Are there any living enlightened teachers?

[wordsforliving]

1 minute ago, Anna1 said:

Your welcome?

Yes, I think it's a huge mistake to think that once one is enlightened that they are now perfect humans and always kind/loving with calm personalities. I love Nisargadatta Maharaj and he had a very colorful personality and smoked like a chimney.

Yeah! I love Bentinho Massaro in addition to Leo and Bentinho especially has taken a lot of fire (most all of which was unfounded) and haters. Bentinho also has an enlightened presence that can flow out when he is in a certain state. But some things that may be ego or hang-ups just have to be ignored. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water or the treasures would be missed. 

I would also say Dr. David R. Hawkins (he died in 2012). He was also born gifted and had experiences and abilities since he was a young boy. 

[Ananta]

4 minutes ago, Shibazz said:

described as like this absolute thing, and it's perfect,

Your true nature is absolute and perfect, but the action figure is not. Trying to make the action figure perfect is the error and can lead to endless frustration.  

[Ananta]

8 minutes ago, wordsforliving said:

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water or the treasures would be missed. 

True-true ❤

[wordsforliving]

6 minutes ago, Anna1 said:

Your true nature is absolute and perfect, but the action figure is not. Trying to make the action figure perfect is the error and can lead to endless frustration. 

That's so true and encouraging! 

[Ananta]

@wordsforliving ❤

 

[The observer]

5 hours ago, Nahm said:

Everyone you named, as well as everyone you’ve ever met, and everyone you know, and everyone on this forum, is already enlightened. You’re literally the last one. 

Haha! True dat! ?

[PenguinPablo]

@wordsforliving definitely enlightened and extremely loving 

[Nak Khid]

"enlightenment" 

that's the oldest trick in the book, 

[zeroISinfinity]

4 hours ago, Anna1 said:

Your true nature is absolute and perfect, but the action figure is not. Trying to make the action figure perfect is the error and can lead to endless frustration.  

Hey I look like sculpted greek God. 

(my greatest fear is to lose my hair) 

Perfection in every way. 

Why I lie, entered midlife crisis. 

 

[Preetom]

Actually the number of real enlightened cases are rare. Very rare.

You will find millions talking about non duality or their favorite faux versions of it in this day and age having a huge spiritual marketplace.

But very few have actually destroyed the entire universe/objective knowledge and established themselves completely in the abiding nondual awareness.

Most such cases are unknown or not famous at all. Careful not to regard the talks as the real deal. As a wise man once said "talking about non duality is the easiest thing in the world"

Edited May 15, 2020 by Preetom

[Corpus]

8 hours ago, Anna1 said:

Your true nature is absolute and perfect, but the action figure is not. Trying to make the action figure perfect is the error and can lead to endless frustration.  

I like this.

I think its instructive to consider the entry-point of the word "enlightenment" into the lexicon of spirituality in the West, and how it conjures up a whole host of conceptualizations which are inherently removed from what it purports to convey. The translator of Kants "Critique of Pure Reason" into English, a chap called Max Muller, was also one of the pioneers of translating  the Rig Veda and some of the Upanishads from Sanskrit to English, and he used the word enlightenment as the term for both Moksha (liberation) and Bodhi (awakening). Human biases being as they are, Mullers admiration for Kant, and a predilection for a more "natural philosophy" in place of the superstitious aspects of Christianity makes the choice of the word somewhat contrived and intentional. This overlooks the nuances of the terms it "replaces", and with the drift of time and appropriation by other interested parties such as the Theosophists, the word enlightenment has gathered under its mantle aspects of many other Sanskrit terms which render it into a conceptual mess. We see something not too dis-similar in the English version of the New Testament which hop-scotched linguistically through Aramaic, Latin and Greek before  getting to the English speaker.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Corpus

[mandyjw]

4 hours ago, Preetom said:

As a wise man once said "talking about non duality is the easiest thing in the world"

That statement could mean depending on how you're interpreting it that "any idiot can talk about nonduality" or "no one is doing the talking, there's no effort in it". 

Dr.Seuss and many kids books are about enlightenment unknowingly, so are many song lyrics and poems. No one intentionally did it. 

It's a subject-less subject. 

[Ananta]

9 hours ago, Preetom said:

Actually the number of real enlightened cases are rare. Very rare.

Depends on your definition of enlightenment. To get a direct hit of your true nature, what you really are and to see from this perspective, shift from "apparent" person perspective to pure Self seeing, at will, may or may not be rare (thats loosely my definition). I really never took a poll to see, as I don't care really, but to claim its rare may be fair ...or maybe many don't talk about it.

 

[Ananta]

7 hours ago, zeroISinfinity said:

Hey I look like sculpted greek God. 

(my greatest fear is to lose my hair) 

Perfection in every way. 

 

?

Oh yeah, I want to see. Show us a pic.

[zeroISinfinity]

24 minutes ago, Anna1 said:

?

Oh yeah, I want to see. Show us a pic.

Shroud of mystery makes ladies desire you more. Don't want to ruin marriages. 

Since I am a guy that likes peace don't like attention on himself..... For time Being. 

Will post it eventually. Trust me when I say I am able to rip Leo's arm off lol. 

Yeah def should erase that from Dreamboard, yeah and keep boring talk about Trump. Las Vegas baby Las Vegas so many fun things to do. 

Yeah fun thing maybe for 15 year old.... Well it is what it is. 

Edited May 15, 2020 by zeroISinfinity

[Ananta]

43 minutes ago, zeroISinfinity said:

Shroud of mystery makes ladies desire you more. Don't want to ruin marriages. 

Goodness, yes, don't want that!

You're funny❤

[Ananta]

@Dutch guy Thanks,  I'm at work, so I'll watch later?

[Ananta]

BTW, to be clear....I'm not saying this action figure Anna is enlightened, because there is still a "getting stuck", as the "apparent" person that happens.

Sometimes for longer time points then others and these longer time points can cause some suffering, before the shift back to seeing from Self/awareness, instead of as the person.

Although, regardless, the action figure will continue on...one just knows, you aren't that.