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WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?
Written by Andrew Cohen
WE ARE LIVING
IN INTERESTING TIMES. Over the past several years there appears to have been literally an explosion of interest in all matters
spiritual. Its now no longer embarrassing to admit to having spiritual interests or feelings. For more and more people these
days it has become acceptable to begin to speak openly about some of the most fundamental spiritual questions, questions such
as: Who am I? and How shall I live? Even the word "enlightenment" is becoming popularized as a legitimate concept
that is no longer completely foreign to our Western ears.
Enlightenment, in the East, has always referred
to the goal of all spiritual strivingthe very pinnacle of spiritual attainment. And as Eastern mysticism and spirituality
slowly but surely infiltrate and put down roots in the West, their philosophy and terminology have entered our worldview.
We believe, therefore, that at this time when our psychological and spiritual perspectives are being influenced by these new
and potent concepts, it is important to pause and consider carefully what these words that we are beginning to feel comfortable
using actually mean.
While its true that "enlightenment," or the final goal of all spiritual striving,
has always referred to an experiential recognition of that which is absolute by nature, what that absolute actually is, and
what it may have to do with human life, always has been and continues to be up to this day quite ambiguous. The more we have
looked, the more fascinated we have become to discover the enormity of diverging views about this most challenging concept.
Shankara, the celebrated eighth century Indian teacher and founder of Vedantic nondualism or Advaita (not two)
philosophy, from which many of the main currents of modern Indian thought are derived, referred to that which is absolute
as "pure consciousness" or "fullness." Yet Gautama the Buddha is famous for declaring that that which
is absolute is "emptiness" or "voidness." The question of what enlightenment is and what it has to do
with human life is a dizzying business to try to understand because when one begins to look beyond the superficial, it soon
becomes apparent that even the most respected authorities seem to disagree on the most fundamental of matters. And if two
of the most respected authorities in Indian spiritual philosophy seem to disagree on the most fundamental definition of that
which is absolute, the experiential discovery of which is supposed to be "enlightenment," then what are we to do?
If in fact Shankara and the Vedantic philosophers are correct in their declaration that that which is ultimate, and therefore
absolute, is fullness or pure consciousness, then should this lead us to conclude that enlightenment is the experiential discovery
of what is referred to in the West as "God" or "Love" or "Christ-consciousness"? Does that mean
that ultimately there is something, the realization of which will set us free? If Gautama the Buddha was truly the Enlightened
One, then does that mean that his doctrine of emptiness, stating that the absolute nature of all things is emptiness or voidness,
implies that God does not exist? Does the experiential discovery of emptiness reveal to us that there is ultimately nothing,
and will that discovery set us free?
These are very important questions to go into if we are seriously interested
in coming to some real understanding of what enlightenment actually is and what it may have to do with the reality of human
life. And it will become obvious when we begin to look closely at the actuality of our fundamental relationship to life that
the issue of what is absolute soon reveals itself to be much more relevant than we may have previously imagined. Why? Because
for most of us, our fundamental convictions about the ultimate nature of reality tend to have a profound influence on our
relationship to life. For example, those among us who are convinced that there is ultimately a thing that is absolute (God)
tend to display a conviction that life is inherently positive and meaningful. Those among us who are convinced that ultimately
there is no thing usually are not quite so fervent in their conviction that life is inherently a good thing or that it has
any meaning at all. It is because these questions have such a big influence upon our relationship to life, even if we are
not aware of it, that a serious inquiry into them is so essential.
The main issue, of course, is that the
answers to these perplexing questions always have been and continue to be the most challenging to find. The one who has the
rare fortune to actually discover directly for him- or herself what those answers are has traditionally been the one who has
become "enlightened." But the enormous challenge that needs to be faced in order to find those answers for oneself
seems to be, for most, the greatest obstacle to enlightenment itself. And what is that challenge? The absolute nature of the
questions themselvesbecause any question that is absolute automatically forces a human being to confront the meaning of life
and death in a way that is ultimately challenging.
And what makes matters even more complex is the fact
that whenever human beings have dared to ask questions that are absolute, there have always been those who have been more
than willing to impose the answers that they have found upon others. The big problem is that inherent in any conclusion about
the nature of life and death that is absolute is the great danger of missing the mark, of being mistaken, of making the biggest
error that it is possible to make: believing without any doubt that one has found that which is absolutewhen in fact, one
has found nothing more than ones own desire for absolute certainty.
Finally and most ironic of allunless
we are willing to ask the questions that are absolute and in doing so actually dare to find the answers, the enlightenment
and its liberating understanding that has been promised to us by the greatest realizers throughout
history will never
be ours.
As you review each of the inner liberties on the list, just note mentally
whether or not that particular freedom belongs
to you. Our intention is simply to learn what's true about ourselves, not to prove anything about ourselves.
Allow these
forty freedoms to awaken and stir that secret part of you that knows living in any kind of bondage is a lie. Then follow your
own natural sensing all the way to the free life.
You're Well Along Freedom's Path When:
1. You have no
desire to change places in life with anyone else.
2. You step over setbacks without stopping or looking back.
3. You
accept and appreciate praise, but never take it to heart.
4. You don't overeat or feel driven to diet.
5. You don't
think about your sex life.
6. You meet and do what's true without fear of the consequences.
7. You really don't want
anything from anyone.
8. You stop thinking about how much money you may or may not have.
9. You don't carry any upset
from the last moment into the present one.
10. You have no interest in old resentments.
11. You start spending more
time alone and enjoying it more.
12. You stop dreaming of the perfect vacation.
13. You're neither frightened nor
shocked by the evening news.
14. You stop making deals with yourself.
15. You dress for comfort, not for compliments.
16. You lose all interest in trying to win mental arguments.
17. You don't blame anyone else for the way you feel.
18. You forget what it was you didn't like about someone.
19. You're awake to and spontaneously considerate of the
needs of others.
20. You see beauty in life where you never could see it before.
21. Your life gets progressively
simpler.
22. You see where you're wrong sooner than later, and stop defending yourself faster.
23. You do what you
need to do (but don't want to do) and you do it with a
lighter spirit.
24. You're not afraid of having nothing to
say or do, if that's
your true condition.
25. You can take criticism without cringing away from the truth it may hold.
26. You have no concern for what others may think of you.
27. You stop trying to make others see life in your way.
28. You enjoy the sound of silence as much or more than the sound of your own voice.
29. You see the same unpleasant
traits within yourself that have made
you shun others.
30. You say what you want, and not what you think others may
want to hear you say.
31. You actually enjoy hearing about the good fortune of someone else.
32. You see more
and more just how unfree you and others really are.
33. You're moods are fewer, lighter, and move on much quicker.
34.
You see that society is destroying itself and that the only solution is self
change.
35. You can listen to others
without the need to tell them what you know.
36. You don't find a thrill in any kind of fear.
37. You know that forgiveness
of others is the kindest thing you can do for
yourself.
38. You realize that the world is the way it is because you
are the way you are.
39. You'd rather not think about yourself.
40. You can't come up with one good reason why you
should ever be anxious or frightened
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