U.G. calls his experience of enlightenment as that of an irreversible change. It means, after that man will not go back to his old state of - sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious ' ness.
Everything has solution, isn't it? Almost everything is possible, except exceeding the speed of light. So if we want something to overcome earth's gravitational field and reach outer space, then we need to throw it with its escape velocity. So for us to be free from our ego, desires et al, our efforts need to be so total that it is enough to be enlightened. The intensity and totality of our efforts will help us get enlightened. Just like the object thrown with escape velocity frees from earth's gravitational field, we will be free from our egos and desires. Now again, as I understand escape velocity depends on the mass of an object. So escape velocity of each object will be different. Similarly the amount of effort each person needs to put to move ahead on the path of enlightenment will be different.
Okay, enough of logical thinking. Although the effort needed for enlightenment will be different for different people as I understand (from reading discourses of many masters); it does not depend the person's intellect, educational background or sophistication. Some masters say even too much of effort can also be a problem. As they say - the very effort is the barrier. If you want to sleep and you make too much of effort to sleep; then you will not be able to sleep. Because to make the effort you will have to stay awake, otherwise who will make the effort? You will be able to sleep only when the effort stops.
Note: I am not an expert on enlightenment. (Please laugh, this was a joke.) Above are just a few random thoughts that were moving around in my head. The reader is free to condemn the post as anything ranging from a child's school essay to an intellectual's stupid analysis. I have taken some of the examples/ anecdotes described above (knowingly or unknowingly) from my readings of few of the spiritual mystics.
excellent examples i would say…shall surely use them somewhere ;o)
In other words, there is no short cut to obtaining some real light and one has to go through the tough practice of meditation? Thanks for the response, VR.
Bidisha, I appreciate your interest. After writing this post and reading replies I am feeling that only an enlightened person should comment on enlightenment and not a mere mortal like me. About enlightenment it is better to hear directly from the masters. If you have broadband, then youtube.com will be a good way to start. I think comments by U.G. and Ramesh Balsekar on enlightenment are available on youtube. However it is possible that perspective of these masters (gurus) may shock you, especially that of U.G.. I will comment on meditation. You are asking if righteous observance of the duties with a sense of love and offering can help shed ego and desires. If I have understood Osho correctly, he would have said direction of cause and effect is the opposite here. Shedding your ego and desires would enable you of righteous observance of the duties with a sense of love and offering. And the way to shed your ego and desires would be through meditation. Re. VR
Vinay, U.G. is a different soul; he did not choose to be a guru, while Osho did. Or may be U.G. chose to be a different kind of guru. I think that is the fun of life. Each guru is so different; they give you a different perspective of spirituality. I have noted that all of them say the same thing, but in a different way. They are saying it in various ways, hoping that we will understand some way or the other. Re. VR
The analysis induced some thinking this side too. I was however just curious to know if meditating as hard as to obtain escape velocity is the only way to become enlightened and shed ego & desires or there can be some other path too like righteous observance of the duties with a sense of love and offering.. or something else although it is equally true that doing/living so today is as tough as obtaining escape velocity…
Sounds logical. The escape velocity however takes so much effort to get :)
This too seems to be very sharp one as a food for thought. I have read UG and he appeals me to the core of my heart. But I hardly appreciate Him. I agree He and one other has reached the ultimate, that a human can achieve in the Realm of Truth /Consciousness, but no more. They are NOT Guru, Moreover, it may be their destiny to misguide others. Even more, It is the destiny of the others to be misled by them. Ha-Ha- Ha … ? No, I am saying this seriously ! After observing keenly the fact.
I shall go through your blog after some time and take notes. You didn”t reply my last comment ? Did You ?
Regards.
What is meant by enlightenment here? And is there a possibility that separating ego and desires from self is equivalent to exceeding the speed of light, and not escaping the earth?