Questions tagged [enlightenment]
The goal of the Buddhist path. Can refer to liberation, awakening or the end of suffering but is generally understood as being indescribable to an unenlightened being.
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If someone at their deathbed feels like they lived a good enough life & don't need anything anymore, does it mean they ceased craving & became Buddhas
If someone at their deathbed feels like they lived a good enough life and don't need anything anymore, then they ceased carving right? Did they become Buddhas? Their last mindstream's moment will not ...
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Who is the latest person to have obtain enlightenment and become a Buddha?
A number of people have become enlightened since Shakyamuni Buddha's realization of the truths. I'm curious as to who the latest person to have obtain enlightenment and become a Buddha is (as ...
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When there is no self, who or what will exert a conscious effort to reach nirvana?
According to Theravadic Buddhism there’s no self. Self is an emergent illusion of a collection of smaller entities ( citta, chaithasika etc), in the same way, the physical body is an emergent result ...
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Parralels between Nietzschean morallity and Buddhism and their paths towards enlightenment
At first glance both of them might seem like 2 fundamentally diametrical opposites. Nietzsche believed that a fundamental truth of life was that "the strong always oppress the weak", and ...
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Whats the path towards enlightenment?
I'm pretty new to Buddhism, so I'm not very knowledgeable about what's most commonly considered as the path towards enlightenment. I already have a pretty subjective idea of it - I have to unify my ...
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Is karma related to entropy and if so is escaping samsara fighting a losing battle? (Warning: long layman ramblings inside)
I am new to Buddhism and wanted to ask a question that's been brimming on my mind for a while now. As a warning, I will touch upon a number of concepts that I am a complete layman in and so I am sure ...
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Did Buddha comment on Hindu incarnations like Krishna Rama etc?
Just wondering, did the Shakyamuni Buddha say anything about Rama or Krishna especially, because he and only he was deemed to be fully awakened by Hindus. He was awakened (may not be fully) is kinda ...
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What happened to Tanha, Raga and Arati?
Was re-watching the movie "Thus have I heard" and started to ponder about the 3 daughters of Mara? What happened to Tanha, Arati and Raga after they failed to enamour the Buddha post his ...
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How was it possible for some people to refute the Buddha face to face?
Bearing in mind that ignorance is in opposition to knowledge and the starting point for all the suffering, it seems still unbelievable that there were people contemporary to the Buddha that ...
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What are the established rules set for a person to Become a Buddha other than, that, he should have lived as a King?
Long time ago , I was reading some text related to Buddha online and saw that there were many pre-conditions already set for a person to become a complete Buddha. I remember very clearly , the first ...
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the enligtenment interview
i found this from learnreligions.com:
If you wonder if you have become enlightened, it is almost certain you
have not. The only way to test one's insight is to present it to a
dharma teacher. Don't ...
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Relationship or mapping between Jhanas ( 4 + 4) and the four stages of Enlightment
Is there a mapping (or relationship) between the 8 stages of Jhanas and the 4 stages of Enlightenment.
This could be a very debatable topic, but really keen to know this.
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Specific ways/practices to help die with equanimity, (less "self") and perhaps even awakening at death-time?
In general all Buddhist practice seems to help with the concerns mentioned in the Title. Equanimity helps with all unwanted, changing conditions (from minor challenges to "aging, sickness and ...
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Where does morality come from in Buddhism?
I have a hypothetical question.
Let's say I don't believe in karma, reincarnation, or any deities of any sort. I also saw in some texts and videos that, to achieve higher awareness, I should not ...
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Enlightened beings (Amitabha, Padmasambhava) created mantras so that people chanting them can gradually 'mould' their mindstream to a similar state
This is how I understand it and I'd like some clarity on where I'm right/wrong.
Rebirth/the next birth happens when the mindstream, attracted to particular situations because of its mental imprints , '...
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Where did the Buddha say that Teachings that don't contain the Noble Eightfold Path cannot lead to Enlightenment?
Question is in the title. I remember reading that statement in a Theravada Buddhist book or PDF file but now I can't seem to find it.
