Why do many people claim they are enlightened when they are not?

So many new age thinkers , even from other religions are now engaged in lot of meditation, rituals and they say they are awakening and claim to be enlightened. But they don't actually fall into the category of the enlightenment we consider as Buddhists.

"Enlightenment is associated with the perfection of discerning wisdom into the Four Noble Truths, which brings about the cessation of dukkha (suffering; stress; dissatisfaction)."

"Attaining full "liberation" and "unbinding," meaning no longer being bound to the cycle of birth and death."

I have read Buddhist teachings which stated that this misconception can actually lead them to danger rather than to sugathi.

The reason why I am asking is (I don't mean to be judgmental here) I personally know of such people who totally view it and live it in a very different way such as having physical connections with more than one partner - because they believe in expanding love, loving more than one person , and being honest about it to the wife makes it "not cheating" .But still it is sexual misconduct. No matter how he/she views it.

And also there are some SPIRITUAL/LIFE COACHES and GURUS. Who misuse religious teachings and mislead their clients. Selling teachings to attain a wrong state of enlightenment.

Why so much of misconceptions in this new age? Any thoughts on this?

[Busby]

It's something which has disturbed me too. In the words of a yogi, words which I will never forget, he said; 'It takes as long to become enlightened as it does for the wings of an eagle to wear away a mountain with the flapping of its wings'.

And we are talking about the Himalayas here.

If the going is good maybe there is one person each year on this planet who attains this goal.

[wstein]

1. Ego
2. Ignorance
3. Differing definitions of 'enlightenment'
4. the one I have encountered most, people *think* they got 'it' because they know SO much more then they did when totally asleep, this comes across as sincere because it is, that attracts followers and reinforces the self assessment

I find the Buddhist definition of enlightenment a bit on the minimal side which makes this falling short even more sad.

[sky]

What is enlightenment ?
From my understanding ' enlightenment ' is an English word which has different meanings. Different Buddhist Schools cannot agree what it means so that's confusing also.

Shunryu Suzuki once said....
' You may call it by many names but for the person who has it it is nothing and it is something '

[Jeremy Bong]

Buddhism have the Hinduism way of Buddhism that's Tibetan Buddhism , Dzogchen and a Chinese Zen Buddhism, Indo-China Buddhism, Japanese Zen, Korean Zen......

Tibetan Buddhism and Dzogchen ultimate highest practice of their teachings is YabYum sex. And when they practicing with their teachings, they first have to pretending they're enlightened they don't mean whether they're enlightened or not. And they've to think they're Buddhas. That's totally cheating themselves and cheating other followers. And they are cultist, as I should call them.

They have sex and others as their sex partners is controlled by the guru, that's they're practicing of spells and incantations or insignia to bewitch or hypnotize on the girls. That's why I call them by the name, cultists.

So before a person is engaged with that type of belief he or she should find out what type of Buddhism teaching are they belonging. Actually they're not Buddhism, they're Hinduism practice. So the followers indulged in sexual activities in the religion have to be away from them and never return again. Or changing their belief path to the pure Buddhism teaching of Buddha Sakyamuni.

[Jeremy Bong]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Bong

Buddhism have the Hinduism way of Buddhism that's Tibetan Buddhism , Dzogchen and a Chinese Zen Buddhism, Indo-China Buddhism, Japanese Zen, Korean Zen......

Tibetan Buddhism and Dzogchen ultimate highest practice of their teachings is YabYum sex. And when they practicing with their teachings, they first have to pretending they're enlightened they don't mean whether they're enlightened or not. And they've to think they're Buddhas. That's totally cheating themselves and cheating other followers. And they are cultist, as I should call them.

They have sex and others as their sex partners is controlled by the guru, that's they're practicing of spells and incantations or insignia to bewitch or hypnotize on the girls. That's why I call them by the name, cultists.

