Is it possible to be enlightened without psychedelics?

[Ibn Sina]

Did the Buddha use any substances to get enlightened?

[Michael569]

He came from a wealthy influential family. If shit went rough, he could always go back. 

He did not have the struggles that people go through these days such as rent, family, subscriptions, utilities, all forms of distractions and social media. While these are not excuse they do make it harder for a typical Westerner to attain enlightenment then it was 2000 years ago. Psychadelics may be helpful in breaking through all of these obstacles within 1 lifetime. 

 

[Shin]

The only thing that is required is being genuinely interested to free yourself, or to know the Truth for Truth sake.

Psychedelics are one powerful tool though, but if you're not seeking genuinely, and seek a way to escape life/responsabilities, or acquire a «saint» state

Then the only thing that will happen is you chasing more fancy experiences and get distracted for years/decades.

Enlightenment is not a state, it's right here right now.

[Salvijus]

Psychedelics have nothing to do with enlightenment. It has some usefulness maybe for occult or tantra or mysticism but not for dissolution. Psychedelics are a differerent kind of bondage actually. They can set you backwards as far as entanglement goes. All bhuddist traditions avoid psychedelics for a reason. Buddha himself experienced all 8 states of samadhi and dissmissed them all. It's not liberation he sayed. 

 

Edited June 14, 2019 by Salvijus

[Shadowraix]

8 minutes ago, Salvijus said:

Psychedelics have nothing to do with enlightenment. Maybe It's good for occult or tantra or mysticism but not for dissolution. Psychedelics are a differerent kind of bondage actually. 

Temporary enlightenment has nothing to do with enlightenment? ? Ever had your ego dissolve on psychedelics and realize total oneness? 

@Ibn Sina Yes it is possible. Psychedelics are simply an option to add into your usual practices. Powerful stuff and can provide an amazing foundation for your work. 

[tecladocasio]

Psychedelics, for me, is the most useful and effective ways to ''become enlightenment'' (as if it was possible hahah), but you gotta use it right, and it's scary, painful, hopeless. If you use psychedelics to ''get insights'', know things, or to just dream more and more, I think will be very counter-productive.

[Forestluv]

@Ibn Sina

"Is it possible to be enlightened without psychedelics?"

Of course. Enlightenment exists with or without psychedelics. That is like asking "Is it possible to be Now without psychedelics?". Of course, it is always Now. It can't be anything other than Now.

Human minds are highly conditioned, attached and identified to a personal story within a time construct of past, present and future. Dissolving that can be extremely challenging and uncomfortable to a human mind and body. It may take years, even decades, of practice for a mind to surrender that narrative and surrender to the direct experience of Now. Psychedelics can dissolve the personal storyline and time construct and allow for beingness in Now within hours. Yet, it can also be done without psychedelics. 

"Did the Buddha use any substances to get enlightened?"

According to the story, no.

 

[Natasha]

4 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

Human minds are highly conditioned, attached and identified to a personal story within a time construct of past, present and future. Dissolving that can be extremely challenging and uncomfortable to a human mind and body. It may take years, even decades, of practice for a mind to surrender that narrative and surrender to the direct experience of Now. Psychedelics can dissolve the personal storyline and time construct and allow for beingness in Now within hours. Yet, it can also be done without psychedelics. 

I agree. Psychedelics help deactivate the sense of self by altering one's brain chemistry.

[Forestluv]

It seems deactivating the sense of self can also happen temporarily due to life events as well. For example, Pema Chodron built an entire sense of self and identity around being a wife and homemaker. Then one day her husband tells her he is having an affair and is leaving her that day. Pema's entire reality and identity collapsed in that moment and she was completely groundless. Her whole sense of self was temporarily deactivated. She could have created a whole new identity - for example that of a resentful victim. Yet rather, her awakening appeared and she became an awakened nun. 

[Inliytened1]

@Ibn Sina yes.

 

[mandyjw]

30 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

It seems deactivating the sense of self can also happen temporarily due to life events as well. For example, Pema Chodron built an entire sense of self and identity around being a wife and homemaker. Then one day her husband tells her he is having an affair and is leaving her that day. Pema's entire reality and identity collapsed in that moment and she was completely groundless. Her whole sense of self was temporarily deactivated. She could have created a whole new identity - for example that of a resentful victim. Yet rather, her awakening appeared and she became an awakened nun. 

The part you forgot is that she had left her first husband for another man, the man who later left her. So she had no choice to be the victim, she could only see herself in her own pain. It was a coming full circle of life events for her. I love Pema. 

[Truth Addict]

1 hour ago, Shin said:

The only thing that is required is being genuinely interested to free yourself, or to know the Truth for Truth sake.

This is ironic because sometimes the desire to break free is the chains that hold us back from finding freedom.

[ajasatya]

2 hours ago, Ibn Sina said:

Is it possible to be enlightened without psychedelics?

Short answer: yes.

It depends on how genuinely thirsty for Truth you feel. If you're not willing to implement rigorous and efficient practices, then forget about it.

[mandyjw]

I'm enlightened, admittedly it's a low level of enlightenment but it happened on its own without the use of psychedelics. 

It really felt like I wasn't in control of it and didn't do it. I felt like I was on drugs for days, and I said things I would never normally say. I barely slept or ate while it was happening. 

The most important thing is to go about life, have an open mind, honestly love life and other people and be interested in growing and purifying that love. If that is your guiding star you will awaken. 

You can truly experience enlightenment now. There is a state of samadhi you reach when you awaken and it changes you and the world forever. But in the end, it's just a perspective and a story and those things are made for letting go of. And then, it's back to work we go. 

 

 

[SunnyNewDay]

Yes

Psychadelics are just a modality just like all other modalities with their own strengths and weaknesses