Enlightenment (beliefs, experience, convention)

[koan]

Has any one on this forum, met any one they considered to be enlightened? Is enlightenment possible for any one? Does it take an enlightened person, to recognise enlightenment in another? If encountered, what sets an enlightened person apart.

[YmirGF]

Originally Posted by koan

Has any one on this forum, met any one they considered to be enlightened?

Yes I have "met" someone "I" perceived to be "enlightened".

Originally Posted by koan

Is enlightenment possible for any one?

Technically speaking, "Yes"; pragmatically speaking and unfortunately, "No", at least not in their current lifetime. It would be unrealistic for me to offer too much hope to those who are bound by their self-created illusions. I can only stress that under "perfect" conditions any living person can "unfold" enlightenment however unlikely that is in some cases.

Originally Posted by koan

Does it take an enlightened person, to recognise enlightenment in another?

That is a rather cunning question Koan. Yes and no. Let's put it this way, the One will always recognize itself in others. The unenlightened will normally perceive something odd about the enlightened although there are no hard and fast rules. It could be as simple as looking directly into the enlightened ones eyes, but again, even that is not certain, as the enlightened one (male or female) would have to want the observer to "see". I hope that makes sense.

Originally Posted by koan

If encountered, what sets an enlightened person apart.

Hmm. Nothing really, as enlightenment is a process of being. Time simply does not exist in the conventional sense and so all people are, to an extent, already enlightened. The game is all about perception really. What makes "them" different? They are standing comfortably "between worlds" and can handle the dual/multiple experience with ease. The average mortal can barely handle one aspect of reality, let alone what may be considered to be a multidimensional perspective.

Oh well, I don't claim to be right but I do feel a need to point out the no school of thought "owns" enlightenment, but each person is entitled to believe whatever they like or whatever makes sense to them. It's all a part of the endless cosmic lila we are a part of.

[Random]

Originally Posted by Koan

Has any one on this forum, met any one they considered to be enlightened?

Yes, two.

Originally Posted by Koan

Is enlightenment possible for any one?

The realization of it is, yes. That is, everyone has the potential for it, but few know of it or wonder what it might mean. Determinism is the key...

BTW, Koan, can we take it you are getting frustrated in your Buddhist practices? GOOD! Everything worthwhile, not least Enlightenment, is born of frustration. Accept this and your closer to it than you think...hard as that is and all.

Originally Posted by Koan

Does it take an enlightened person, to recognise enlightenment in another?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Koan

If encountered, what sets an enlightened person apart

Difficult to say: because so much of it has to do with individuation one has to get to know the person involved, otherwise most enlightened people appear no different than any other. However, there is in general a holistic outlook and particular temperment that marks almost all.

[michel]

Originally Posted by koan

Has any one on this forum, met any one they considered to be enlightened?

Yes.

Is enlightenment possible for any one?

Everyone has the potential to be enlightened.

Does it take an enlightened person, to recognise enlightenment in another?

I didn't know how to answer that; Paul's answer is a good one.

If encountered, what sets an enlightened person apart.

The enlightenment..................

[Otisreborn]

Originally Posted by koan

Is enlightenment possible for any one?

Who is it that asks?

[koan]

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[James the Persian]

I've met someone (several people actually, but one in particular), who I considered to be enlightened at the time, but I no longer do as I'm no longer Buddhist and hence don't really consider that there is such a thing as enlightenment any more (though it does share some similarity to the idea of theosis).

Anyway, when I was Karma Kagyu, I met the Karmapa (the Indian, not Chinese, one) and several other Lamas who were considered Tulkus. At the time, I clearly accepted this, but now I do not. As my beliefs have changed so much since then, I can't really honestly answer the rest of your questions any longer.

James

[wizanda]

It takes different colours to make white light, so which part of enlightened, are we looking at?
Met quite a few different peoples in artistic and meta-physical realms of talents and abilities here, yet all are unique…… which is sort of distracting from full oneness enlightenment, I saw in heaven.
I think it is hard to be fully enlightened here, when the world asks you “what religion are you”?
As the moment you do this, you state (I am) and so sort of loose the flow….. as you can become stationary in thinking, and in doing place a sort of ego or pride around you, that other will perceive of that religion.
Maybe when we are free of all religious dogma, we can all finally find enlightenment (oneness = as in heaven, here on earth), as for me to be truly enlightened would be to hear the sound of silence and whilst religions counter each other, in parts (Pharisees) means we can never find that end resolution, until we fix it.

[zenzero]

Yes, surely an enlightened person could get the vibration of the others mind as truth is like that still lake and thoughts like ripples will be reflected in the other easily.
No there is no difference in appearance between humans physically.
It is the Truthfulness that sets such a person apart such that the minds of others are unable to accept it. Mind /Ego gets hurt.
So Jesus was crucifies, Aristotle poisoned. others cut to pieces, burned alive etc.etc.

[autonomous1one1]