Thank you so much for linking me here, I truly appreciate your support.
Also, it’s true what you said. After experiencing Enlightenment, there is no longer a need for any model. As Hui-Neng said “Nothing, from the first”
Jonathan
Desika,
Welcome back! Your article is a spark to thought. Rather than try to put something in my own clumsy words, let me link to an excellent article by Swami Nirmalananda Giri explaining the concept of enlightenment in the Bhagavad Gita: Union With Brahman.
It is good to explore various concepts and teachings on enlightenment, and go with the one that our illumined intuition resonates with.
Hi Jonathan: You are very welcome! I appreciate your support, too.
Hi ReddyK: Thanks. I really appreciate the link. There is so much information in that article that it will take me sometime to study which is a good thing. I am also of the view that enlightenment of a person is his internal state and others cannot know it. For me enlightenment is only the first step in our evolution on our eternal journey to merge into Brahman. As always, you give me great food for contemplation.
Thanks,
-Desika
Welcome back. A very interesting and thought provoking article. I haven’t come across the story of Sikhidhwaja before so enjoyed reading that as well. The line that “……that the seat of illusion was the mind and not the object that was being perceived.” is something to contemplate about.
Anu,
Thanks. You are very correct about the sentence you quoted. It is something that I have been contemplating of late and also about “letting go” and “surrender.”
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
Desika
Desika,
I think in all these discussions esp. of enlightenment, it is good to recall nAgarjuNA’s dialectic of the tetralemma. He uses (in one instance) the example of a house with 4 walls- the first wall to be torn down is the “I”. the second is the “not I”, the third is “both I and not I” and the fourth “neither I nor not I”. He uses this powerful dialectic, essentially a deconstructionism, so we don’t get trapped in the illusion that we know something or even there is something to be known not to omit the knower-known dualism. The same is true of enlightenment too- the moment someone puts his finger down and says this is it, it no longer is and the tetralemma destroys further refuges which the clever mind can seek. The Buddha also never enunciated or described clearly these things- atman, nirvana precisely because he understood the language trap. So (one of) the etymology of nirvANa from the root “to extinguish” makes more sense in that it is not a state or something to be achieved so much so as shedding delusions and ideas, a classical definition by not defining !!
Hi Manoj,
Hope you are doing well.
You are exactly right. Enlightenment is nothing be achieved, but it is already there. We just need tear down the walls. This is what to me liberation or enlightenment means. Liberation from the box we have created for ourselves through our emotions and suffering. What you described essentially is the “Jnana Yoga” path.
All techniques/paths eventually lead to the path of Jnana (and Bhakthi) only, since Jnana and Bhakthi are one and the same. As you know this state of bhakthi is not the same as doing rituals.
I agree with you that words cannot describe that state. However, all you can describe is the way it shows up through the personality, because the personality (or ego) in my opinion becomes more expansive (not inflated). This also has profound impact on the physiology and emotional states of the person. We can only describe these side effects, but not the state itself. As you said Buddha remained deeply silent, when his disciples asked him to describe God. In that state thoughts may come and go but he was anchored in the source of those thoughts and that source could not be described, but only felt as deep silence. This is what he pointed to through being silent. That is probably one of the reasons why he was misunderstood by his own followers and was called a Nihilist. There was another instance when Buddha supposed to have given a silent sermon by holding up a flower and just gazing at it. After some time only one of his disciples, MahAkashyapa, got it and started smiling.
I agree with you, when you label the state, it is gone. Mind (which is the story of me, arrived at by linking all the random thoughts and emotions) can only capture the past and not the present moment.
Desika
Beautiful article, Desika. Enlightenment is an available state – not something we have to become or do. It’s all about recognizing our true identity, enjoying this world without attaching to it.
Very inspiring!
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
I am happy that you enjoyed the article.
Thanks,
Desika
enlightenment dont exist
period.
“Enlightenment is, therefore, a state of Being, nothing esoteric, your true nature, wherein you are free from constricting mental concepts that create attachments to thoughts that bind you to the objective world.”
What a load of non-sense your missing the point completely! If your supposedly enlightened and don’t already know it, then what is the point or the need to go search for this damn thing, it really makes no sense. From a perspective it looks like it’s just a trap that means you don’t do anything and believe your are enlightened so you really don’t go after it with your heart and being.
Enlightenment is the realization that your spirit and none other than “HE” (god) and not a mere mortal as it seems. To be brutally honest my search has taken me over 10 years and it finally happened, I was just a caterpillar before this now I am a butterfly. What your saying is far from truth as I have experienced it so far, plus mental concepts and attachments have nothing to do with enlightenment!
Dontmatter,
Everyone to his/her own.
Thanks,
Desika
Mits,
The light is already there. If it is not already there and you need to obtain it from somewhere anew, then it is not eternal and you may again loose it. That is why it is called, “Self-discovery,” not “self-invention.”
If you read my article carefully, you will notice that I did not say that everybody was enlightened already, but I said that the light is already there, but obscured by attachments to thoughts, emotions, etc. The effort is needed to remove that veil or go beyond the veil in order to enter the light — en-light-enment.
Ramana Maharshi said that the main hindrance is believing that you are not enlightened, meaning that the light of the divine is not within you already. His approach was to already believe or at the least assume that the light is already there and then strive to remove the veil. This is the same when it is said, “aham brahmasmi” (I am Brahman) or “tat tvam asi” (Thou art that).
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
-Desika
Gaining spiritual enlightenment is ultimate goal of life as a human being! Realizing we are a pure soul atman… the spirit within is essence of spirituality. Spiritual enlightenment is reached via path of sacred Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism… the doctrine given to mankind by Lord Krishna about 3600 years before now! Spiritual enlightenment can never be gained via path of religion (path of rituals)!
