Enlightenment
Enlightenment is defined different ways; no matter. When one is truly enlightened, human definitions are hardly relevant. The top four quotes on this page deal with a statement I've often made and have heard others make—about wanting to be enlightened NOW. In my case, I have found my most profound experiences short-circuited by fear. I couldn't maintain that state because I wasn't ready for it—there was too much mind-purification yet to be done. Because of this, I include these initial statements because they are, in my experience, quite true. When we're prepared for the full experience, it will happen.
"Enlightenment must come little by little; otherwise it would overwhelm." Idries Sha
"Cosmic Consciousness is the ultimate goal of all mankind. All will know it before the long journey of man is finished, but there are many in this new age just dawning who are ready for it in part, if not fully. Many desire it fully, but it is best that it come bit by bit for the complete severance is very dangerous. The ecstasy of this supreme experience is so great that one does not wish to come back. The power of severance of soul from body is within easy accomplishment, but to step back into the body is very difficult." Dr. Walter Russell
“Enlightenment is ego's ultimate disappointment." Chögyam Trungpa
“Knowing others is Wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.” Lao Tzu
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” Carl Jung
“In the process of burning out these confusions, we discover enlightenment. If the process were otherwise, the awakened state of mind would be a product dependent upon cause and effect and therefore liable to dissolution. Anything which is created must, sooner or later, die. If enlightenment were created in such a way, there would always be a possibility of ego reasserting itself, causing a return to the confused state. Enlightenment is permanent because we have not produced it; we have merely discovered it.” Chögyam Trungpa
“He suddenly understood the message of so many spiritual teachers that the only revolution that can work is the inner transformation of every human being.” Dr. Stanislav Grof
“Before enlightenment, I chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, I chop wood, carry water.” [The difference is that after enlightenment, I'm not identified with the one doing the chopping or carrying.] Anonymous Eastern saying
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"Some of the later steps in this course, however, involve a more direct approach to God Himself. It would be unwise to start on these steps without careful preparation, or awe will be confused with fear, and the experience will be more traumatic than beatific." A Course In Miracles T-1.VII.5
"As the light comes nearer you will rush to darkness, shrinking from the truth, sometimes retreating to the lesser forms of fear, and sometimes to stark terror." A Course In Miracles T-18.3.2
Eckhart's Story of His Awakening
Part 1 Part2
Part3
“The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.” Albert Einstein
“I'm simply saying that there is a way to be sane. I'm saying that you can
get rid of all this insanity created by the past in you. Just by being a simple witness of your thought processes. "It is simply sitting silently, witnessing the thoughts, passing before you. Just witnessing, not interfering not even judging, because the moment you judge you have lost the pure witness. The moment you say “this is good, this is bad,” you have already jumped onto the thought process. "It takes a little time to create a gap between the witness and the mind. Once the gap is there, you are in for a great suprise, that you are not the mind, that you are the witness, A watcher. "And this process of watching is the very alchemy of real religion. Because as you become more and more deeply rooted in witnessing, thoughts start disappearing. You are, but the mind is utterly empty. "That’s the moment of enlightenment. That is the moment that you become for the first time an unconditioned, sane, really free human being.” Osho |