Help would be much appreciated.
user23951
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Who first claimed that "Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment"?
Some people said to me that , Gautama Buddha never made claims about himself that he had gained enlightenment and on the other hand, some people say that's not true.
Some people have also said to me ...
user23574
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Will we all attain enlightenment eventually?
Since the Buddha said everything is impermanent (anicca) 'yan kinci samudaya dhammam sabban tam nirodha dhammam' and ignorance (avijja) is something, won't it be the case that ignorance (avijja) will ...
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Is it necessary to be Buddhist to reach enlightenment?
Is it plausible or possible in Buddhist thought for a being to experience nirvana, enlightenment, without adhering to Buddhist thoughts or viewpoints? It it possible for people to receive true dharma ...
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Is this a right explanation of phenomena of enlightenment by Osho?
Some months back I had written a comment (not able to find it atm) to a post in BSE which resonated with the following explanation of Enlightenment by Osho, that ' Enlightenment is consciousness ...
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Does an enlightened person have access to whatever information he wants?
I am following a guy online who claims to be enlightened. Everything about him is fine and he seems genuine and all but for one reason that he says he has no recollection of his past lives.
Is this ...
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Hate myself more and more wish to die
Shall I be reborn as a girl again? I've had a rough life, gotten a CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident) recently, and am now half-paralyzed. I feel tired of living. I guess God forgot me, given all this ...
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Books on monastic traditions and techniques
Almost twenty years ago I did a meditation on death that catapulted me into a Near Death Experience the likes of which I could not even have imagined possible. This 'mini enlightenment' allowed me to ...
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Should we believe we have no enlightenment whatsoever?
Should we believe we have no enlightenment whatsoever?
I mean, acting like you're the Dalai Lama, famous sage or future Buddha may well come off as offensive and stupid. But if we authentically ...
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Does enlightenment in all teachings amount to a progressively deeper realisation that I am already enlightened?
So e.g. kensho is usually thought of as beginning realisation in zazen, and is into our true nature as Buddhas.
Does enlightenment in all teachings amount to a progressively deeper realisation that I ...
user23322
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The Problem of Evil/Suffering modified into Buddhism
I have a question about Buddhism, which is similar to or modified from the Problem of Evil or the Problem of Suffering in western religion philosophy:
If [ by definition from ordinary intuition ] the ...
user21001
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Two arrows in the domain of vedana
I am familiar with the simile of the two arrows, i.e. an unenlightened being experiencing physical pain (first arrow that hits) will grasp for the release from that pain and thus be hit by a second ...
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Is there a compendium of enlightenment stories (about Arhats and/or Bodhisattvas)?
If I'm getting this right it is/was customary to utter a poem shortly after realizing enlightenment. Are these verses and/or maybe stories and accounts surrounding these beings collected somewhere?
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Confusion about Stream Entry
How is the fetter "Identity View" destroyed by confidence in the triple-gem and ethics ([DN 16, see "Dhamma-Mirror"])? The concept of identity view also seems to be a bit fuzzy. ...
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How to reconcile 'You are already enlightened. There's no need to strive!' with 'You should strive for enlightenment. Purify your mind!'
There are some teachings that go along the lines of:
'You are already enlightened. You just need to realize it. Actually there's no need for you to do anything. If you try to strive for enlightenment ...
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What is difference between Nibbana and asaṅkhataṃ (unconditioned)?
Buddha says Nibbana is ajātaṃ abhūtaṃ akataṃ asaṅkhataṃ. Out of all these four, only asaṅkhataṃ (unconditioned) is something that I have to achieve.
So can I say asaṅkhataṃ is Nibbana and vice versa?
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Why is there even a way to the end of suffering?
There are the four noble truths and we know who and how he found and taught them. There are philosophical questions like where did the first Karma come from and so on, that are not quite conceivable ...
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Non-Self vs. depersonalization disorder
After quite some time of daily meditation, I feel less like having a real separate, permanent self (specific details see below, but it's a general question), which, in my opinion, could be regarded as ...
