Do you expect to reach enlightenment in this life?

Of course, as is common, the term 'enlightenment' has yet to be defined and agreed upon here. It's not used that often with regard to the ultimate goal in Hinduism (nirvikalpa samadhi, with moksha as an outcome of that) but is more common when speaking of Buddhism, and I suspect was the English translation of 'nirvana', hence it's more common usage.

When I looked at Webster's, this idea wasn't even there, but there were lots of definitions relating to the age of enlightenment, the European Renaissance, and greater ability to think. This is, I believe, directly related to its precursor, the dark ages.

It is also commonly used as an expression relating to the simple gaining of more knowledge, as in 'please enlighten me on the subject'.

Perhaps it would be useful for each poster to explain what it means to them personally.

Vinayaka said:

Perhaps it would be useful for each poster to explain what [enlightenment] means to them personally.

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I was just going to suggest that, so thank you for bringing it up.

When discussing matters of the Self, I try to emphasize personal experience because that is where the transformation ultimately takes place. Transcendent perception can and does happen spontaneously in all sorts of settings, but given that these moments are rare and unpredictable, it makes sense to engage in activities that hold the power to potentiate these transformative experiences. In my view, the easiest and most accessible activity to encourage awakening is meditation. Through meditation, we can make contact with an aspect of our core identity that is seamlessly unified with an eternal being that is entirely beyond normal human comprehension. When it occurs for the "first" time, this meditative experience draws the curtains on hitherto unconscious phenomena that is yet occurring right now and produces the awakening event that I understand to be enlightenment. It is a non-conceptual revelation of oneself as the deathless all-present all-loving eternal being at the heart of Reality. And yet, One remains aware that there is much more to be revealed. So the journey continues, but perhaps with less interest in vague spiritual goals and more attention paid to the ongoing creative process that one finds themselves inextricably a part of.

Vinayaka said:

Perhaps it would be useful for each poster to explain what it means to them personally.

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Enlightenment for me is to have answers to all of one's questions without conflict with science.

Vinayaka said:

Of course, as is common, the term 'enlightenment' has yet to be defined and agreed upon here. It's not used that often with regard to the ultimate goal in Hinduism (nirvikalpa samadhi, with moksha as an outcome of that) but is more common when speaking of Buddhism, and I suspect was the English translation of 'nirvana', hence it's more common usage.

When I looked at Webster's, this idea wasn't even there, but there were lots of definitions relating to the age of enlightenment, the European Renaissance, and greater ability to think. This is, I believe, directly related to its precursor, the dark ages.

It is also commonly used as an expression relating to the simple gaining of more knowledge, as in 'please enlighten me on the subject'.

Perhaps it would be useful for each poster to explain what it means to them personally.

Click to expand...

It's not a term I particularly like, it sounds like a light-bulb-coming-on-moment.

Secret Chief said:

It's not a term I particularly like, it sounds like a light-bulb-coming-on-moment.

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Yes, I agree. I don't like it either, because, for me, it generally causes more confusion than clarity. I think we've all had light-bulb moments, but I don't think many are enlightened in the way it seemed to suggest in the OP.

Secret Chief said:

It's not a term I particularly like, it sounds like a light-bulb-coming-on-moment.

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What if it switched on all the time? It does not consume any electricity.

Vinayaka said:

.. but I don't think many are enlightened in the way it seemed to suggest in the OP.

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For me, it is understanding. One who understands will take his/her own position for any situation. But perhaps, OP wants its own type of enlightenment.

Aupmanyav said:

What if it switched on all the time? It does not consume any electricity.

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Caution: Conflict with Science.

Viswa said:

Caution: Conflict with Science.

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Buddha's enlightenment bulb was switched on all the time (mine too is). He did not require any electricity (Me too).

Aupmanyav said:

Buddha's enlightenment bulb was switched on all the time (mine too is). He did not require any electricity (Me too).

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Science says, every Bulb blasts one day or fused or filament breaks, so cannot be ON endlessly.

Yeah, I will get extinguished soon (80+), I do not know when.

Aupmanyav said:

Yeah, I will get extinguished soon (80+), I do not know when.

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Science says, the broken bulb or filament can be replaced in same form or different form, and the bulb can glow again. And this replacement can happen 'n' number of times, till the need of artificial light.

The Sum of Awe said:

Whether it is moksha or nirvana, do you believe it will be this life when you reach it? If not, do you think it's possible you'll lose the progress you've made in this life or do you think you'll only progress more towards enlightenment with each passing life?

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For me this comes to the question of how do we know we attained Moksha or Nirvana while physically incarnated.

I assume I have a long way to go though. I still want to taste the sugar and not be the sugar.

George-ananda said:

For me this comes to the question of how do we know we attained Moksha or Nirvana while physically incarnated.

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Full satisfaction happens, and then you don't feel the need of anything/any person/any experience anymore.

Viswa said:

Full satisfaction happens, and then you don't feel the need of anything/any person/any experience anymore.

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What would that look like for a person living in modern suburbia.

Maybe I'm there? I don't feel any needs from people or experiences. But I don't feel that holy loving either all the time.

George-ananda said:

What would that look like for a person living in modern suburbia.

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The feeling of need to know/experience "what would that look like for a person living in modern Suburbia" won't be there.

Viswa said:

The feeling of need to know/experience "what would that look like for a person living in modern Suburbia" won't be there.

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You mean a regular working person with a family can't maintain his responsibilities and find moksha?

How do you think most humans end their reincarnation cycle? And for those that end it, then what?

George-ananda said:

You mean a regular working person with a family can't maintain his responsibilities and find moksha?

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No, they can.

George-ananda said:

How do you think most humans end their reincarnation cycle? And for those that end it, then what?

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No more desire to reborn (i.e. experience physicality) at the time of death.
Then what? What should be then for That Only One?

Aupmanyav said:

Yeah, I will get extinguished soon (80+), I do not know when.

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I also have another question sir.

This, what you say, that you are 80+, is an ignorance based on your Advaita view that, you and body/world are not different. The matter continue to go around.
So your age, is really not 80 now, but about 13 billion years and still counting and don't know when it will end, based on Non-duality. Your brain makes you think that you are 80+ by making duality of "you" and "world" , but not truly that. YOLO is not within 120 years, but actually, YOLO is 13 billion years+. Right?

Viswa said:

Science says, the broken bulb or filament can be replaced in same form or different form, and the bulb can glow again. And this replacement can happen 'n' number of times, till the need of artificial light.

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Sure, my molecules are not going to be wasted. One may even find its way to you, and may cause you to be enlightened (it can happen even when I am alive).

Aupmanyav said:

Sure, my molecules are not going to be wasted. One may even find its way to you, and may cause you to be enlightened (it can happen even when I am alive).

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Nope. There is no 'my molecule' and 'way to you'.
You are the every sub-atomic particles, atoms and molecules. Non-duality - Only You and "You are (or is?) the Universe". The molecules and atoms and the whole universe, which is you, is always enlightened. No 'way to me' for enlightenment. No wasting and preservation of molecules, no differentiation within. No Aup and No Viswa, just the Universe and that's THE One and That's you. Only You are alive as Universe as Always Free/Liberated/Enlightened and no second/other. Right?