--- In [email protected], "jim_flanegin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> > wrote: > <snip> > > I just appreciate the *essential* difference > > between the two intellectual approaches -- one > > says that enlightenment is "other," something > > that must be "attained," and that there are > > things or beings or whatever out there in the > > universe that can "prevent" its realization. > > The other says that enlightenment is always > > present at every moment, that all one has to > > do is realize that, and that there is nothing > > in the universe that can interfere with that > > realization. For me it's a purely aesthethic > > thing -- although *no* words can define the > > issue of enlightenment, the latter description > > comes closer to my own experiences. > > Granted enlightenment can be seen as a choice, but if it > is a choice, why not choose to live it all the time?
Why choose *to* live it all the time? > Then, if you choose to live it all the time, why are you > not able to experience it all the time? > > What I am pointing to is that whether the ego decides > there are external forces preventing enlightenment, or > that a lack of mindfulness is preventing enlightenment, > the experiential reality is that you are not living > enlightenment 24x7x365xInfinity, and that the focus is > then always on the prescriptive behavior that will get > you to the eternal experience of enlightenment. Only if that's your "goal." I have no such goal. I'm happy with whatever seems to be happening as it's happening. Just as a Self Inquiry question, what is it that has this "goal" you speak of? > This prescriptive behavior then may be anything; TM, > Buddhism, Christianity, exercise, prayer, humility, > faith, whatever. > > So, in my opinion, whether the impediment to > enlightenment is seen internally or externally... You don't seem to understand. I don't believe that there IS any such thing as an "impediment to enlightenment." Enlightenment is present at all times. Sometimes I realize that, sometimes I don't. No big deal either way, and no real difference in terms of appreciation of life. > ...the focus if we are serious about it Who said that being "serious" was a good thing, or that having the "goal" of realizing one's enlight- enment at all times was a good thing? > remains on what we can do to reach the goal, > regardless of why we aren't there yet. We are always "there." We just may not always realize it. If you have a "goal" of having that realization present at all times, may that be what you accomplish in life, and may it bring you great happiness. Me, I've had my periods of clear realization and my periods of hazy realization and my periods of a seeming lack of realization and not one of those periods was a bit happier or more fulfilled than another. So if goals make you happy, focus on goals. Me, I'm gonna focus on what seems to be going down at each moment -- what- ever that might be -- and enjoy whatever it is.