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How can the Buddha (after he was enlightened) reflect that he was not at ease and then became at ease in seclusion?
This is from the Theravada Vinaya:
While he was staying by himself, the Buddha thought, “When I was
previously surrounded by people, I was not at ease because of those
monks at Kosambī who were ...
user13375
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Relationship between truth and compassion
Can a bodhisattva or lay Buddhist be too concerned with truth at the expense of compassion and altruism?
What is the relationship between truth and compassion? e.g.. is the truth always compassionate, ...
user20628
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Is even Buddhahood itself a short straw next to material wealth and pleasure and fame?
Is even Buddhahood itself a short straw next to material wealth and pleasure and fame? The Buddha could have been a wheel turning monarch, and was in deed born a prince. So perhaps his decision isn't ...
user19950
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Why do enlightened beings want to save sentient beings? Does everyone want to be saved?
Does enlightenment always comes with compassion so that all enlightened beings aspire to save sentient beings from sufferings? Or is the question 'why' only showing that I am using my discriminating ...
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What is the state,the during vipassana meditation?
Now there is no bodily sensation on sitting posture of meditation. Only thoughts are coming. Always close the eyes can see a oil lamp in the Middle. When the lamp not appeared in the front negative ...
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Companies that practice right livelihood
I am looking for companies who operate in resonance with the ideas of right livelihood. I have looked for them, but don't seem to be finding any.
Does anyone know how to find companies that practice ...
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Did Gautama Buddha know his path?
When Siddhartha Gautama started his path, before acknowledging the possibility of achieving and passing on the path to enlightenment, is there reference of his thoughts before making the decision to ...
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What happens to consciousness/awareness when entering Paranirvana?
If consciousness/awareness as the 5th skandha is impermanent (?), shouldn't it cease to exist when entering Paranirvana?
But in SN 22.53 the Buddha says:
"If a monk abandons passion for the ...
user20063
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What would be the relationship between mindfulness, enlightenment and incubation?
From Incubation (psychology) - Wikipedia:
Incubation is one of the four proposed stages of creativity, which are preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. Incubation is defined as, ...
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Where can this story be found?
In the story the Buddha creates a golden lotus and gives it to a monk who soon after attains arahantship.
Story is in attached screenshot taken from the book "Fundamentals of Insight Meditation&...
user19771
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Body state after enlightenment
I've heard (not from Buddhist texts) that after enlightenment the investment in the body dwindles becomes delicate and less resistant to disease ,and that the body needs to be prepared first.So what ...
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What is known about enlightenment before the lifetime of the Buddha? Are there any claims that he was the first?
I am a non-Buddhist who is curious about Buddhism.
In modern times, Eckhart Tolle reports spontaneous awakening as a result of a sudden realisation that came out of intense suffering. As far as I am ...
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Nature of Enlightenment
How did different people with different philosophies and ideologies attain the same enlightenment or did they not? Buddha attained enlightenment and so did Adi Shankaracharya, but their philosophies ...
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For an "advanced practitioner" (sorry), how to view "addictions" (or bad habits) correctly? How to practice?
Sorry but I will talk about attainments and mention some stuff that are sometimes considered hard to get to, you are free to not read. I will probably abandon this account after this post.
Well... I'm ...
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At which stage of enlightenment are the aggregates seen as not-self fully?
In the Khemaka Sutta (https://suttacentral.net/sn22.89/en/sujato) Khemaka is an Anagami and he sees the aggregates as not-self. Based on this I guess the answer to my question is probably stream-entry ...
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Is Enlightenment a momentum with a continuum or can have regressions?
According to buddhism , does the enlightenment have a continuum from an initial momentum or can have also regressions?
I suppose if a specific state of mind has been acquired from innumerable causes ...
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What happens in the state/non-state of Nibbāna?
When a ‘person’ walks the path and reaches the goal of Nibbāna, ‘who’ actually reaches it?
‘Who’ walked the path and where did 'he' go when Nibbāna was reached, to be more exact?
We as unenlightened ...
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