How did Gautama Buddha reach Enlightenment (Nirvana)?

Originally posted by smithjustinb
reply to post by Visitor2012

 

I agree, so what are we supposed to do?

I don't know.

reply to post by Visitor2012


Here's my thought. We cannot be defined objectively. We can't say anything beyond "we exist" and be telling an absolute truth. So, the truth is we are. It doesn't matter what we are, because all of that is self proclaimed subjectivity. So I believe if you are one who seeks truth, it is important to admit that you do not know what anything is. Learn not to judge anything as good or bad. Things just are. This is the practice of a truth seeker.

A truth seeker does not seek a definite object of truth. The truth seeker seeks to deny the validity of the subjective.

You just exist. That is fact. But that doesn't mean you don't do things. In fact, you can't stop doing things. That's not the point though. The point is, now you know that no one perspective is any more or less valid than the other. Now you can understand life. Now you can look a wolf in the eyes. You no longer have to be separate from the activities of any life form. You can participate. You might not be a bird, but you can watch them fly. You can enjoy their flight as if you were the bird watching itself. You now know yourself to be what everything else is. This is the common ground. This is the common place where subjectivity arises. There is one truth that is the same truth for all. It is no longer about "I am a bird" "I am a human". It is just "I am". Therefore, all are equal.

This is what it's all about. It doesn't matter what you do. Just keep the truth in mind. Superiority in all its forms is a self proclaimed falsehood. We're all the same undefinable existence. "I am better than you" is an opinion built either out of thin air or off of false ideals. Know the truth and live by it.

There is nothing to hate except nonconformance to your ideals. See how hate is built around the belief in your own lies. All ideals are completely insubstantial. Have no ideal and you will have no hate. Love and hate both require reasons. Reasons are of your own creation. There is no reason that you exist. Therefore, love should not be your desire. Your desire should be only the one truth. Love comes naturally. You can't know the truth and have the compassion that can experience the wasp and not have complete and utter joy. It's too awesome. When you know the truth, love or hate become a choice. There is no longer a part of you that you don't understand that is causing you to not know why you feel the way you do. The knower of the truth knows the cause of all emotions. The emotion then becomes a choice.

Originally posted by smithjustinb
reply to post by Visitor2012

 

I like what you said. One question though. If the questioner is the answer, how can it dissappear?

Seek the seeker and you will discover the answer to the question asked.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


Who is the seeker?

Originally posted by AthlonSavage
reply to post by Itisnowagain

 

Who is the seeker?

The one that is seeking. The questioner.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain

Originally posted by smithjustinb
reply to post by Visitor2012

 

I like what you said. One question though. If the questioner is the answer, how can it dissappear?

Seek the seeker and you will discover the answer to the question asked.

Is it because the seeker is also just an idea and, once the truth is found, ideas of the truth go away and what is left is just what is and therefore the truth?

reply to post by smithjustinb


The mind can try to understand but until you actually, directly, seek the seeker, you will never know it's disappearance.

a level of mental maturity is reached when nothing external is of any interest/value to you. the real sees the chance and grasps it. delays if any are due to not letting go %100. this my favourite quote from a book.

Originally posted by Visitor2012
If you are trying to rid yourself of desires, then the desire for enlightenment has to be gone as well. You fail before you start. The realization of this, is the purpose of the attempt. But most seekers, fail to realize this, so they stay on the hamster wheel, believing that they are holy, righteous and on the path to somewhere better. In reality, you can not travel to where you already are, if Buddhist teachings don't lead you to discover this on your own, then you are in for a long ride on the spiritual hamster wheel.


Enlightenment is the transcendence of the mind, once the mind is transcended... Enlightenment no longer exists, nor is it needed. However, enlightenment as a goal...a distant future achievement..is an illusion. True Buddhist teachings should lead you to discover that yourself. The koans, tricks, and impossible commandments were meant to lead you safely through the barrier of insanity into sanity. And to lead you into the profound realization that you ALREADY ARE that which you're seeking.

It is a sad thing to see Buddha being rejected by majority of his own people, but accepted only by foreigners. As his teachings proved true, only then gradually did more indians accepted him. The saying that a prophet will rejected by his homeland but accepted by others had proven true, time and time again.

And unfortunately, even before his body ran cold, many different interpretations of his teachings abound.

Sometimes, one must put a hand and say stop.

Buddha had taught to question everything, even his teachings, so as not be imposed by the experiences of one human and ultimately enslaving oneself to that human's experience, when spiritualism is largely based upon personal experiences.

Challenge the words of the speaker, or one will forever run on another's mental hamster wheel.

Buddha did not achieved enlightenment by NOT seeking for it. He had to make mistakes, almost starved himself dead on a wrong path by the supposed indian gurus. Only upon reflecting on his mistakes in deep meditation in his quest for enlightenment did he achieved it, by realizing it was actually 'within' himself. - his human body and his soul.

Upon achieving enlightenment, he had wanted to stop, but he realized he needs to share it with others, for enlightenment's first spark is compassion for others. And thus saved many, and revered even today in this age of reason, as a true teacher, taught with simplicity, to be understood in simplicity and nothing convoluted that raises more questions than answers that stupified one as other hypocrite ego filled gurus tried to do.

