Is enlightenment the only thing that matters?

So I think that at least some folks in religious traditions that embrace enlightenment say that the only thing that matters in our lives is making progress toward enlightenment.

I saw a video about the Kumbh Mela. In part of the video, the Dalai Lama (who was visiting) is interviewed. He said that he regarded Hinduism and Buddhism as sister religions, but that they had a fundamental disagreement. So apparently the Dalai Lama argued that both enlightment and creating the conditions that lead to enlightenment matter, whereas others said that enlightenment alone is what matters.

Any thoughts about this?

 

"Life is simply a journey to it's serenity"

The meaning of life, ..hm
Life to me is about exploring, and maybe seeking enlightenment is finding healthy outlets of positive and negative energies

As a victim of depression, I have found many benefits to deep emotions, weather positive or otherwise

 

well, I guess I'm not asking for the meaning of life, but rather perspectives on enlightenment from within enlightenment traditions.

I would have posted this in one of the specific religion forums, but there are multiple enlightenment traditions.

 

Well, as I recall and I could be wrong, it's been a while, one of the major differences between two schools of Buddhism, Theravada and Mahayana, is that the first teaches that enlightenment is the ultimate goal while the second teaches that enlightenment gives you the option to return to earth to be a Bodhisatva, a teacher who guides others to enlightenment. The Buddha achieved enlightenment and then chose to be a Bodhisatva for 40 years before his death. If he hadn't done that, there would be no Buddhism.

 

I can only give my perspective from outside enlightenment traditions And then I would say, no, it only matters to people who look for that kind of enlightenment. Does that seem a bit droll?

 

Isn't that a statement of faith, much as the Christian belief in the resurrection?

There is no actual evidence to suggest he became "enlightened" and became "Buddha", especially when there is no clear consensus on what entails "enlightenment".

 

To say that enlightenment is the only thing that matters isn't really right, in any case. I think what you meant to ask was, is it the only thing that ultimately matters.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eeyx9S1hOV4"]Aerosmith Dream On Lyrics HQ Sound - YouTube

 

^ thank you moonglow :sunny:

 

i think of enlightenment like this : that the whole of the mind is
trustworthy in enacting goodness . of particular concern is the
sub-mind/the dark side of the moon . it needs to be peaceful .
confusions and confuctions and distortions that lie secreted in
those shadows may at times emerge swiftly and unannounced ,
destructively .

enlightened , you may act well even when oblivious .
hey , you.... divine bliss ninny !

on some daze , a kind light touches all the world around .

 

There's considerably more evidence of that than evidence for Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, even though Buddha lived 500 years earlier.

 

No. Sustenance is of immediate importance and remains so throughout ones life, however mundane that sounds. The SEARCH for enlightenment depends on set, setting, environment and the ability/ opportunity to even understand that enlightenment exists for anyone that wills themselves to then seek it. Enlightenment comes in many forms within each particular quest for the meaning of the temporary(hopefully) esoteric meanings contained within. Some always seek it. Some never do. Some don't even suspect it exists.

 

Really, please detail what constitutes historical, scientific or any other type of "evidence" that "Buddha" attained "enlightenment".....

shit, for that matter please explain how you provide evidence for ANYONE attaining "enlightenment".


You obviously failed to grasp or comprehend that "enlightenment" is not something subject to objective scrutiny therefore you making ANY claims about Buddha or ANYONE attaining enlightenment is a STATEMENT OF FAITH,
nor did you grasp the point I was making concerning "pot calling kettle black",
but honestly, coming from you, no big surprise it went sailing way over your head.




p.s. any fool can see that theoretically it would a lot easier to prove or dis-prove an empty tomb than a completely subjective experience like "enlightenment" in another person long dead.....

 

I suggest you read The Three Pillars of Zen. You might change your mind.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I could say "read the Bible" just as easily.

so in other words you can't adequately address the question.
OK.

But what does reading anything have to do with the simple logic problem that;
1: there is no clear, universally accepted state of being that is "enlightened", so even defining it in order to ascertain someone to be enlightened presents a challenge.
2: any such state is purely subjective and does not lend itself to objective scrutiny or measurement.
3: being a completely subjective state, it is impossible to ascribe the presence or "quality" of this state to any other person with any degree of certainty, this is greatly compounded when the person in question is deceased.

So given the preceding it is;
1: impossible to definitively describe or ascertain what the state of enlightenment is in another individual
2: any reports or writings that state that an individual was enlightened, in the absence of any objective evidence, must be taken with a degree of skepticism.
3: any claims made by any persons living today concerning the state of enlightenment about any deceased persons are by definition statements of faith.

So I really don't know what the fuck you expect me to change my mind about, you will still be making a statement of faith about Buddha, there is no way you're gonna get outa that one, LOL




I thought you had an education.......

 

I will be very sad if this thread just becomes a pissing battle

 

This taco bell is making me pretty enlightened

 

Grilled Stuffed Burrito?

 

It does sound a little hypocritical doesnt it, that the end goal should be to know everything and thus be better than everyone else

Maybe we should follow a path to mediocrity