What is enlightenment? Can the enlightened state can be described with the following different words?
1. Is enlightenment the realization or recognition of our natural state, in which we already are from the birth itself? Is it a way of understanding that everything is as it should be, in this present moment?
2. Is enlightenment the realization or discovery that everything is happening on its own? That nothing is in anybody’s control because there is none to control, nor anything which requires to be controlled, because the feeling of doer-ship is a false idea altogether?
3. Is enlightenment the realization or insight that the feeling or knowledge of separateness is false or an illusion, howsoever it may be useful in social life?
4. On the physical level, is enlightenment a state of total relaxation of the nervous system with full awareness, alertness and consciousness?
5. Is enlightenment the state in which a person regains and discovers the innocence and simplicity of his or her childhood, because the inherent natural qualities just got covered by illusory ego-mind and knowledge happened due to conditioning? In other words, is enlightenment an understanding that all of our actions including thinking happen under the influence of a social conditioning of our nervous system and genes, which may be called accumulated karmas of earlier births?
6. Is enlightenment the realization that the ego-mind does not exist as such, and that it simply appears to exist due to absence of understanding and clarity?
7. Is enlightenment a state in which the contradictions among mana, thought, vachana, speech and karma, actions come to an end? Do all three get synchronized? It is basically a sign of presence of innocence and simplicity just like a child?
8. On the mental level is enlightenment the state in which the grip of thoughts over the person’s actions comes to an end as the supply of energy to the thoughts comes to almost naught because of understanding that the concerned human being is not mind? Is enlightenment an internal mechanism which can be inferred from the actions of the enlightened one’s actions happening out of egoless state?
9. In the state of enlightenment do all the good qualities, especially empathy, kindness and compassion, flow through that enlightened one’s actions effortlessly? Does he or she have no way but to act in this way?
10. Is enlightenment a state in which the power of discrimination comes to an end, unlike other normal human beings? In this sense does the person become just like rock, soil, air, water, fire, body, sun, moon, body, all animate and inanimate? Does it means that he or she does not see another person’s color, creed, cast, position, status, religion, or behave in a similar manner as all sentient beings?
11. Is enlightenment the state in which the person is totally free from all faiths, beliefs, principles, rules, disciplines, regulations, albeit all these qualities get reflected through his actions naturally, so he or she becomes unpredictable like a child?
12. Is enlightenment the restoration of the respect for all sentient beings, even for inanimate objects? And, are the above signs or qualities not exhaustive but illustrative?
Photo by Wammerl, Germany.