There is a world out there full of people seeking enlightenment.
I ask, "Is enlightenment the goal?"
The pursuit of enlightenment means, we are imperfect or incomplete and we must seek it.
Have we ever considered that we might already be perfect and complete but have not realised this truth?
We are all complete and also part of the Universe. We are a microscopic constituent of the entire Universe, and if we look within ourselves, we realise that there exists within us the same and complete Universe. This is why the sages have proclaimed that "I am the Universe, and the Universe is within me."
That means we are complete and fit perfectly within the Universe. Spiritually speaking, this means that there is nowhere for us to go, we just have to be whatever we are.
We have already arrived, because we never left. We just have to realise that.
This is what the world calls Gautama Buddha's 'enlightenment'. It is not enlightenment it's 'releasement'. There is no God, there are no heaven and hell, there is only Karma. As we sow so shall we reap.
Seek releasement, shed all that is superfluous to our being and we will realise the truth.
Like the Onion when we shed each layer we arrive at the very core where there is a state of nothingness for we would have merged back into the Universe.
Does that mean we should not pursue material growth? Of course not. Existence is like the droplet rising, then the ebbing with the tide.
Unfortunately, so excited by the rise that we only journey outwards rather than inwards, acquiring more and more layers of relationships, assets, power, wealth etc. Thus distancing ourselves from the splendour that abides within us all. Then we seek guidance, support and intervention from the outside to attain enlightenment and happiness, which is unattainable.
Happiness is not to be pursued and acquired, it already exists within us just waiting for us to realise it.
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"Truth lies within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate'er you may believe,
There is an inmost centre in us all,
Where truth abides in fullness; ........
..... and to Know
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for light
Supposed to be without."
~ Robert Browning
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Interesting Links:
- 10 facts to know about Gautam Buddha ~ Times of India
- Robert Browning ~ Poetry Foundation preprocess
