gib wrote:Chakra Superstar wrote:If we use a computer analogy, we could say that being Awake is analogous to being "On" while emotional/spiritual states are programs that run on top of that. Most seekers are looking for a program called "Enlightenment" and in doing so, their focus is wrong. It's like the proverbial fish looking for water or the dude looking for his glasses while he's wearing them.
But Chakra, doesn't that mean everyone is always enlightened? What does it mean when someone talks about becoming enlightened?
Yes! Absolutely. That’s exactly what it means.
Advaita/Non-dual teachings posit that man is always Enlightened and that our zombie, semi-conscious, sleep-state is why we don't realize it.
If someone talks about becoming Enlightened they either mistakenly think that the dream character is what ‘becomes’ enlightened or they’re a little sloppy with language. (In truth, the moment we use language, we go off track but that's another thread)
The dream character doesn’t wake up; it doesn’t ‘become’ Enlightened. The dreamer is the one who wakes up and what the dreamer wakes up from is the erroneous BELIEF that he’s a character in the dream. If you fall back to sleep, the dream character may recall fragments of waking up then claim that he -- the dream character -- woke up when in actual fact, the dream character was absent when it occurred. When someone recalls a genuine Awakening 'experience', it's being told by a character that wasn't there.
Re sloppy language… We use sloppy language in day-to-day speak, too, for instance when we say “It’s becoming sunny” we actually mean "it’s becoming less cloudy". We all know the sun doesn’t get larger or brighter so we’re not confused by the language but it can be confusing if we assume that ‘we’, the personality is that which 'becomes' Enlightened. Enlightenment is realized when the personality (ego/psychological identity) falls away.
FTR: The person(ality) doesn't completely vanish; nor is it meant to. So long as we have a body and mind fragments will remain, but they're very thin. We need the personality, the body and mind to operate in this world. They're all part of our total being. It's about perspective (or balance as JSS said)... it's about having a light, healthy mind as opposed to a neurotic mind or fragile identity that constantly gets hurt and angry.