Ethical conduct indispensable for attaining enlightenment or Buddhahood

Ethical conduct in the form of right speech, right livelihood and right effort are considered to be vital practices leading to enlightenment in Buddhism or Buddhahood.

Noble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia

The Three Trainings

Ethical conduct is also emphasized in the religious philosophies of Hinduism, Jainism and Sufism for attaining enlightenment.

This itself is a refutation of the nihilist and existentialist premise that life is meaningless and all values and virtues are but abstract mental contrivances without any relevance of their own.

 

Has any enlightened individual ever actually said that they're enlightened?

 

Yes, the Buddha had stated that he attained enlightenment .

There were other people in the past and present who had given their testimony with respect to their enlightened state.

I had created threads on three such sages...

Female enlightened master Rajini Menon on attaining enlightenment by adhering to virtuous conduct...

An account of enlightenment by Gary Weber...

Bernadette Roberts on the experience of no-self

 

Roshi Robert Aitken once wrote that without the Precepts, Zen becomes a mere hobby; just another ornament for the ego.

The Precepts - Rochester Zen Center

 

Present?

Who would that be?

 

if you ask ajayo he will tell you dr. dr. (not) frederick lenz, known as rama or something the guy who committed suicide. before he topped himself he went around saying he was the avatar kalki, or calculus, or something.... also there was that kalki guy who kept his swedish cult in dog kennels and drugged them on ketamine and lsd - this goopface The Cult of Kalki Bhagavan - Open The Magazine

 

Yo Chodpa, long time no see, dude.

Forget about Lenz or others. I hope you are keeping yourself free from drugs or intoxicants as per Buddhist teachings, and having a steady job as well, and not having financial issues as you had rambled earlier.

I had wondered about you, and was hoping that your professional and personal life had changed for the better. If not, you have my sympathies.

 

The Ten Precepts as I received them:

I resolve not to kill, but to cherish all life.

I resolve not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.

I resolve not to engage in improper sexuality, but to be caring and responsible.

I resolve not to lie but to speak the truth.

I resolve not to cause others to take substances that confuse the mind, nor to do so myself, but to keep the mind clear at all times.

I resolve not to speak of the faults of others, but to be understanding and sympathetic.

I resolve not to praise myself and disparage others, but to overcome my own shortcomings.

I resolve not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to give them freely where needed.

I resolve not to indulge in anger, but to exercise restraint.

I resolve not to revile the Three Treasures, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, but to cherish and uphold them.

 

Who would that be?

Dont you remember: CADDYSHACK, where the Bill Murray groundskeeper told Chevy Chase that The Dali Lama had promised him total concsisious on his deathbed. We all can claim that legacy.