Is Seeking Enlightenment for Happiness Wrong?

[Insightful27]

Is seeking enlightenment for the sake of happiness the wrong way to go about it? I’ve heard a lot about seeking Truth for Truths sake, but at this point in my development I don’t see a reason to do anything other than for the point of happiness and joy. Not in the sense of hedonistic happiness that is mainstream now, but in a deeper sense. In a way that’s all I see self-actualization being about, reaching the deepest and most profound forms of happiness.

 

[caspex]

Imo if it's wrong then eventually you'll just grow out of it. I am also stuck on this lol. 

Just like how one comes into spirituality for personal purposes, but ultimately ends up the most impersonal.

[Beginner Mind]

Seeking happiness through enlightenment is what it's all about.  Although I'd say the happiness that is available is more akin to peace.

[Eph75]

Seeking starts as escaping suffering out of the desire for happiness. Finding is the removal of, or rather disidentification with, the suffering that is, and the desire of escaping that which is.

A lack of expectations on and desires of removes the flavor of the question. If happiness is the removal of such impact, of what is, there is no happiness to find and only something to loose. Addition by reduction. 

There needs to be a desire to start looking for something other, that's perfectly alright. And there needs to be the invalidation of that need for seeking, to find that there was nothing needed to find, rather to gain the ability to wakingly see that which is and the purity of that experience. 

Happiness becomes just a word. 

Edited November 28, 2020 by Eph75

[Gesundheit]

2 hours ago, Insightful27 said:

Is seeking enlightenment for the sake of happiness the wrong way to go about it? I’ve heard a lot about seeking Truth for Truths sake, but at this point in my development I don’t see a reason to do anything other than for the point of happiness and joy. Not in the sense of hedonistic happiness that is mainstream now, but in a deeper sense. In a way that’s all I see self-actualization being about, reaching the deepest and most profound forms of happiness.

Well, you are telling the truth, so you already have it. And the truth is that you want happiness. How could that be wrong?

[Nahm]

6 hours ago, Insightful27 said:

reaching the deepest and most profound forms of happiness.

Is happiness forms?

[snowyowl]

10 hours ago, Insightful27 said:

Not in the sense of hedonistic happiness that is mainstream now, but in a deeper sense.

yeah, like hedonistic happiness = conditional, impermanent; and deep happiness = unconditional, timeless. 

But when we start on this path, all we know is hedonism and can't imagine what unconditional happiness or love is like, being content whatever the external circumstances. Like, we think nirvana means going to heaven where's there's no challenges, but in reality it means keeping equanimity in the middle of challenges. 

[LfcCharlie4]

True Awakening = Happiness = Love

but, probably not the happiness you are thinking of, so it then becomes a semantic issue. 
 

This video may help explain it: 

 

[Javfly33]

No, but unless you have some weird brain chemistry it´s just not gonna work.

Your view of enlightment is too naive and hunky dory.

Since I started enlightment I would say I am even more miserable than when I didnt LMAO

And ive been on this path for a few years already. fucks sakes...who sold me this enlightment was playing a good joke on me haha..

[VeganAwake]

There is nothing that's right or wrong ❤

[snowyowl]

7 minutes ago, VeganAwake said:

There is nothing that's right or wrong ❤

How about truth? If your statement is neither right nor wrong, what does it mean? Or is there a distinction here between absolute and relative truth? 

I dunno if my line of thinking is even capable of creating a proper insight, maybe I should just shut up and contemplate it first before mouthing off

Edited November 28, 2020 by snowyowl
spelling

[VeganAwake]

3 hours ago, snowyowl said:

How about truth? If your statement is neither right nor wrong, what does it mean? Or is there a distinction here between absolute and relative truth? 

I dunno if my line of thinking is even capable of creating a proper insight, maybe I should just shut up and contemplate it first before mouthing off

It just means there is no real right or wrong. Any answer would be a conditioned opinion.

8 people might say it's right and 12 might say it's wrong.

They cancel each other out.

[Insightful27]

On 11/28/2020 at 0:54 AM, Swarnim said:

Imo if it's wrong then eventually you'll just grow out of it. I am also stuck on this lol. 

Just like how one comes into spirituality for personal purposes, but ultimately ends up the most impersonal.

yeah that's what I'm hoping will happen.

[Breakingthewall]

I seek the real freedom and I have come to the conclusion that you can only be free if you are enlightened. enlightenment to seek the truth? What does the truth matter, if in the end what is, is. It seems that seeking the truth is egoic, right? I can say that since I started this path, my level of well-being has increased dramatically. Even if you are not enlightened, aspects such as acceptance of what it is, surrender, contemplation, observation of the ego, even if they do not enlighten you, they will eliminate much unhappiness

[VeganAwake]

2 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

I seek the real freedom and I have come to the conclusion that you can only be free if you are enlightened. enlightenment to seek the truth? What does the truth matter, if in the end what is, is. It seems that seeking the truth is egoic, right? I can say that since I started this path, my level of well-being has increased dramatically. Even if you are not enlightened, aspects such as acceptance of what it is, surrender, contemplation, observation of the ego, even if they do not enlighten you, they will eliminate much unhappiness

Like ? ❤

[Moksha]

@Breakingthewall Seeking the truth is the dog chasing its tail. Realizing the truth is the dog enjoying a nap in the sun.

[actualizing25]

@Breakingthewall Did enlightenment or enlightenment experiences gave you the freedom you are seeking?

Because I myself have a deep desire for real freedom.

[Breakingthewall]

@actualizing25 well ... when I seriously began to ask myself what kind of practical joke was this life, illness and death, I discovered psychedelics, and from there I reached 5 meo, and from there to the comparison between your life and eternity, and from there to begin to understand what the ego is ... and from there to begin, little by little, to be free. I am not because I believe that to be truly free you have to be truly enlightened, but if I compare my daily life experience with that of a year ago ... I would never have thought that something like this was possible, something real. I try not to foment the 5 meo, I do not do it with my friends or with the people I frequent, but when faced with a sincere question like yours, I have to answer that for me it has been a gift from the gods, a door to cosmic understanding , to the clear vision of what the ego is, time. Not only the 5 meo, meditation and the intention of openess too, but I'm not sure that without that help it could be possible. I hope to continue releasing chains until I can rest under the sun like moksha's dog, it is possible, and not difficult if you understand that you are not separated from what you perceive. when the sky is open, the earth is wide and things are just as they are, as I read in a post a while ago

Edited November 30, 2020 by Breakingthewall

[actualizing25]

@Breakingthewall very well-said?? thank you 

May I ask you what your motivation for enlightenment is?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JayySur]

6 hours ago, Moksha said:

@Breakingthewall Seeking the truth is the dog chasing its tail. Realizing the truth is the dog enjoying a nap in the sun.

The real kicker is realizing that the Truth is beyond the dog, its tail, and the sun.