A young college kid graduated with a diploma in finance. He went into that field, made tons of money, married, had kids, owned poshed houses and stocks investments. He thought he had fulfilled his life mission, achievement and enlightenment - that money frees oneself.

One day, the financial crisis struck. He lost everything, even his own kids as his wife sued for divorce. He was reduced to living off the streets - beggind daily for his meals. If finally dawned on him all that he believed in was only a transcent illusion - he finally found enlightenment through his experience.

Many sought to reman in stasis, afterall, upon realizing all is an illusion, so why bother to continue on? Might as well just let the human body rot and await for the end, and finally nirvana.

But an enlightened few will review their own lives, step by step, to find the mistakes made, and to correct them, so that by their existance, they will HELP others to avoid their mistakes, earn karma and gain a better rebirth and a future nirvana.

Buddha's teachings was based upon compassion for others as its central tenet, unlike other gurus who shut themselves off selfishly from the world to await the end believing that they will achieve nirvana, which is wrong.

Epirides,a great philosopher, who lived during 4th century BC, is a master of logic and reason. Even he, with his fautless logic, could not prove OR disprove the existance of God. He thus explained that it is better not to discuss such issues as it will only cause hurt and harm to others. Unfortunately, other athenians call him an atheists, as today's atheists used him as a poster boy stupidly.

Equally, Buddha did not prove OR disprove the existance of God. Despite many attempts by his followers to shed light on the issue, he only taught them to focus on the more critical issues of living, resolve them so that progress and evolution can happen.

Biblical commandments are the moral and ethical guidelines to help the hebrews, christians and muslims to know God and progress/evolve. It never enslaves, as mankind do have free will. Only man interpretations enslaves.

Unfortunately, in 300BC, Buddha's India era, there was a warrior vedic Hinduism & a caste system to tread with.

Just a thought, so he didn't piss or wash himself for 49 days?

reply to post by Observor

You are right about the traditional speak. However, I don't subscribe to it. Gautama's life itself bears no evidence of the traditional path to enlightenment, notwithstanding the stories invented about his past lives.

Ah interesting, creating your own belief system is always a thorough process.

The OP asked what different participants thought about enlightenment and whether they considered it attainable. I shared my thoughts

That's appreciated and I told you what I think about your ideas

reply to post by Angle


Got to be that..

Gautama 'became' (realized) the enlightened one (Buddha) by giving up.
The way to wake up is the same way used to go to sleep. Can you force sleep to come? Only when you are tired and give in will you fall asleep. You will fall awake the same way.

If the self is realized through nonjudgment , then isn't that the same thing as saying the self is realized through love?

When there is submission to awareness, that is love. Right? When there is fear, there is hiding from what you are aware of. The more you fear, the less truth you see. The more you love, the more truth you see.

So, how is it a good idea to let yourself feel fear and hate if what you want is to be more aware?

You've came thus far leaving them with what was right. Connecticut. We are the earth.

Originally posted by sdcigarpig
After many years of study and discussions from several llamas, nuns and monks, it is possible to achieve enlightenment. But the one question still echos, as it takes many years of work and dedication, what does one do after achieving enlightenment?

The reason you exist at all is to provide the consciousness of your being finite to the Infinite, serving as a proxy. It is now your "fight" to not allow the Presence, that you now witness, to overtake you for as long as you have on Earth. Once the Door is opened, it cannot be shut, you cannot "look" away, there is no "off switch", there is no way back. As the moth is drawn to the light of the fire, your work is to fly, but keep at a distance range.

Before the Door is opened you served as a tool and proxy without knowledge as all lower animal lifeforms do. Now you do the same only you are a participant instead of an animation. You are the car that is driven atop the road instead of the road having cars driven atop you.

Originally posted by smithjustinb
If the self is realized through nonjudgment , then isn't that the same thing as saying the self is realized through love?

When there is submission to awareness, that is love. Right? When there is fear, there is hiding from what you are aware of. The more you fear, the less truth you see. The more you love, the more truth you see.

So, how is it a good idea to let yourself feel fear and hate if what you want is to be more aware?

There is no practice that will take you to 'more awareness'.
Who can submit to awareness? Who can love more? Who can stop feeling fear?

Originally posted by smithjustinb
reply to post by Visitor2012

 

I agree, so what are we supposed to do?

Through your surrender, second to second, you will be shown. As you turn away into sensualities, hedonisms and fulfilments of the ego, you will no longer have Guidance, just as before you opened the Door. Yet the opened Door forever emits Its radiance even in your darkest hours. Always reminding you of your free-will chosen destiny.

At every step you will "see" multiple dimensions of the "hey, watch this...", and you will witness the Presence in motion, sometimes being called into being a factor in its performance.

Enjoy the ride as you will be constantly bathed in the Presence while you serve.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
There is no practice that will take you to 'more awareness'.

needs to echoe 7 times

Originally posted by Angle

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
There is no practice that will take you to 'more awareness'.

needs to echoe 7 times

What do you mean?