Spiritual Enlightenment:
1. Enlightenment, in one sense, does not exist, because it implies the existence of an individual, seperate entity (the person, or "I") becoming something. In another sense, Enlightenment does exist in that it can be defined as the mind clear of all delusions, reflecting the pure, pristine nature of Reality. ******************
Copyright 2004 by Philip Teertha Mistlberger, all right reserved
Nine Essential Points
2. The individual, separate "I" has no actual existence, beyond being a collection of thoughts and memories and conditioned mental patterns, acting in concert with the physical body and its environment, to produce the appearance of a specific separate "me" with a continuous movement through time and space. The "I", or "self", is fundamentally empty.
3. Because "I" or "me" has no actual separate existence (except in a conceptual sense), this notion that "I" or "me" could become something (such as "enlightened") is therefore false.
4. When "I" or "me" is understood to be simply a conceptual construct, then awareness of what is becomes tacitly apparent and clear. What is is simply pure awareness, always here-and-now. This pure and simple awareness is the Ground of Being, our actual identity. It reflects the vastness and instrinsic emptiness of Reality.
5. Pure awareness (or consciousness) is not simply flat and dry (like a detached observer). It is revealed to be of many qualities -- unconditionally accepting of Reality, compassionate, alive, spontaneous, unattached, profoundly wise, etc.
6. The thinking-mind is not "bad". Intellect is not the enemy, and in fact is crucial for understanding Reality. But intellect does not enter Reality. It takes us to the doorway. Entering Reality is via silence, pure consciousness, and is the nature of insight/revelation, not deduction.
7. The mind is chiefly a tool for ensuring the survival of the body, as well as functioning for communication and creativity. The ego, the notion of being a separate and isolated entity, is ultimately an illusion, but the thinking-mind is real within manifest reality and has a particular function to perform.
8. Reality exists in both manifest, and unmanifest expressions. The manifest is the endless dislay of phenomena, the various universes of dimension, matter/energy, and life forms, all of which are animated by the one Spirit-Force (the universal energy, often symbolized by the feminine Goddess/Shakti/Holy Mother/Holy Spirit). The unmanifest is the pure empty, vast presence of Consciousness (often symbolized by the masculine God or Father). The two together -- pure Spirit and pure Consciousness (sound/energy and light), are but two aspects of one continuous Whole. Put another way, Spirit, the energy of the manifest cosmos, is the dynamic expression of Consciousness, and Consciousness, the infinite silent center of Being, is the latent or numinous essence of Spirit.
9. There is Absolute Reality, and relative reality. Absolute Reality is non-dual. Relative reality is dual. Absolute Reality is directly experienced via being awake to our actual nature. Relative reality is the universe of dimension -- space, time, and bodies. The realization of Absolute Reality is to be integrated, or embodied, within the everyday life of relative reality. To ignore relative reality is to deny the world. To ignore Absolute Reality is to deny one's true nature. Both Absolute and relative truths must be understood and embraced in order to live an awakened life.
Over to:
Home