Is an enlighten self the goal or is an enlightenment the losing of the self?

Question: Is an enlighten self the goal or is an enlightenment the losing of the self!?
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Since I love to move against the current Zeitgeist I am going to hold that the enlighten self is the goal!. Furthermore I hold that this can be the major difference between Western & Eastern philosophy!. The east held that one must attempt to rise above the differences between things because the world is an illusion of some type!. The west, in the beginnings of philosophy, one must find the nature of things, meaning one must explain the differences between things!. This in turn leads to an examination of language by language to understand and clarify our words to better understand the essence of things!. Language is meant to be a mirror to the world and by better understanding of language we come to know more!. The west rejected the notion that the world was some type of illusion, It may be a lesser reality (Plato), but reality still needs to be explained!. The enlightened self is a master at using language to express the wonder of the world!.

ps Modern western philosophy, for example Heidegger, have moved closer to an eastern outlook!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

What we consider to be ourselves in the usual sense is just what our minds project, a self image that is either threatened or encouraged with circumstances and separated from other aspects of creation!. This "sense of doership" or sense of individual existence is that part which believes it is the human being, and believes it must fight for itself in the world, is ultimately unaware and unconscious of its own true nature!. This self is an illusion!.

It is the Self that is aware of the mind and body, yet understanding that it has really nothing to do with them that is the real Self!. When that Self is realized, and identity is placed in that Self of awareness then enlightenment is experienced, by the mind of the lower self, ironically!. But to the real Self there is no enlightenment, just being what the Self is!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To lose the self is enlightment!. To be a part of the energy of the Universe is total enlightenment!. Not to be full of yourself!.!.but to be full of selflessness!. To realize you are part of a LARGE wonderful thing!. Your mind keeps you in the past or the future!.!.!.not in the moment!. WE have no control and when we realize that we will find peace!. Yes, enlightenment is the goal!.!.when you experience it, you will know!.
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this is a bit different for everyone!. it all depends on your perspective of the meaning of enlightenment!.!.!.

your "self" is what you want it to be!. your "enlightenment" is your realization at discovering your "self" as you "intended"!.!.!.

this is a bit hard to swallow!. let me break it down with an example!.

I!.!.!. at some point, conciously or not, must have decided that my TRUE "self" is a face of pure TRUTH and UNDERSTANDING!. I realized that to achieve truth i must first remove the falseness of myself!. i achieved that by no longer lying to myself in order to satisfy others!. in otherwords, i removed the mask that others use to interpret me!.!.!. and to achieve understanding, i must forever find new ways of approching problems and instead look towards possibilities!.!.!.

would you say i am enlightened !?

in my perspective!.!.!. no!. because i believe learning to be a lifelong process!. and i realize that only in death will i find meaning to my life, the final lesson!.!. even if THAT is the last thing i learn!. only then will i be complete!.

but the point is, now getting directly to the answer of your question!.!.!.!.
it is like the half full - half empty glass!.
it is in your perspective!.
whether your goal is to attain a new sense of self,
or to shed your old sense of self,
it is the same end result!.
You seek to understand life!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Lose you life to find it!.

That means lose the attachment to our physical mortal nature to realize our Spiritual immortal nature!.

So both of your statements are true!. The first is the real Self, and the second is losing the "small self" or illusion of mortality!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Don't be like the pebbles in the stream!. Don't be the current!. You are the pebbles and the current and the wind that moves the trees!. BOKO!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Losing the self, self = EvilWww@QuestionHome@Com