Enlightened Beings
Recently, I was asked to participate in a study called "What Is An Enlightened Being?" As I reviewed the questions in the study I realized how much my opinions 
on the topic have changed. Thirty years ago, without hesitation, I
would have answered that an enlightened being is a Bodhisattva, one who
has reached the ultimate state of purity yet delays that passage in
order to alleviate the suffering of humanity. But now, many years and
many miles on the journey, I answered the questions quite differently.
on the topic have changed. Thirty years ago, without hesitation, I
would have answered that an enlightened being is a Bodhisattva, one who
has reached the ultimate state of purity yet delays that passage in
order to alleviate the suffering of humanity. But now, many years and
many miles on the journey, I answered the questions quite differently.
Everyone on the spiritual
journey aspires to become "enlightened" some day. It seems to always be
"the goal." For surely, if we achieve enlightenment it will change
everything about ourselves and about the world we live in. Once we
start walking the path of a spiritually attuned life, we attend classes
and seminars that satisfy our need to become "enlightened." We read
books devoted to mysticism; we learn about the value of meditation; and
we practice diligently. The esoteric teachings support us by saying
that if we do those things and apply ourselves to the noble path, we too
can become a Bodhisattva - or at the very least an Arhat. Teachers say
it could happen instantly (rare) or it could happen after several
thousand incarnations (much more likely.)
As I explored the questions posed in the study I focused on my personal
journey. I'd followed a spiritual path for more than 40 years. In
that time I studied with some very well-known and some not so well-known
mystical teachers. The not so well-known teachers had as much
influence (sometimes more so) in my development as some of the very
well-known ones. A not so well-known teacher told me what I'd be doing
with my life at ages 40, 50, 60 and 70. She was right for the first
three decades. (I haven't reached the last one yet.) So, I wondered,
was she enlightened? Or, did she plant a seed that caused me to do what
she said in the time-frame she'd indicated. This much I know! She
kindled a blaze a long time ago that allowed me seek the answers that I
was now trying to decipher about enlightened beings.
Some self-realized masters said they were enlightened. There's
probably little disagreement that Buddha, Paramahansa Yogananda, and
Jesus were enlightened beings. But what if I toss in a few others that
might alter your belief systems. Does 
Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Einstein, Darwin, Saladin, DaVinci,
Gandhi, Akbar the Great, Nikola Tesla, Mao Zedong, and King Darius of
Persia to name a few, qualify? They were warriors and conquerors,
scientists and peacemakers, but should they be considered enlightened
beings? I now think so because they had purpose, conviction, and a
focus on their life's goal. And, they had a global impact on their
fellow humans.
Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Einstein, Darwin, Saladin, DaVinci,
Gandhi, Akbar the Great, Nikola Tesla, Mao Zedong, and King Darius of
Persia to name a few, qualify? They were warriors and conquerors,
scientists and peacemakers, but should they be considered enlightened
beings? I now think so because they had purpose, conviction, and a
focus on their life's goal. And, they had a global impact on their
fellow humans.
But what about normal people who don't have a global impact? I
realized my current beliefs had changed and those changes caused these
questions to rise to the top. Is anyone I know enlightened? Or, is
everyone I know enlightened? I shelved the first one after a few hours
of review. But the second question stayed, creating even more
questions. Why wouldn't everyone be enlightened? After all, each
person is a spark of the pure 'ultimate reality' we refer to as "God."
If "It" is the ultimate in enlightenment then each of us must also be
enlightened. Except in the vastness of consciousness, each of us is in
differing states of realizing it. Therefore, I concluded, everyone is enlightened to varying degrees. And that enlightenment affects the whole.
So, "What is an enlightened being?" When I got to the summary
question on the survey I answered it this way. Today, I believe an
"enlightened being" is one who lives a conscious life daily. These
individuals have great awareness of their fellow 
humans. They are conscious of their words and actions and how it
affects those fellow humans. They are conscious of the food they eat
and how it affects their spirit and their bodies. They are conscious of
the individuals they associate with and wisely choose to be among those
who uplift their spirits. They make daily time for meditation and
reflection. They are more in tune with silence and nature. And they
choose to walk their path with ethical dignity and perseverance.
humans. They are conscious of their words and actions and how it
affects those fellow humans. They are conscious of the food they eat
and how it affects their spirit and their bodies. They are conscious of
the individuals they associate with and wisely choose to be among those
who uplift their spirits. They make daily time for meditation and
reflection. They are more in tune with silence and nature. And they
choose to walk their path with ethical dignity and perseverance.
These individuals, no matter
how great or small their circle of influence, travel their chosen path
with focused consciousness and full awareness. They are "beings of
enlightenment" who live a conscious, purpose-driven life. They hold a
brilliant beacon of light that illumines the way for all of us who are
also walking up to the top of mountain. To them we are indebted.
Jo Mooy - June 2014
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