I had wondered a few times recently if it's possible someone could be enlightened and not know whether or not they're enlightened. I know I'm not enlightened but if I ever will be, would I know? Sometimes I feel like I could be content with what I know now, that there is a God, when I had spent years in uncertainty. But, knowing of the existence of God doesn't necessarily mean I know God. It could be that just by breathing I know God. Would I know that I know?
I also wondered if those who felt they were enlightened thought their journey was over.
Whether or not enlightenment is some final perfect goal, to me it's the journey that is more important than the goal. To claim enlightenment is to say the journey is over, that there is no more growing to be done. What happens to someone when they reach enlightenment? Do they have nothing more to accomplish spiritually?
There is no end to infinity, no end-finity. No end-lightenment. Just constant en-lightenment.
At least, that's what I think.
11 comments:
Hello Sophia,
In the examples that I have heard of people acheiving "Enlightenment" they definately knew it.
I agree that there probably is no end to how much one can increase one's consciousness.
I wonder if enlightenment is so noticeable it's like being struck by lightening, or is it more like the boiling frog theory?
Meher Baba said that he had to beat his head against the wall to stop the pain.
I find the analogy rather distasteful. :O)
Banged his head on the wall? I guess it is one of those hurts-so-good scenarios.
So you didn't like the boiling frog story? Take it up with Roger Ford! (By the way, frogs would actually jump out. The story is just a story used to teach lessons.)
I think you would REALLY like two books, both by Deepak Chopra: HOW TO KNOW GOD, and BUDDHA.
Hi, Sophia.
I think someone could achieve enlightennment and not know it. It could be a steady progression towards it, and if the person keeps acting according to their own internal high standards he/she might never really know what they've achieved. This happens routinely; people can be little known during their lives, and it takes years of analysis of their work after their death to see exactly how they've affected civilization. Now with the web the whole Earth has become an information storage/retrieval system, very mind-like. Though it may be possible that a true transformative genius will never have their work fully analyzed, for what they accomplished may be too great.
donstockbauer **att** hotmail.com
Jody,
At one time I had written off Deepak as some new age guy, but not too long ago I read an article he wrote about manifesting synchronicity and I think he may have been on to something. I've always been one to be wary of pop-culture teachers. I had an unconscious rule to avoid anything that Oprah endorsed. :) That is why I never looked closely into Eckhart Tolle.
Anyway, I suppose it follows that once esoteric teachers become popular, they're no longer esoteric, but that doesn't mean their teachings are any less important.
There's just something to those wise hermits that makes it seem like they're the ones to seek for answers.
Thanks for the book ideas.
Hi Don,
I tend to keep thinking that enlightenment won't happen unless I achieve some state of perfection. I'm starting to see, though, that the idea of "perfection" is just that - an idea. Things are good and bad when we say they're good and bad, but without anyone to say something is good or bad, the thing would just be what it is, it would just be.
Sophia,
Here's an example. Your body is made from trillions of cells. Each is not perfect, in fact, each isn't a whole lot more anvanced than an amoeba. Yet they all combine into a whole much greater than the sum of the individual cells.
Maybe perfection is an evil, counterproductive goal. Look at the artist who never finishs a work, always wanting perfection. Maybe "good enough" kicks in at some point - you get things good enough and that enables some sort of transcendence, which itself may not be perfect but is much more powerful than its parts.
donstockbauer **att* hotmail.com
Don,
I've always loved the saying, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." I can't remember who said it but I learned about it in psychology class in college. I see a lot more in it now than I did at the time. "If I knew then what I know now!" :)
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