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| Poster: A Buddhist Reply Post Message Date: Fri May 31 16:07:28 2002 |
| Subject: Scope of Enlightenment |
| Post No: 926 Reply to: 918 |
Scope of Enlightenment: You can read the history of Shakyamuni in various Sutras or books to determine for yourself what enlightenment is. Enlightenment was discovered by the Buddha when he sat under the Boddhi tree under deep meditation. Enlightenment is ineffable, always existed in the universe; Buddha didn’t invent it; he only discovered it for himself. Some Buddhist scholars have tried their best to describe it as follow: 1) Enlightenment is a state that is free of negative emotions and thoughts. It is a state of complete enjoyment and free of suffering. 2) For people with Zen-like mind, enlightenment is perceiving our place in the universe ( Jean Smith, The Biginner’s Guide to Zen Buddhism.) According to Dogen, “People’s attaining enlightenment is like the moon reflected in water. The moon does not get wet, the water isn’t broken. Though it is a vast expansive light, it rests in a little bit of water – even the whole moon, the whole sky, rests in a dewdrop on the grass.” 3) Referring to what the Buddha saw upon His enlightenment, John Snelling, a Buddist scholar, wrote: He remembered many former existences. He gained knowledge of the workings of karma. He gained knowledge of the destruction of asavas: sensual desires, desire for existence, ignorance, and addiction to views. He saw through his “I” or ego, saw that in an ultimate sense it was an illusion, a creation of thought rather than anything with a more solid existence. There are many other definitions that are too numerous to state here. Therefore, enlightenment encompasses many aspects, not just usual intellect that we use in academic subjects such as science, psychology, philosophy, and so on. |