Some people believe that enlightenment must be reached in a certain way and that meditation, prayer, and learning with spiritual mentors is the only way to do it. Is that true, or can you find enlightenment all on your own? Find out what the experts say about the road to enlightenment and decide which way works best for you.
What Does Enlightenment Mean?
When somebody speaks of enlightenment, they might mean a number of things. Some people count understanding of something as being “enlightened” about it. Some people see enlightenment as being all about thinking rationally. To s0ome people, enlightenment is a state of spirituality you reach when you transcend human problems and focus on the spiritual instead. The Merriam-Webster dictionary online defines it within Buddhism as “ A final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering.” There was an entire intellectual movement in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries focused on moving away from superstitions and towards reason and encouraging people to be more individualistic and think for themselves rather than being told what to believe by tradition and religions.
These definitions focus on using your own mind to pay attention and find deeper understanding of things that just what society tells you to believe. If we only believe what we are taught to, and we don’t question anything, we might miss out on understanding things for how they really are. Some people find it comforting when other people tell them what to think and believe, but other people find this dangerous and constrictive. If somebody controls your thoughts, they control what you do, and in essence, they control your whole life. Some people don’t want that to happen to them.
If you don’t examine your own personal thoughts and opinions, being open to being proven wrong, you might miss the opportunity to grow as a person and to learn things you were not aware of before. If you don’t pay attention to how you react to your feelings and emotions, you might have irrational, and uncontrolled reactions to things, and regret what you have done or said later. Thinking rationally instead of emotionally will give you the chance to think about everything that is happening in a situation and give you time to make a good decision. Some people would call this having an enlightened mind.
Some people don’t feel the need to focus on spirituality and on what exists within us besides the basic physical human needs for life. Other people feel incomplete if this is all they focus on and they seek to achieve spiritual states of being and thinking that go beyond the physical. You don’t have to be a highly spiritual individual to achieve an enlightened state where you know the bigger picture transcends what happens in each moment, however. You can simply be fully aware of your mind, yourself and how your actions create consequences. Read about being your best self: How to Be Your Best Self
Buddhism
The word “enlightenment” is the English translation for the concept of bodhi in Buddhism. Bodhi means wisdom, knowledge, or the spiritual state of a Buddha. Wasn’t there just one Buddha, though? Actually, there have been many, and some people say that anybody can become one. Buddha means “enlightened one” and a Buddha is somebody who has achieved enlightenment. What a Buddha is awakened to is the true state of being, and they have liberated themselves from what is called samsara, or the cycle of life and death that includes suffering.
Before we explore that more, who was this Buddha that some people think is the only Buddha? He was born Siddhartha Guatama in Lumbini, which we call Nepal in the 5th or 6th century BCE, and it is believed he lived for about 80 years. He became a wandering spiritual teacher, and he is the founder of Buddhism. He developed his teachings after spending time meditating, shunning physical comfort, and living in poverty. He taught that human beings are trapped in an endless cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation, called samsara, which he taught includes a lot of suffering. He taught ways to escape this cycle and achieve something called nirvana, which was complete release from it.
Enlightenment leads to nirvana and there are things The Buddha taught to achieve it. The Middle Path was something he taught and that meant balancing how many sensual pleasures you enjoy with denying yourself of them. Overindulgence is as bad as denying yourself too much. This has been elaborated in The Noble Eightfold Path. This includes the following:
1) Right Action- It is taught that behaving properly and causing no harm is crucial.
2) Right Speech- Telling the truth and being polite are taught. Don’t gossip or say things that hurt people or cause problems.
3) Right Livelihood- make sure you live a life and do work that does not cause harm. This forbids doing work in human trafficking, producing meat, selling poison, and that you do no work to create weapons.
4) Right Mindfulness- Be aware of what you say, think and do, and pay attention to other people and their feelings.
5) Right Effort- Put a good amount of effort into meditation and cultivating a positive mindset.
6) Right Concentration- Work of developing excellent mental focus and meditative practices.
7) Right View- Understanding that this life is not the end of existence, and our actions have consequences for what happens to us when we die.
8) Right Intention- Focus your life on following the Buddhist path, even if it means giving up your home, loved ones, and way of life.
Some people go into Buddhist monasteries and dedicate their lives to Buddhism alone to try and achieve enlightenment, and others practice the teachings of The Buddha while living lives outside of monasteries. There are different branches of Buddhism, and one of them is Mahayana Buddhism. They believe there are many who have achieved this enlightenment and become Buddhas and that the essence of the Buddhas exists within all people. Theravada Buddhism teaches that there is only one Buddha at a time, and they are here for each age of the earth. They teach that the current Buddha is the one who founded Buddhism. To them anybody can reach enlightenment but there can only be one person who discovered the dharma, or teachings of The Buddha at a time.