So before a person is engaged with that type of belief he or she should find out what type of Buddhism teaching are they belonging. Actually they're not Buddhism, they're Hinduism practice. So the followers indulged in sexual activities in the religion have to be away from them and never return again. Or changing their belief path to the pure Buddhism teaching of Buddha Sakyamuni.

The above mentioned is what I mean. The one that you QUOTE is from neil. He didn't explain it , who or what group of people are having the wrong incorrect concept of enlightenment......

That can mean Buddha Sakyamuni. That's why I argued with him about. His post is disbelieve to Buddhism as general of any enlightenment which is not true.

He can't use an apple to compare an orange. These are two different religions of two types of philosophy. But Buddha Sakyamuni and Jesus Christ are almost at a same level of God. It's because I know them they're my mentors. Jesus is slightly a bit better than Buddha Sakyamuni. But they're still quite similar at the same level.

When you're having high level dharma energy , it's you to choose whether you want to incarnation or reincarnation from the universe-heaven. It's because you're the driver or controller. But when you're on earth, it's more possible that you are to be fell into the process of reincarnation. Maybe your "dharma energy isn't so high". That's in the cycle of Samara. That's the meaning of nirvana to cease the Samara cycle, but not to be rebirth again.

My Spirit-Gods are not going to rebirth in the future. So I can have my authority not to be in the Samara cycle. And those in the Christianity heaven is also not to be under Samara cycle.

[running]

Originally Posted by FrankieJG

So many new age thinkers , even from other religions are now engaged in lot of meditation, rituals and they say they are awakening and claim to be enlightened. But they don't actually fall into the category of the enlightenment we consider as Buddhists.

"Enlightenment is associated with the perfection of discerning wisdom into the Four Noble Truths, which brings about the cessation of dukkha (suffering; stress; dissatisfaction)."

"Attaining full "liberation" and "unbinding," meaning no longer being bound to the cycle of birth and death."

I have read Buddhist teachings which stated that this misconception can actually lead them to danger rather than to sugathi.

The reason why I am asking is (I don't mean to be judgmental here) I personally know of such people who totally view it and live it in a very different way such as having physical connections with more than one partner - because they believe in expanding love, loving more than one person , and being honest about it to the wife makes it "not cheating" .But still it is sexual misconduct. No matter how he/she views it.

And also there are some SPIRITUAL/LIFE COACHES and GURUS. Who misuse religious teachings and mislead their clients. Selling teachings to attain a wrong state of enlightenment.

Why so much of misconceptions in this new age? Any thoughts on this?

well its a good thing that most people have come to care less about what somebody once thought, who knows when. and each person has there own heart to follow. the followers mentality is a dieing one. most of which has led to killing, sick attitudes towards other cultures.

there is only one thing to surrender to in my view. that is ones heart.

[Jeremy Bong]

Originally Posted by running

well its a good thing that most people have come to care less about what somebody once thought, who knows when. and each person has there own heart to follow. the followers mentality is a dieing one. most of which has led to killing, sick attitudes towards other cultures.

the misconception from the beginning is there is only one thing to surrender to. that is ones heart.

Running, what's "....the followers is dieing one. most of which has led to killing led to killing, sick attitudes towards other cultures"? "And the misconception...... one heart"?

I don't understand what you're talking about, can you tell more clearly? What you're pointing to? It's vain in pointing to the thread title. Is there anything about sexual relationship between the enlightened Buddhists? Or you're supporting them.

[running]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Bong

Running, what's "....the followers is dieing one. most of which has led to killing led to killing, sick attitudes towards other cultures"? "And the misconception...... one heart"?

I don't understand what you're talking about, can you tell more clearly? What you're pointing to? It's vain in pointing to the thread title. Is there anything about sexual relationship between the enlightened Buddhists? Or you're supporting them.

yeah it was. thanx. i edited it. there is only one thing to follow in my view. ones heart.

[Dargor]

Because apparently many people are so full of themselves to a point it isn't even funny. And I personally know one such person in my waking life.