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Question: Do you think that enlightenment is not an attainment but it is a realization!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
exactly!.

attainment infers acquiring or achieving!.

our species is well within the evolutionary threshold
of innate capacitance to realize and reflect
Source/Self/God/Love in pure reason- word- and action

the inherent faculties to actualize greater potential
are veiled by conditioning from birth, learning by proxy
from ones family unit, community(sangha), society

as many seeds that have fallen from One Tree,
a majority lay dormant an entire lifetime, lacking the sustenance
some seeds will sprout and take root, eventually blooming
with Fruits to further manifest extensions of Source

Oft in the most inhospitable climate and poor environment
seeds will utilize the prana within by virtue of neccesity
Becoming in its extent a source for further generations
to nurture full Potential!.
The stone that the builder refuse will always be the head cornerstone

There is nothing that each seed must attain,
because the seed is already complete in its essence!.
Realizing ones true nature is the fulfillment of the life cycle,
the process of Nature includes many dormant seeds!.

contrary to attainment, we must shed or let go of
the hinderances and diversions of our acquired
understandings and beliefs!.

in actuality, there is nothing to achieve!.
nothing to learn that we do not already Know!.


Unconditioned, we can live in eternal presenceWww@QuestionHome@Com

i guess for me, it is both!.

I believe that enlightenment is not a specific level you can reach!.

I look at it like temperature!. technically for temperature there is only varying degrees of heat or no heat at all!. but since we humans like things at a certain temperature, we use words like hot and cold!. though technically it should be hotter and less hot!.


so for enlightenment i think there is not enlightened at all, like a rock, or non self aware beings!. and then the rest have degrees of enlightenment!. some of which have such high degrees compared to average, that we call them enlightened!.

i think enlightenment is basically nothing more than true knowledge!. not misled knowledge, not trickery!. the more knowledge you have, the more wisdom you have, the more you are enlightened!. the maximum would be all knowing, which is impossible!. the minimum would be knowing nothing at all!.

so to me, enlightenment is the attainment of knowledge which is in itself realization of the world around you, but at the same time it is not a specific goal or level you can achieve, not a specific thing you can know or be told!.

it's like perfection, you might always strive for it, always try to improve yourself, follow perfection, maybe become closer to perfection, but you can never reach it, it is always so so far away!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

A Day To Day example is given to make us understand this issue!.
Many of us have reading glasses that we push up the forehead when not in use!. When we need it we forget that indeed the glasses are already with you but we keep looking for it all over the place !. Till someone points out" Hey! Your reading glass is on your head !"

Do we call that we have attained the glasses or we have just realised that the we already have the glasses!?

Enlightenment is just that!. We all have that in us except that we do not realize the truth!. We keep looking all over the place as to how to get enlightenment !. It is in this that a teacher ( guru) is helpful to make us realize that truth!.

It is , further , said that once we realize this truth liberation or freedom can be ATTAINED!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's neither!. It's a process!. And it never stops unless we stop observing, stop thinking critically - and cling to whatever we fear to lose!. That's why it doesn't rise from religion, though it can from Buddhism, which is a mind-training process, in which everything is up for review without preconception!. (I reckon the idea of re-incarnation exists only to keep the laggards and reluctant trying!) Good luck!. What fun, however devastating!Www@QuestionHome@Com

In the Dhammapada the word attained is used for example, to describe what happened to thirty thousand Bhikkus!. This is of course an english translation so its still sort of up in the air!. I like realization better myself!.
Someday maybe we'll know!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, i totally agree with your statement above!. Enlightenment has to be realised and cannot just be attained without realisation!. It is something that can happen unexpectedly or make take a bit longer, depending on the issue/subject concerned!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

can't it be both!.!.!. if it had to be one or the other we'd go with attainment!.!.!. sure the realizations must be a part of getting there!.!.!. but there must be more to been there then the realizations!.!.!. we'll let you know for sure if we ever get there!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I believe you first have to attain some form of enlightenment before you can have the "realization"!.
Enlightenment is an attainment then a realization!.

PeaceWww@QuestionHome@Com

We all have enlightenment, some just don't see it like others do!. I also believe that some realize it when they over come a big obstacle in life, so then they do attain it!. It works both ways!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

are you asking whether it is stumbled upon, or whether you are looking for it!? I think a random realization would be more enlightening than a truth you are purposely seeking =DWww@QuestionHome@Com

Yes as there is nothing that is not enlightenment, the Buddhas body is everywhere!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

The realization is the attainmentWww@QuestionHome@Com

Why not get enlightened yourself, and then tell us all !!?

:)Www@QuestionHome@Com