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Where can You Find Enlightenment?

By Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.

Enlightenment, a term often stemming from Hindu or Buddhist roots, is defined as the extinction of human suffering. Wow, that’s a tall order. Although when …
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3 Comments to
“Where can You Find Enlightenment?”

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Dustin 1:26 pm on July 1st, 2009

Enlightenment, to me, is the freedom of the mind resulting from the epiphany of realizing what is real and true in the world. Also a tall order that most never achieve unfortunately. So for this comment, I will stick with the suggested ‘peace of mind.’

Peace of mind often comes to be by introducing context into my stressful situation. Stuck on the highway during rush hour? Take a minute to think about how many people in the state or country are stuck in similar positions. Take yet another minute to feel fortunate you are not part of the accident that caused the delays.

Introducing a broader context can depersonalize the situation, allowing you to gain the proper perspective and act accordingly. On the flip side, narrowing context can provide the same benefit.

For instance, while walking to the mailbox, suppose a piece of rubbish comes across your path. Thinking globally, you see that piece of trash as insignificant, picking it up does very little to help the global cause of reducing litter/trash. However, if you narrow the context from the whole world to just your neighborhood, then you’ll see that you can make a difference by picking the trash up. Instead of thinking about the impossible battle of ridding the world of litter, relish on the opportunity to help keep your neighborhood clean all while living by example.

Michael Swanhart 11:19 pm on July 2nd, 2009

What a great blog!

Regarding mindfulness:

When sitting, sit. When eating, eat. When washing, wash.

The tweeting of a cell phone can be a reminder to return to the present. When we turn the car on to leave our homes, or when we arrive home after work can be opportunity to pause for a moment.

During distress is a great but challenging time to practice mindfulness. Can we allow ourselves the space to notice the thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations as they unfold – without judgement or aversion? Can we do that when we’re about to behave unwisely? What if our patients could learn this? What if people could learn to be truly present with their loved ones? Adversaries?

The past is like a dream and the future is no more solid. The present moment is always here and should be noticed. Unaware and untrained, our minds tend to linger elsewhere.

Regarding enlightenment:

In my understanding, enlightenment results when we use practices like mindfulness to tap into the true nature of reality. To see things as they really are.

With our mind left on default, reality often becomes obstructed by a limited concept of self, one we experience as separate from everyone and everything else. This separate self develops attachment to pleasurable events/psychological content and aversion to painful events/psychological content. So, tuning in to the always unfolding present moment without judgement is a way to have a break from this cycle and just be.

Cessation of suffering occurs when there is no “I” left to suffer. Enlightment, then, can be understood a lack of our “self”-induced suffering – not some state of bliss to strive for. Striving in this way is still ego-driven – the unquenchable desire for pleasure/fame/achievement. This is what I think Hanh was referring to. Our daily lives ARE our paths to enlightenment, and we’re already experiencing exactly what we need to experience in order to tread the path. Quit looking outside. We already are enlightened underneath it all. Just gotta get the grime off. The more you reside in the present moment, the more you realize that you already have everything you need.

Just pay attention.

S Chander 1:19 pm on January 11th, 2010

The definition of Enlightenment in this article seems misguided and childish.

‘Enlightenment’ is the Truth of existence. Literally. Nothing less. It isn’t an aspiration that points the way or something vague like that. It is not something that rings true, feels nice, or gives you a hug necessarily etc…

It is meant literally the Truth of your existence and the existence of the universe.

People who don’t understand it think it is a feel good kind of thing. It is not. The Truth is not concerned with feeling good or bad; it is just the Truth.

A little digging around into what you believe of yourself (through some therapy or other) will show you a number of illusions inside you. But what happens when you cut through all your illusions ? … then you see the Truth. Literally.

Now, you might feel good temporarily if you can understand how to manage stress in a traffic jam. Enlightenment is a different goal.