When the obstacles are abandoned does one experience dharma everywhere?

Question

When I first started to think of encouraging myself on the path I imagined that when I reach the moment of cessation that I would see and experience dharma in an all pervading way " omniscient " is this true or false ...to sum it up once reaching enlightenment there should be a connection made with some sort of unified reality.

Answer 1

I imagined that when I reach the moment of cessation that I would see and experience dharma in an all pervading way

Wrong! There's no seeing at the moment of cessation. All experiences cease. There is no arising.

Only the Buddhas attain omniscience with enlightenment. Others do not!

Connection made with some sort of unified reality.

There's no such thing called a "unified reality". But just before cessation, you will come to the understanding that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory & uncontrollable.

Read the answer given by ven.Yuttadhammo to the following question:

How does stream entry occur?

Answer 2

At point of cessation what you understand is Dependent Arising in some form of the other. The main systematised whay this is described is:

• Four Noble Truths
• Dependent Origination
• Conditional Relations

Also see Dependent Arising by Piya Tan and The Conditionality of Life by Nina van Gorkom.

Some teachers emphasise on the three marks of existence though from my learning these are necessary but not sufficient realisations, i.e., if you have seen the 1st glimpse of Nirvana you have also seen the three marks of existence but having seen it does not necessarily mean you have seen Nirvana. Necessary and sufficient condition being understanding of 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Arising or / and Conditional Relations at the experiential level through at this point you will have the knowledge of the three marks of existence also. [1] and also Goenka's instruction in 20 day course mentions the 1st grilms is when you see the links of depedent origination break and reform.

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[1]

In the Visuddhimagga there are nine insight knowledges. In the sub-commentary written by Mahasi Sayadaw, there are 16 knowledges. And supposedly you are supposed to be able to attain nibbana by seeing anicca, dukkha, or anatta. After you get to what to what they call Sankharu – pekkha; that means “equanimity to formations.” That is the 11th insight knowledge. When you go through this knowledge - far enough - you get to a place where you will see anicca arise 4 or 5 times very, very quickly. Or dukkha arise 4 or 5 times very, quickly. Or anatta arise 4 or 5 times very, quickly. And then you have a black-out. When you come back you will see all the insight knowledges you have gone through; it will happen automatically and you have them in the right order. That’s what they call nibbana. I understand these insight knowledges all the way up to 16. That is not nibbana.

Source: Bhante Vimalaramsi turns the whole history of Buddhism upside down

Answer 3

The word "cessation" ("nirodha") as a Noble Truth means the cessation of craving & suffering (rather than the cessation of sense experience or life). To quote:

Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, nonreliance on it.

SN 56.11

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Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, the holy life fulfilled, who has done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained the goal, destroyed the fetters of being, completely released through final knowledge. However, his five sense faculties remain unimpaired, by which he still experiences what is agreeable and disagreeable and feels pleasure and pain. It is the extinction of attachment, hate and delusion in him that is called the Nibbana-element

Iti 44

'Cessation' is part of both the beginning & end of the noble path. For example, the Anapanasati Sutta states the mindfulness that leads in insight ('investigation-of-dhammas') is supported by 'cessation' and also has the final result of (final) 'cessation' (of suffering). To quote:

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion and cessation, and ripens in relinquishment. He develops the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.

A bhikkhu trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating fading away’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating fading away’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating cessation’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating cessation’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment’; trains thus: ‘I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment’— on that occasion a bhikkhu abides contemplating Dhamma as Dhamma, ardent, fully aware and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. Having seen with wisdom the abandoning of covetousness and grief, he closely looks on with equanimity.

The reason why cessation also is required at the beginning of the noble path is because if a person cannot abandon the basic forms of craving, they will struggle to progress very far.

At the point of final cessation, dependent origination actually ceases (rather than is understood). Understanding dependent origination is required to achieve cessation rather than is the result of cessation. To quote how dependent origination ends when the mind is established in cessation:

On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling, welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

On hearing a sound with the ear…On smelling an odour with the nose…On tasting a flavour with the tongue…On touching a tangible with the body…On cognizing a mind-object with the mind, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing…With the cessation of his delight comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving

If final cessation occurs, the living & present mind will always be unified with seeing the true nature of conditioned reality (i.e., impermanence, unsatisfactoriness & not-self) & also always be unified with the permanent, satisfactory, not-self & unconditioned Nibbana (perfect peace).

As the Dhammapada states:

21. Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless. The heedful die not.

22. Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones.

23. The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering, alone experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.

2. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.

Answer 4

There are three characteristics: things are (everything is) impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not-self.

I think it's said that a person's first glimpse of nirvana is clearly seeing at least one of these: for example, "everything is impermanent" or "everything is unsatisfactory". Clearly seeing one of these leads to detachment etc.

It's not "omniscient" (i.e. "knowing everything"): but it is what you said in the title (i.e. "experience dharma everywhere"), in that it is seeing these (dharmic) characteristics in everything.

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A related term is Vicikitsa (which means "doubt"): this is one of the so-called "10 fetters", and is one of the first 3 fetters abandoned at the first stage of enlightenment.

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Some kind of supernatural knowledge (e.g. Abhijñā) is also mentioned in the Buddhist tradition; however the psychic powers are not synonymous with enlightenment (people might be enlightened without have such power, and vice versa).

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to sum it up once reaching enlightenment there should be a connection made with some sort of unified reality

I don't know: that "unified reality" might be "dhamma"; i.e. if it's true that there is "a connection made with some sort of unified reality", I think that what that means is it's your seeing that the dhamma applies to everything, is an accurate description of everything.