|
There
is much misunderstanding about the term enlightenment. Such a
vast truth cannot be the subject of opinions or intellectual
interpretations. As a matter of fact there are many
definitions and explanations regarding the subject. Any
explanation whether it is from an enlightened being himself or
from a layperson cannot fully explain it. However, an
enlightened being can hint at the truth to invite people to
enlightenment. Enlightenment is the English word for what
ancient Indian mystics have called samadhi, Jesus
called it Kingdom of Heaven, Sufis - fana, Buddha -
Nirvana. Other terms used by Indians are moksha and mukti.
Here I have given different names for the one and same truth.
But what in fact is enlightenment? Its experience can be the
only answer. However, I am giving a hint with the hope that my
words trigger the desire in the hearts of people to move
towards it.
Enlightenment
means to be awakened to the reality that one is not only a
physical body, a thinking process, a reservoir of feelings,
but a boundless ocean of conscious energy beyond time and
space. Such a realisation dawns upon man when what he calls
‘I’ and ‘mine’ dissolve away like an air bubble, thus
the space within and without is realised to be the same. With
the dawn of enlightenment it is as if a dream is broken and
reality shines in all its glory. Enlightenment is not a
subjective experience - in fact, it is not an experience but
the ultimate truth of life. That same state has become the
Universe and the smallest detail in it. The common term for
that state is God, Iswar, Brahm, Allah and innumerable others.
It is omnipresent and is the essence of the whole existence.
|
|
Aham
brahmasi, soham, shivoham
, I and my Father are one, Nirvana, I am all, in all, I am
form and formless: these are a few expressions used by those
who have attained enlightenment to describe the ultimate
realisation. Today people are so far away from the truth that
they will find it blasphemous when someone who has attained
proclaims it. “Those who know do not say it,” has said a
mystic. But there are many who have declared it loud and
clear, does this mean that they have not attained? When
Vivekananda asked Ramakrishna, “Sir, have you seen God?”,
the answer came without any faltering in the voice of the
great master, “Yes, but much clearer than I am seeing you
now.”
What
is wrong in sharing what you have achieved? It is so vast that
it is not easily contained. Many have sung and danced to
proclaim it. Jesus did not hesitate to proclaim himself as the
son of God at the cost of being nailed to the cross. I am
surprised to note that many of my countrymen do not believe
that a Mauritian can attain God-realisation, another term for
enlightenment. The essence of every single particle is that
eternal truth; man is fortunate insofar that he can taste and
proclaim it. Enlightenment is the ultimate aim of human
existence and without its dawn all goodness is nothing but
carbon copies. Evil cannot be eliminated without
enlightenment. Those who are enlightened need not follow any
commandments or scriptures. Virtue simply flows from them,
they act spontaneously and live moment to moment. They are
neither bound to morality nor are they slave to immorality. If
we wish to save the world from the impending universal
catastrophe, then it is high time that we start moving in the
direction of enlightenment.
With
enlightenment man does not lose his human nature completely.
He becomes like a lamp whose oil and wick have been burnt but
a trace of the burnt wick remains. Similarly a trace of the
human nature remains. It is wrongly believed that an
enlightened being has to behave in a special way - it is mere
ignorance. Externally there is no visible sign of
enlightenment. Having a body, the enlightened being will eat,
drink, sleep, feel hungry; he may want to taste a good
ice-cream or enjoy watching a good film. If somebody annoys
him unnecessarily he may even show anger. It is a current
belief in Mauritius, but especially in India, that an
enlightened being has absolutely no right to get angry. My
goodness! Here I would like to relate a story Ramakrishna told
his disciples.
A
sadhu
(enlightened being) used to pass by a paddy field. One day, a
serpent hissed and raised its hood ready to bite the sage. The
latter then gave the serpent a lesson in non-violence, which
it humbly imbibed before going back into its hole. The sage
too went away. After a few days when the sage was passing by,
he called his reptile-student to check how it was faring. But
after a few calls, he had no sign, so he went near the hole
and shouted. He saw that with much difficulty the serpent
dragged its body out and could hardly glide; it was badly
injured and weak. “What has happened to you my friend?”
inquired the sage. The serpent replied, “Seeing that I was
no longer hissing and threatening, the local boys gave me a
good beating, but remembering your words I did no harm to them
though I could.” “But,” said the sage, “it is the
birthright of any individual to defend himself against any
abuse or attack. You could at least hiss without biting
them.” The serpent became wiser thereafter.
A Zen
master was asked, “Now that you are enlightened, what do you
do?” “Why,” he said, “I carry water, chop wood for the
monastery as usual.” “But,” said the man, “what’s
the difference? Previously you were doing it, now you are
enlightened and still do the same thing.” “The
difference,” replied the sage, “is that previously I was
doing it unconsciously but now I do it with awareness. In
fact, I do not do, it simply flows from me.”
Finally,
to the question ‘can anyone become enlightened?’ I will
say the potential is there. It all depends on the individual,
how far he has gone from it and also how intensely he is
longing for it. Kabir says that if he can be enlightened, then
anyone can attain the same. He had never even touched a pen.
Now let readers judge for themselves.
|
