Posted on 09 January 2009. Tags: arahant, buddha, enlightened, enlightenment, nirvana
Like a jigsaw puzzle that would crack and fall down on all our heads. Apparently this is something similar to what a few people have reported Nirvana as being comparable to...
If you’re enlightened, why don’t you write in and tell us all about it?
Daniel Ingram claims to be enlightened…
Do you believe him? Why or why not?
Best of Life!
Vern
Living in Hawaii is nirvana enough.
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About Vern
Aloha! I'm "Vern". I created this site to focus on Hawaii - all the islands - Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and even Molokai and Lanai and Kahoolawe when I can find information on them. I love living in Hawaii, and I think you would too. I hope you come away with something positive as a result of visiting Aim for Awesome. Feel free to add comments or contact me through email found at the Contact page. Best of life to you in 2011 - Aloha!
It seems that it would be hard for someone else to show you the way enlightenment. Of course it isn’t just some secret that you merely need to be told in order to achieve enlightenment. Enlightenment seems to be something of more of a journey rather than a destination. You can get helpful signs to lead you in good directions, but in the end you are the one that has to explore and find your own way.
A jigsaw puzzle is an interesting way to compare it. I have never seen it described like that. I always thought that once you got to enlightenment that it wouldn’t fall apart, but then again I am far from enlightened so that might just be me.
Thanks for the post to get me thinking!
Amazing photograph, Vern. I love that sky.
Happy New Year a bit belatedly!
Initial enlightenment is a discrete “non-moment” that can not be described, because it has no attributes, no features, and there is no one there to experience it. That is probably the best description you’ll get of nirvana. Though it might be helpful to have a poetic description, such as the one above, I think they tend to do more to obscure enlightenment, then make it achievable.
As per Daniel Ingram, his whole aim is to make enlightenment achievable. He is one of many, many people who have awakened, in the classical sense. Though he’s more open about it than some others, there’s really nothing to believe or not believe. He suggests very specific techniques & methods that help focus the inquiry toward attaining enlightenment oneself.
Best of luck,
-Vince