taken, so we can delve more deeply into that path and apply ourselves more diligently to it.

After completing one of the four paths, one may switch to one of the other three, and begin a new journey on that path, having already found enlightenment.

[happy soul]

double post sorry

Originally Posted by Uday_Advaita

Hello janielee

It was not a casual remark
My understanding is

1. There are about 7 Billion people on this planet. Out of which a few hundred thousand have turned to seeking their true nature. And out of these may be a few thousand have identified with the Source or Self realized or Enlightened and have become living Sages.
2. As stated by me in my earlier posts elsewhere, Seeking happens. And for only a few seekers, in some cases after a lot of efforts (Effort also happens) Enlightenment happens. There are instances where self-realization has happened quite early too. Whether Effort or No effort, Enlightenment cannot be obtained. It cannot be achieved by someone. It is a happening only if the Source by its grace decides to reveal itself to the seeker.
3. So there is absolutely no possibility of everyone getting enlightened on this Planet because the Source will not Will it. Why???
4. Because Sages / Gyanis are truly and fully identified with the Source. Their personal identity is lost forever. For them – I am That, He is That, She is That. There is no separation between a “Me” and the rest of the world. All that is, is That. (This is my understanding from the life stories of the sages and their writings.) I have no personal experience of it.
5. So IF the world were to be full of sages – there would be no disagreement, dissent, debates. Life as we know would simply not happen. There will be NO SPICE.
6. Isn’t life without any spice boring???
7. Hence the Source will not allow it.

These are my concepts / my understanding. It is absolutely ok that some of you may agree and some may not agree. Let there be a debate. Namaskar

The ignorance of these comments is amusing. Ignorance is not a negative term here - it just means a complete and clear lack of comprehension of what spiritual terms even mean - "enlightenment" included. Understand that if one picks up a book and reads it, it is completely different to taking a journey. The Sages all went on the journey - thank goodness there are real road travelers. The rest of us can stay in our chairs and talk about hobbits and gnomes.

Originally Posted by iamthat

A world without disagreement, dissent or debates sounds rather peaceful and pleasant. Who needs spice?
.

The insinuation that enlightenment means a boring life is funny to the extreme - but then again we can cast doubts about how happy a joyous man/woman is all day long. Laughing? Ahh the joy!

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

If everybody became enlightened, they would have no desire to reproduce nor contribute to society...

Buddha taught for 40+ years, establishing the oldest living Sangha that still exists today

Ramana Mahasri taught

Jesus went out and helped the poor, sick and disadvantaged

There are countless married and relationship based Saints in this world today, many enlightened, some more established than others.

The myth of enlightenment propagated (most commonly it seems by the Neo-Advaitan types as seen on this forum) is a result of laziness, ignorance - reading a book and imagining that they tasted the meal, and like unhappy wayfarers along the road, urging others to stay in theory based misery, when the Enlightened Ones are happy and at peace in their hearts, minds and souls - happy, genuine, lives of peace and laughter, clarity and Truth.

That is why these topics, as banal as they are, are no laughing matter for those genuine aspirants along the Way.

'A day will dawn when you will laugh at your past efforts. What you realize on the day you laugh is also here and now'

- Ramana Mahasri

Originally Posted by Uday_Advaita

Enlightenment???

What do you get out of it?

Sages who have tasted it say:

• You get nothing out of it
• No special knowledge comes to you
• No special powers are acquired.
• No riches, recognition, fame awaits you

Yet! Seekers all over the world are desperate to get it.

They indulge in various practices (Sadhanas) like, meditation, vipassana, yoga and quite a few punishing routines etc. and even travel continents for that “Bang” moment.

In Marathi there is a saying – “Unless you die, you can’t see Heaven”

Is this similar?

After Enlightenment what remains is:

• The Mind Body Apparatus (MBA)
• The World around you
• The awareness of I AM – I exist
• Peace & Harmony

Even Lord Buddha has declared that – “Samsara (the phenomenal life) and Nirvana are not different”. However, the all important “Me” – the Doer is lost for ever.

There is truly no one to enjoy the Enlightenment.

SHOULD YOU EVEN CARE???

Who cares !

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by janielee

Buddha taught for 40+ years, establishing the oldest living Sangha that still exists today

Ramana Mahasri taught

Jesus went out and helped the poor, sick and disadvantaged

There are countless married and relationship based Saints in this world today, many enlightened, some more established than others.

The myth of enlightenment propagated (most commonly it seems by the Neo-Advaitan types as seen on this forum) is a result of laziness, ignorance - reading a book and imagining that they tasted the meal, and like unhappy wayfarers along the road, urging others to stay in theory based misery, when the Enlightened Ones are happy and at peace in their hearts, minds and souls - happy, genuine, lives of peace and laughter, clarity and Truth.

That is why these topics, as banal as they are, are no laughing matter for those genuine aspirants along the Way.

'A day will dawn when you will laugh at your past efforts. What you realize on the day you laugh is also here and now'

- Ramana Mahasri

I totally agree with you...for the same "wise ones" who gave us the four rites of passage and the duties of each, also gave us the caste system.

As for "contributing to society", most of society sees that as having a job, paying taxes and producing offspring and I guess Buddha got all of that out of the way early on...but teaching a philosophy without pay isn't really seen by most as contributing to society..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oBIxGjSHzF8

I also agree that these conversations go nowhere...As evidenced by the number of posts I have made in this thread versus the replies I get to them...I generally get more feedback talking to myself.

It's the same all over the forum though...What can one say about a personal experience in the way that anybody else who hasn't experienced it would be able to understand it anyway?

However, as to the part you quoted...Lord Brahma had many attempts at creating mankind..but for the first dozen or so attempts, all they wanted to do was to go off and meditate on the Absolute. It wasn't until Shiva/Shakti got involved that things started to heat up..

Well, that's the story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

*Loving the signature of the poster above me right now*

[Uday_Advaita]

Originally Posted by janielee

The ignorance of these comments is amusing. Ignorance is not a negative term here - it just means a complete and clear lack of comprehension of what spiritual terms even mean - "enlightenment" included. Understand that if one picks up a book and reads it, it is completely different to taking a journey. The Sages all went on the journey - thank goodness there are real road travelers. The rest of us can stay in our chairs and talk about hobbits and gnomes.

Criticism, condemnations are all OK. But they don't add to anyone's knowledge.

You are so very knowledgeable.
Unfortunately I have not come across a single post from you which states your understanding, your concepts, your convictions.
I awaiting your contribution. Namaskar

[Uday_Advaita]

Originally Posted by kumarjitghoshal

Who cares !

Thanks you Dada. You made my day

Originally Posted by Uday_Advaita

Criticism, condemnations are all OK. But they don't add to anyone's knowledge.

You are so very knowledgeable.
Unfortunately I have not come across a single post from you which states your understanding, your concepts, your convictions.
I awaiting your contribution. Namaskar

Knowledge is available to anyone who seeks it - there is book and theoretical knowledge. The knowledge promoted by the Usurpers.

Then there is the knowledge of the Sages who come through the path of realization, practices and inner knowledge.

Talking to the former is like talking to people who think the description of the sun means that there is a fireball in the sky which will burn everyone. Talking to the people who know the sun means mutual smiles as they relax together under the warmth of the Light.

JL