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You're enlightened – now what?

whatiscalledthinking.substack.com

31–40 of 239 posts

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#32
post #5

I honestly don't get the point of the article. Is it supposed to be a jab at the modern mindfulness wave? Or is it actually speaking of "enlightenment" as it's understood in most spiritual practices, in which case none of the questions even make sense?

The article desperately tries to push all the triggers like a nerd on a party who tries to small-talk about science with a beauty queen who already has achieved inner emptiness.

Lotta bitter judgement and history in that metaphor

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#33
post #30

If you're enlightened you're probably not asking yourself any of these questions nor reading this article.

If you're not asking yourself some version of any of these questions, it doesn't sound like you've very enlightened at all. Going with the light terminology, you are perhaps blinded and/or overexposed.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#34
post #28

You're Enlightened implies an "I am Enlightened". Now, you're somebody special. This very realization takes you out of Enlightenment. Impossible to define Enlightenment, we can only point to what it is not.

The article does describe someone who is either not enlightened or has been taken out of enlightenment.

Maybe they experienced it, maybe they didn't, but now they are concerned with what to do with their enlightenment. It's gone, if it ever was there.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#35
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article desperately tries to push all the triggers like a nerd on a party who tries to small-talk about science with a beauty queen who already has achieved inner emptiness.

Sorry am lacking reading comprehension- whose buttons are getting pushed here? I am a nerd, I do attend parties with all kinds of people - so you have my curiosity:)

What i wanted to say is that it doesn't really seem to understand the subject and is directed at people who also don't understand the subject but who like to talk about it. It goes off in all angles in order to spark some kind of conversation.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#36
post #5

I honestly don't get the point of the article. Is it supposed to be a jab at the modern mindfulness wave? Or is it actually speaking of "enlightenment" as it's understood in most spiritual practices, in which case none of the questions even make sense?

> Or is it actually speaking of "enlightenment" as it's understood in most spiritual practices, in which case none of the questions even make sense?

You'd think that (and I agree that the article doesn't make much sense) but as a matter of fact, quite a few people seem to think that they are enlightened in the spiritual sense you're talking about, and that this means that their view of enlightenment should definitely be turned into a quasi-cult, with them at the lead. Daniel Ingram (author of Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha - a surprisingly pragmatic take, all things considered!) has repeatedly expressed his frustration with this.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#37

This article is what yall want on the front page? The author submitted and probably vote-manipulated to get it there. It's a content-less article, it has nothing to do with hacker values or software or entrepreneurship. Please vote responsibly, everyone!

It's a lot more entertaining than another presentation of the javascript framework in fashion this hour...

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#38
post #23

What a weird article. It makes several assumptions that seem entirely unproven, such as that someone who is enlightened would immediately want to "spread the word". Similarly, worries about the practicality (or not) of enlightenment seem very un-enlightened almost by definition.

I believe that is the point.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#39
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article desperately tries to push all the triggers like a nerd on a party who tries to small-talk about science with a beauty queen who already has achieved inner emptiness.

Beauty queens can be scientists too, you need to check yourself.

Many beautiful people are not content with just being beautiful. It even gives them some kind of inner unrest that they don't feel they deserve what they have and yet can't achieve what they urge.

Re: You're enlightened – now what?

#40
Well Hitler was known to co-opt and misappropriate esoteric teachings[0] for his own horrible acts. That's the problem with occult teachings; so often they are weaponized for evil deeds. As for enlightenment, it can only be understood by explaining it in paradoxes or riddles. My favorite is:

    If you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha
Which is meant to explain how we should not be attached to Buddha as a personality, but rather understand the teachings instead.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occultism_in_Nazism

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