i am just a simple city boy and am curious about how someone can reach enlightenment, and how do you know when you have reached it??? what must you do to get there? please answer my question??
look at this, a 16 YO boy reached enlightenment in Nepal NO JOKE
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061226/wl_sthasia_afp/nepalreligionbuddhism_061226204510
2006-12-29 17:25:58 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
First, you must cast off the effects of this materialistic society. When you see the newest car and you hear the newest music, when you have no need for anything that advertising say will make you happy, when you no longer care what people think about you because of your clothes or hairstyle, when money is not something you long for, then you will have started on your way.
2006-12-29 17:35:38 · answer #1 · answered by homo erectus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to study Buddhism, find a teacher and start meditation and follow the eight fold path. It may take many life times. Start now, by giving up all your desires.
As to this kid, maybe true, maybe not. I would think that if you were enlightened the world would not know of it. It would not make the headlines. Ponder this and you will begin on the path.
Peace.
2006-12-30 01:33:49 · answer #2 · answered by tonks_op 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The path to enlightenment is called lam rim. Look for lam rim teachings; an excellent book on the subject is Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Kyabje Pabongka.
2006-12-30 01:28:16 · answer #3 · answered by angk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha), the path to enlightenment requires one to forsake all drinking and drugs, as they lessen your awareness.
The path to enlightenment is found in what the Buddha has laid out as the noble eightfold path
Enlightenment can be realized when one has "fully awakened and has realized the ultimate truth, the non-dualistic nature of life, and thus ended (for himself) the suffering which unawakened people experience in life." - Wikipedia
Hope this helped.
2006-12-30 01:31:57 · answer #4 · answered by Gregory K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll answer this way . . . How does someone fall in love ? How does a person know they are in love ?
A person falls in love by opening themselves for love to find a place in them. They open their heart to the environment of love to occur. They know they are in love when . . . they just do. A person has a ' knowingness ' that they are in love, when they have found true, authentic love.
Same for enlightenment. A person opens themselves for enlightenment to find them. They seek it out and open the environment for enlightenment to connect with them. They know they are becoming ( or are ) enlightened when . . . they just know. An enlightened person simply has a 'knowingness' that they are in a realm of enlightenment, that they are living in and experiencing enlightenment.
Tough to explain authentic love sometimes . . . Same for enlightenment...tough to explain pure, authentic enlightenment.
Love simply just ' is ' . Enlightenment purely, simply just ' is '.
Being of enlightment, by the way, feels much as being in true, authentic love . . . only brighter, deeper, happier, peaceful.
And to share love, be in love, with an enlightened person . . . pure heaven ! ( Smiles ).
.
2006-12-30 01:39:48 · answer #5 · answered by onelight 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Enlightenment is "In the Light Meant"
You can read all kinds of books but in the end you will have to look inside yourself for the truth that the light is in you and meant to be in you... as well as in everyone else.
I recommend finding someone who can teach you how to meditate.
2006-12-30 01:46:02 · answer #6 · answered by Charlamaine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very interesting question.
Please go to:http://www.bswa.org
Go to the forum section and look for posting by someone with the name "two mind".
He tried 'mtz'(don't no what the hell is that) to reach jhana and gave a good account of it.
2006-12-30 02:20:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anger eating demon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I only understand that enlightenment can't be reached, just stop views.
2006-12-30 05:03:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
have you heard about this indian guru called osho?
here is a detailed description of his enlightment
http://sannyas.org/quotes/19530321.htm
supposedly, the way to achieve it is through full consciousness. a tool to get there is meditation, but i have also heard about people having transcendent experiences through the means you mention in your question.
2006-12-30 02:18:18 · answer #9 · answered by G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Man that's deep
2006-12-30 01:27:25 · answer #10 · answered by Tonya S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