{"id":151287,"date":"2014-03-17T15:37:21","date_gmt":"2014-03-17T13:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/espirited.com\/what-is-enlightenment\/"},"modified":"2026-02-01T16:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T14:39:13","slug":"what-is-enlightenment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/espirited.com\/en\/what-is-enlightenment\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Nature of Enlightenment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Below is a translation from Russian of a text addressing the question of what enlightenment is. The translation is by Petya Stoyanova, and the author of the text is the creator of the Russian website \u201cSelf-Knowledge \u2013 the Path of Enlightenment<\/a>,\u201d who states that he prefers to remain anonymous and therefore withholds his name.<\/p>\n

I decided to share his account of the experience of enlightenment because there are many different answers to this important question. It is important because the attainment of enlightenment is one of the names given to the goal of the spiritually seeking person. But what does that which we strive for actually look like in practice?<\/p>\n

Here is one possible answer to this question \u2014 with gratitude to Petya for the translation.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cEnlightenment (awakening) is a remarkable state, but it is very difficult to describe it accurately, because it lies beyond concepts and words. Words can only mutilate it. Therefore, without clinging to the words themselves, look in the direction toward which they are pointing.<\/em><\/p>\n

Remember that the words describing the phenomenon are merely labels. The label and the phenomenon are not the same thing. Words cannot convey the exact meaning of the phenomenon, but they can indicate the direction in which one should look. This is like a road sign showing that you have left the city \u2014 the city and the sign are by no means the same thing. Take this into account in order to avoid unnecessary problems.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enlightenment is the primordial state of consciousness.<\/em><\/p>\n

It is a state of pure, unlimited consciousness \u2014 it was such until you invented all sorts of things for yourself. \u2018Unlimited\u2019 means \u2018without any boundaries, dimensions, or restrictions.\u2019 Words, thoughts, concepts, representations, beliefs, worldview \u2014 all of these are limitations.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enlightenment is the true nature of the spiritual being \u2014 that is, of you.<\/em><\/p>\n

It is unchanging, eternal, infinite. Everything changes except your primordial nature, which the human being has simply forgotten.<\/em><\/p>\n

THAT IS WHY EVERYONE CAN ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT.<\/em><\/p>\n

In practice, \u2018attaining enlightenment\u2019 is not a very accurate expression. How can one attain something that already exists? It would be more correct to say that it is necessary to free ourselves from the illusions that prevent us from seeing the Truth.<\/em><\/p>\n

Most techniques that lead to enlightenment clear habitual patterns of thinking and behavior, mental limitations that do not allow us to live \u2018here and now,\u2019 to be present (simply to be) and to perceive.<\/em><\/p>\n

It should not be said that enlightenment is a state of joy and bliss, because that would be a limiting statement: it would imply that all other emotions and bodily sensations disappear.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enlightenment does not rid us of any emotions or bodily sensations. A person does not turn into a robot or a plant. Enlightenment frees us from the ego, which, identifying itself with the body, the mind, and many other things, believes that it is the one experiencing these emotions and sensations, thereby creating suffering. When the ego disappears, emotions and sensations remain; consciousness perceives them, but it does not say \u2018these are my sensations,\u2019 \u2018I feel this,\u2019 and so on.<\/em><\/p>\n

Identification with the body is absent.<\/em><\/p>\n

It is also true that the quantity and intensity of unpleasant emotions sharply decrease. Thoughts, emotions, and sensations arise and disappear without leaving a trace. They do not \u2018get stuck\u2019; they do not have the duration they once had. Each new moment brings a new perception, freeing us from what was present a moment ago. For example, at one moment a feeling of sadness may arise, but only two seconds later you realize that a smile is shining on your face, and the sadness has disappeared without a trace.<\/em><\/p>\n

There is also no identification with the mind: you can no longer say \u2018I thought,\u2019 \u2018I decided,\u2019 \u2018I concluded\u2019 \u2014 this would not correspond to the truth. Rather, you will say something like: \u2018a thought came,\u2019 \u2018a decision arose,\u2019 \u2018the conclusion is such.\u2019 At least there will be a sense that this is how it is now. You do not perceive yourself as the mind; you are more like a present awareness observing the mind, although many enlightened people continue to use ordinary human expressions such as \u2018I,\u2019 \u2018me,\u2019 \u2018I think,\u2019 and so on.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enlightenment is characterized by an understanding of the nature of the mind and of life as a whole.<\/em><\/p>\n

Regarding the mind<\/em>
\nDoes the mind remain after enlightenment? The functional mind \u2014 yes, it remains, because the mind and the body are, in a sense, one mechanism. The functional mind is simply a mechanism that supports the functioning of the body. It is not self-aware; it simply works, performing specific functions. This is the mind of the body, as in animals.<\/em><\/p>\n

The other mind \u2014 the \u2018ego\u2019 \u2014 disappears.<\/em>
\nThe ego is the \u2018thinking mind,\u2019 the endlessly chattering entity that produces judgments, evaluations, comparisons, is constantly worried about something, and argues with itself. The ego is felt as \u2018I\u2019 and considers itself something like the center of consciousness. Ask yourself the question \u2018Who am I?\u2019 and the ego will give you answers. All answers to this question are identifications.<\/em><\/p>\n

When the ego disappears, what remains is pure perceiving consciousness and the body with its functional mind. Identification with the mind and the body disappears. You continue to have a mind and a body, but you understand that you are neither one nor the other. Responding to your name, you understand that the name is merely a label attached to this body-mind that you perceive. Identification with the name disappears.<\/em><\/p>\n

Complete spiritual freedom \u2014 which we so ardently seek through various practices \u2014 is a synonym for enlightenment.<\/em><\/p>\n

It is an awakening from the illusions in which the human being has been entangled. It is pure presence, witnessing, observing the illusions of life without involvement in them. It is like a real awakening from nighttime dreams: in the dream you were involved and unconscious, the dream seemed so real that the question of its reality never arose. But then you awaken and realize that it was unreal \u2014 it was simply an illusion.<\/em><\/p>\n

Enlightenment is a state beyond dualities; you are no longer caught in their traps. This is an important part of the description of enlightenment.<\/em><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, enlightenment is difficult to describe with words, because significant distortion occurs. That is why there are so many misconceptions about enlightenment. Nothing can be done about this. Do not think that there exists one single correct description of enlightenment. No \u2014 there is none. There are only signposts pointing in the right direction, but in order to fully understand what enlightenment is, one must be enlightened\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2026no technique will give enlightenment \u2014 and certainly not absolute enlightenment. Enlightenment may happen, but NOT at the moment when you are doing something in order to attain it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because any \u2018doing\u2019 is movement within duality, from one pole to the other.<\/em><\/p>\n

As long as you are moving within duality, you are moving within duality \u2014 even if at the same time you are clearing the mind (of those very dualities), which in itself is useful and appropriate.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Source: pro-svet.at.ua, Description of Enlightenment
\nTranslation: Petya Stoyanova<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is a translation from Russian of a text addressing the question of what enlightenment is. The translation is by Petya Stoyanova, and the author of the text is the creator of the Russian website \u201cSelf-Knowledge \u2013 the Path of Enlightenment,\u201d who states that he prefers to remain anonymous and therefore withholds his name. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[646],"tags":[656],"class_list":["post-151287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spiritual-intelligence","tag-enlightenment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t