Buddhism is just one of many religions that teaches how to become enlightened. In Christianity, the focus is on achieving a perfect relationship with their god and to go to a place called Heaven when they die. There are multiple different ways different Christians believe they can go about doing this, but one story in the New Testament seems to support the teachings of The Buddha when it comes to Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Mindfulness. This is called The Golden Rule. Versions of The Golden Rule have been found in Confucianism, Ancient Egypt, Hinduism, Ancient Greece, and also Zoroastrianism.
In the Book of Galatians 5:14, it says, “ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” In the Book of Luke 6:31, it says, “ And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” In the Book of Matthew, 7:12 it says, “ Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.” In Islam, Ali Ibn Abi Talib wrote, “ O my child, make yourself the measure (for dealings) between you and others. Thus, you should desire for others what you desire for yourself and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others as you would like good to be done to you. Regard bad for yourself whatever you regard bad for others. Accept that (treatment) from others which you would like others to accept from you ... Do not say to others what you do not like to be said to you.” Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 31. Read about spiritual love: What is the Spiritual Meaning of Love?
Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German enlightenment philosopher who lived from 1724 to 1804 and he believed that rational logical thought was a form of morality. In an essay he wrote in 1784 titled “What is Enlightenment?”, he defined enlightenment as casting off self- imposed immaturity which he viewed as the inability to think for yourself. The essay was a response to the question “What is Enlightenment” which was asked by Reverend Johann Friedrich Zollner. Interestingly, the Reverend Zollner’s question was a response to another writing and Kant’s was not the only essay written in response to Reverend Zollner.
Kant said it was immature to not be able to make your own decisions or form your own opinions and he said casting this off was the way to become enlightened. He compared people ruled by the government to domesticated animals. He said the animals had been trained not to do certain things and said governments did the same training with people. He acknowledged that it is difficult for people to break out of the pattern of allowing other people to dictate to them, and it is easier if groups of people do this together. He also acknowledged that it takes time for these changes to happen, and he said that people should express beliefs publicly so that governments are held accountable. He said the motto of reason was “dare to be wise” and he said most people are satisfied with following governments and monarchies and people would never cultivate their minds unless they grew out of this.
He addressed the role that he believed organized religion played in constricting people’s thinking. He said that being immature due to religion was the “most pernicious and dishonourable variety of all” and that the church constricted people’s thoughts and behaviors by its doctrines. He said it was wrong for people to constrict the beliefs and thoughts of future generations of people and it was not right to have a permanent church constitution that did not allow for criticism from people. To him, churches needed to allow for changes and progress and that could only be accomplished by not trying to dictate people’s thoughts.
He also tackled the topic of the monarchy. He said that governments and monarchs should not control religion. He said a monarch should allow people to do and think whatever is best for them, and that none of it is any of their business. He furthermore said they did not live in an enlightened time, but they were living in a time that was called the Age of Enlightenment. He furthermore said resistance was needed for human development and progress took practice and trial and error to perfect.
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment refers to a philosophical and intellectual development brought about by philosophers in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. This was after the Middle Ages, and people wanted to move away from being ruled by churches and governments. The work of these philosophers helped blaze the pathway for political changes in the 18th and 19th centuries. Main ideas this movement promoted were separation of church and state, liberty, happiness, tolerance, ethical relationships between people, progress, and the use of reason. While Immanuel Kant was not the only philosopher of this movement, he was so influential, some historians say the end of the Age of Enlightenment was when he died in 1804.
It was not just philosophers who pioneered this movement, but men of science as well. They all promoted these ideas at lectures at academies, coffeehouses, Masonic organizations, and circulated books, pamphlets, and academic journals that were filled with their views. They formed groups for scholarly debate among students and professionals and even art from that era reflected the search for morality. The result of this movement are major historical events like both the French and American Revolutions. Besides Kant, some important thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment include Voltaire and Adam Smith. Read about a very philosophical sign, Aquarius: Aquarius Zodiac Traits and Love Compatibility
Voltaire
Known by his literary name Voltaire, Francois-Marie Arouet lived from 1694 to 1778. He was a historian, philosopher, and writer whose father was a lawyer and his mother belonged to a lower ranking noble family. He received an education at the College-Louis-le-Grand in theology, rhetoric, and Latin, and he also learned English, Spanish, and Italian. He did write works of fiction as well as his nonfiction works, and his love for writing could not be stopped although his father fought to force him into a career in law. He pretended to do jobs his father approved of but secretly wrote. His father got him a glamorous job as secretary to the French Ambassador in the Netherlands, and by that time he was quite popular in aristocratic circles for his intelligence and sense of humor. He got into trouble over a scandalous affair he had with a woman while he was there, and he was sent back to France.