Hi Desika,
Thank you so much for linking me here, I truly appreciate your support.
Also, it’s true what you said. After experiencing Enlightenment, there is no longer a need for any model. As Hui-Neng said “Nothing, from the first”
Jonathan
Desika,
Welcome back! Your article is a spark to thought. Rather than try to put something in my own clumsy words, let me link to an excellent article by Swami Nirmalananda Giri explaining the concept of enlightenment in the Bhagavad Gita: Union With Brahman.
It is good to explore various concepts and teachings on enlightenment, and go with the one that our illumined intuition resonates with.
Hi Jonathan: You are very welcome! I appreciate your support, too.
Hi ReddyK: Thanks. I really appreciate the link. There is so much information in that article that it will take me sometime to study which is a good thing. I am also of the view that enlightenment of a person is his internal state and others cannot know it. For me enlightenment is only the first step in our evolution on our eternal journey to merge into Brahman. As always, you give me great food for contemplation.
Thanks,
-Desika
Welcome back. A very interesting and thought provoking article. I haven’t come across the story of Sikhidhwaja before so enjoyed reading that as well. The line that “……that the seat of illusion was the mind and not the object that was being perceived.” is something to contemplate about.
Anu,
Thanks. You are very correct about the sentence you quoted. It is something that I have been contemplating of late and also about “letting go” and “surrender.”
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
Desika
Desika,
I think in all these discussions esp. of enlightenment, it is good to recall nAgarjuNA’s dialectic of the tetralemma. He uses (in one instance) the example of a house with 4 walls- the first wall to be torn down is the “I”. the second is the “not I”, the third is “both I and not I” and the fourth “neither I nor not I”. He uses this powerful dialectic, essentially a deconstructionism, so we don’t get trapped in the illusion that we know something or even there is something to be known not to omit the knower-known dualism. The same is true of enlightenment too- the moment someone puts his finger down and says this is it, it no longer is and the tetralemma destroys further refuges which the clever mind can seek. The Buddha also never enunciated or described clearly these things- atman, nirvana precisely because he understood the language trap. So (one of) the etymology of nirvANa from the root “to extinguish” makes more sense in that it is not a state or something to be achieved so much so as shedding delusions and ideas, a classical definition by not defining !!
Hi Manoj,
Hope you are doing well.
You are exactly right. Enlightenment is nothing be achieved, but it is already there. We just need tear down the walls. This is what to me liberation or enlightenment means. Liberation from the box we have created for ourselves through our emotions and suffering. What you described essentially is the “Jnana Yoga” path.
All techniques/paths eventually lead to the path of Jnana (and Bhakthi) only, since Jnana and Bhakthi are one and the same. As you know this state of bhakthi is not the same as doing rituals.
I agree with you that words cannot describe that state. However, all you can describe is the way it shows up through the personality, because the personality (or ego) in my opinion becomes more expansive (not inflated). This also has profound impact on the physiology and emotional states of the person. We can only describe these side effects, but not the state itself. As you said Buddha remained deeply silent, when his disciples asked him to describe God. In that state thoughts may come and go but he was anchored in the source of those thoughts and that source could not be described, but only felt as deep silence. This is what he pointed to through being silent. That is probably one of the reasons why he was misunderstood by his own followers and was called a Nihilist. There was another instance when Buddha supposed to have given a silent sermon by holding up a flower and just gazing at it. After some time only one of his disciples, MahAkashyapa, got it and started smiling.
I agree with you, when you label the state, it is gone. Mind (which is the story of me, arrived at by linking all the random thoughts and emotions) can only capture the past and not the present moment.
Desika
Beautiful article, Desika. Enlightenment is an available state – not something we have to become or do. It’s all about recognizing our true identity, enjoying this world without attaching to it.
Very inspiring!
Blessings,
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
I am happy that you enjoyed the article.
Thanks,
Desika
enlightenment dont exist
period.
“Enlightenment is, therefore, a state of Being, nothing esoteric, your true nature, wherein you are free from constricting mental concepts that create attachments to thoughts that bind you to the objective world.”
What a load of non-sense your missing the point completely! If your supposedly enlightened and don’t already know it, then what is the point or the need to go search for this damn thing, it really makes no sense. From a perspective it looks like it’s just a trap that means you don’t do anything and believe your are enlightened so you really don’t go after it with your heart and being.
Enlightenment is the realization that your spirit and none other than “HE” (god) and not a mere mortal as it seems. To be brutally honest my search has taken me over 10 years and it finally happened, I was just a caterpillar before this now I am a butterfly. What your saying is far from truth as I have experienced it so far, plus mental concepts and attachments have nothing to do with enlightenment!
Dontmatter,
Everyone to his/her own.
Thanks,
Desika
Mits,
The light is already there. If it is not already there and you need to obtain it from somewhere anew, then it is not eternal and you may again loose it. That is why it is called, “Self-discovery,” not “self-invention.”
If you read my article carefully, you will notice that I did not say that everybody was enlightened already, but I said that the light is already there, but obscured by attachments to thoughts, emotions, etc. The effort is needed to remove that veil or go beyond the veil in order to enter the light — en-light-enment.
Ramana Maharshi said that the main hindrance is believing that you are not enlightened, meaning that the light of the divine is not within you already. His approach was to already believe or at the least assume that the light is already there and then strive to remove the veil. This is the same when it is said, “aham brahmasmi” (I am Brahman) or “tat tvam asi” (Thou art that).
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
-Desika
Gaining spiritual enlightenment is ultimate goal of life as a human being! Realizing we are a pure soul atman… the spirit within is essence of spirituality. Spiritual enlightenment is reached via path of sacred Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism… the doctrine given to mankind by Lord Krishna about 3600 years before now! Spiritual enlightenment can never be gained via path of religion (path of rituals)!