Law of attraction to reach enlightenment?

Question

This may be a crazy question. But just out of curiosity when we do law of attraction method they say that we can attract money, success or something.

Can we attract enlightenment like that???

So in law of attraction we visualize something that we have already got it. Let's say if I wanna be an actor, I visualize myself as an actor getting an award. And the whole universe will work in a way to make me as an actor.

So similarly when I can visualize I have already got enlightenment, do I attain enlightenment.

Sorry if I have mistakes in my question. But just thinking out of the box with this concept.

Answer 1

"Law of attraction" is, by its meaning, total Dhamma and all works on that. It's the "law of attraction" that keeps one in the wheel, and that of escape, with faith into liberation as alternative attraction. For one once attrated by what is worthy to give in, one has already designed ones deliverance.

Without such as right imaging not much success, yes. Where ever one feels attracted to, what ever one nurishes, to that one falls and vici-versa.

Those who have confidence in the quality of dispassion have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme is the result.

That's most importand, and yes. The related emotion is called pasada and pushed by samvega.

Yet one has no pure imagination of full awakening since there is no reference experiance. But once faced only a little of liberation, once a base for imagination has been seen, there is no way back. So it's not wrong to say: "one who has a (real) imagination of liberation, is as good as already delivered there".

Now it requires a path to be developed to see the quality for one self, starting with right view, goodwill for all beings, right conduct, effort...

The first step is to purify ones image of perfect virtue, after refuge into the three main imaginations, Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, all to lift ones qualities and gain better imagination of a healthy being:

The usual nimitta, better kammaṭṭhāna is "the Buddha", as object of perfect release, the first Meditation object. It starts all with this imagination: Buddhanussati, followed by the next anussatis, attractive reflection objects.

Once a certain stage was once reached, one can go on with a more pure object of attraction, on vimutti by non-craving, liberation, it self. upasamanussati

"Among whatever qualities there may be, fabricated or unfabricated, the quality of dispassion — the subduing of intoxication, the elimination of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the breaking of the round, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, the realization of Unbinding — is considered supreme. Those who have confidence in the quality of dispassion have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme is the result.

So the beginning imaginations are:

Buddhānussati, dhammanussati, sanghanussati, silanussati (ones virtue), caganussati (ones generosity), devatanussati (qualities equal the Gods).

Details are found following the links.

(Note: not given for trade, exchanges, stacks or other bindings but for freedom from entertaining)

Answer 2

The law of attraction as you describe it sounds like it could be misunderstood:

• Imagining "being praised as a famous pianist" won't make a person famous, nor a pianist
• But imagining doing something e.g. playing the piano -- visualising mentally exactly what to do and how it feels to play, rehearsing difficult sequences even when you're not at the piano -- that might help.

---

Anyway, as for Buddhism, what you're asking reminded me of Tantraya:

While with "tantrayana" you are given a simplified image or prototype of the Enlightened Mind to emulate, and you act it until it becomes your second nature.

Or it's also reminiscent of this description of Shin:

It's the "linguistic embodiment" of our already-having-been-saved by Amida. One is then only a witness of this salvation event, not someone who is practicing to achieve one's own salvation.

I think the latter might still be an example of imaging doing -- though in this case the doing is not-doing.

And, I don't know, but a doctrine of "Buddha-nature" might be similar.

And for some reason I'm reminded of this account, these details, of how the Buddha himself became enlightened -- (MN 36):

[...] But with this racking practice of austerities I haven't attained any superior human state, any distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of the noble ones. Could there be another path to Awakening?'

"I thought:

'I recall once, when my father the Sakyan was working, and I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, then — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental qualities — I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. Could that be the path to Awakening?'

Then following on that memory came the realization:

'That is the path to Awakening.'

I thought:

'So why [etc.]

Answer 3

As ChrisW said, this is a known vajrayana practice, congratulations on inventing it by yourself. It's called "generation-stage meditation", you can google it for more details.

Answer 4

I think that this hypothesis (the idea of the """law""" of attraction) should be tested in every possible aspect, including enlightenment. If the idea of the existence of a law of nature that allows you to achieve things and become something, then why not?

Well, I think it wouldn't work.

By definition, enlightenment is the halt of the process of becoming and getting things. It is an internal process in which, slowly, gradually and through repetition and internalization, you change the way you perceive the world, and so, the way you behave and react to the world. Basically, you get free from the old, ignorant habits and tendencies that led you to suffer through the arising of new habits and tendencies, which are no longer born from ignorance, but from wisdom and the knowledge of things as they are. So the question is, can you change habits and become wise just by visualizing it?

Of course desire is needed to attain enlightenment, but it is a desire and effort to calm the fabrications of the mind and to stop craving completely, once and for all. That desire for enlightenment becomes effort and practice.

In sum, visualization (which can be understood as a desire projected in the mind visually) alone can do little for us if it does not result in practice and concrete action.

Kind regards!

Answer 5

If you are referring to the "law of attraction" in the book "The secret" no that's pure pseudo-science. It has nothing to do with Buddhism. STAY AWAY FROM IT

Answer 6

Who is it that "attracts" anything? Is enlightenment far away? Where is it, exactly?

On a slightly different note, related to the practice of magic:

The disciple of an accomplished Zen master was bragging to the disciple of another, saying, "My master can do calligraphy in the air with a brush, and characters appear on paper from across a river. Can YOUR master claim such powers?"

"My master also has great supernatural powers, it's true," the other student replies. "When he's tired, he sleeps. When he's hungry, he eats."