Although he had already demonstrated he did not care to be ruled over, he demonstrated that more drastically by publishing things criticizing the French government that he was jailed for more than once. Undeterred, he continued to write what he thought was correct, and while he angered some in government, others gave him medals of honor for it. He advocated for freedom of thought and religious tolerance, which angered the church, and he responded by calling for more freedom from church and monarchal control. In later years, he would spar less openly with authority figures and continue to be loved by both the public and the very members of governments he sought to reform.
Something he wrote says, “ To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” He also wrote about corruption in Christianity, saying, “ It is characteristic of fanatics who read the holy scriptures to tell themselves: God killed, so I must kill; Abraham lied, Jacob deceived, Rachel stole: so I must steal, deceive, lie. But, wretch, you are neither Rachel, nor Jacob, nor Abraham, nor God; you are just a mad fool, and the popes who forbade the reading of the Bible were extremely wise.” He is also known for writing, “ Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too.”
Adam Smith
Born in Scotland in 1723, Adam Smith lived until 1790 and was so influential as an economist and philosopher in the Age of Enlightenment, he is called the “ Father of Capitalism” and the “Father of Economics” by some people. His father served by working in multiple finance and law positions, but died a couple of months before Smith was born. Not much is known about his childhood except that he was once kidnapped as a toddler, but his family was able to rescue him and bring him home. He was a brilliant student and began his education at The University of Glasgow at age 14 where he studied moral philosophy.
He felt that plenty of the instructors there were uncaring about their jobs as teachers, and they did things like punish him for reading things they disapproved of until he got fed up and left. He went on to teach at universities himself and he lectured as well as published. His publication called The Wealth ofNations is considered one of the top 100 books of all time that are from Scotland, and an excerpt of it says, “ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state” He was an advocate for fair taxes instead of predatory ones.
He also wrote about the imbalance of fairness in labor here, “ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.” An example of something else Adam Smith said and wrote is, “ Never complain of that of which it is at all times in your power to rid yourself.” He also wrote, “ It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion.”
Enlightenment Your Way
Based on what some people who have taught about enlightenment have to say, being enlightened is a conscious choice that you make every day. We choose what our views are and how we focus on leading our lives. Part of this is how we treat one another. In Buddhism, it’s not just about how we treat the people who we love, but how we treat everybody. It’s also about how we treat every living creature on earth. The Age of Enlightenment thinkers urged people to use rational thought, think for themselves, stand for what they believed was right, and be fair and kind to other people. It sounds easy to do, doesn’t it?
Each of us has to decide what doing that entails. Nobody can teach personal morality, and there are no set rules to exactly how to be aware of how our deeds affect others. Human pollution kills plants and animals and contaminates the water, so using non harmful things to fertilize the garden is a good way to avoid polluting. Hurtful comments about people’s appearance can be kept to ourselves. Giving food to a starving animal makes the life of that animal better and makes the world a better place. Saying hello to the neighbor who just moved in town and does not know anybody yet will make their day.
Sometimes, all it takes is a small gesture or a simple decision to be kind to work toward enlightenment, and only you can decide the best ways to do that. How will you be considerate, and mindful of how the things you do affect your future as well as the lives of those around you? Enlightenment is not just something you quest for so that you personally can have a good afterlife, whatever you believe that is. It is a number of things that you do every day and every moment to show compassion to people, animals, and the earth and to create moments of beauty that translate into a beautiful reality.
It’s always nice to know how other people have found enlightenment and how it changed their lives for the better, but the truth is, each of us have to find enlightenment in our own way. You can find instructions in any religious tradition on how to become enlightened, and while it is difficult to list exactly how many religions exist today, there are thousands of them. This proves that the path to enlightenment is one that many paths lead to, and there is no one right way to reach enlightenment. You are a unique individual who is different from anybody else on earth, and only you can decide what it takes for you to reach enlightenment.
If you focus on doing the right things, and saying the right things, and treating all creatures well, you become a better person and you, in turn , make the world a better place. Each situation you find yourself in will provide an opportunity to make good things happen, and when you do good, you are being a better version of yourself. Maybe it’s not so much about being a better you as it is about making a better world, and that’s what it takes to become enlightened, and end suffering, or create a place called something like nirvana or heaven. Walk your own path, discover your own truths, and reach your own version of enlightenment.
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About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for SpiritualBlossom, Mysticsense, and she writes for The Green Egg and PaganPages.Org emag.
