Buddhist
monks, Hindu yogis, modern spiritual teachers, and Burning Man enthusiasts all
use the term “spiritual enlightenment” – but are they speaking about the same
thing?
In this article I will explore what spiritual enlightenment is,
both the traditional definition as well as the modern interpretation. There is
no consensus around this topic, and it’s an area of intense metaphysical
debate.
My purpose here is to eliminate some misconceptions, and to
discuss the optimal attitudes to develop in relation to this lofty goal.
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The
term enlightenment has different traditional and modern interpretations. |
The Traditional Definition
The traditional concept of enlightenment comes from the
spiritual traditions of India – notably the various schools of Yoga, Vedanta
and Buddhism – and denotes the highest state of spiritual attainment. The end
of the path.
Some of the synonyms for enlightenment, given by different
schools of thought, are:
·
Buddhism
— Nirvana,
Liberation, Awakening, Cessation
·
Yoga
— Liberation (moksha,
mukti), Realization, Release, Aloneness (kaivalya), Union (yoga),
Perfection (poorna)
·
Vedanta
— Self-realization,
Self-knowledge, Jnana
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The
concept of enlightenment comes from the spiritual traditions of India. |
The Root of Enlightenment
All these traditions have several points of disagreement when it
comes to defining the “metaphysical nature” of enlightenment. However, at their
root they all seem to agree on at least three points:
1.
It is permanent
(cannot be lost once attained)
2.
It involves
transcending the ego
3.
It is the end of all
forms of suffering
As you can see, the bar is high.
There are similarities between this concept and what is called
Salvation or the “Kingdom of God” in Christian Mysticism, and “Union with God”
in Sufism, but exploring those is beyond the scope of this article.
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Enlightenment
has roots in many traditions like Buddhism, Christianity and Sufism. |
Modern Conceptions
According to the Bhagavad Gita, only one in a billion people
“knows the Truth”, that is, is Enlightened.
Yet, nowadays there are many people
who judge themselves to be enlightened. That being the case, for 99% of those
people, one of the following is true:
·
(a) They believe to be
more advanced on the path than they actually are.
·
(b) They postulate
different levels of enlightenment, calling the traditional definition “full
enlightenment”, and place themselves somewhere in that scale.
·
(c) They consider
the traditional definition of enlightenment to be mythical, exaggerated, or
impossible. Unable to fathom even how to reach it, they redefine liberation
according to their level of experience.
There will always be people in category “a”, and I’m not so
worried about that. The ego is a master of deceit, and it can clock itself in
spirituality too.
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People
tend to redefine enlightenment to suit their own spiritual journey. |