How Long Does It Take To Be Enlightened?

[Electron]

Its really baffling if you think about. The time that it took for various people to achieve such states varies significantly. Eckhart Tolle for example in my knowledge took the least amount of time, he says that he came to a deep realization after years of anxiety and depression. A buddhist monk whom I saw on television once said that his life long purpose is to attain enlightenment and after twenty years of ascetic training he still doubts whether he has reached there. I thought one needs to deliberately uncondition his mind of the limiting beliefs about the self and the reality and I obviously thought it takes a lot of effort and time. But looking at these varying degrees of time frames, I think it may or may not take a long period of time. What are your views about this?

[Ayla]

What is TRUE is always there, there is no need of time. 

Enlightenment takes no time. What does take time is to establish yourself in that TRUTH, by ripping off all the veils that were keeping you from seeing it. 

When there's no more searching for solutions on the outer realm, you are free. 

 

[Electron]

@Ayla Well, then does that mean the people who take relatively longer periods of time are doing something wrong, Or maybe there are many levels of peace and mindfulness beyond enlightenment which these monks are trying to achieve. 

Also if you put homeostasis into the equation, which is the tendency to sustain the ways of the past; then even if you become free for a moment and come to the realization of the truth, wouldn't your mind wander again after a while?

Which would mean that the mind has to be conditioned with such states over a long period to attain a more permanent experience of being. Wouldn't you agree?

Edited February 11, 2016 by Sigma

[Extreme Z7]

Based on my own experience and stuff I've read on this forum. What is going on in your life outside of meditation might have a really great effect on your meditation results and just spirituality in general. There's a reason why monks decide to distance themselves from mainstream society.

Hope this helped!

[Markus]

First of all I'd like to say that I find it rather annoying when people give answers like 'Enlightenment doesn't take time because it's always there' or 'This question is just a distraction from the Truth'. While those answers are valid in a sense, it is clear that the questioner is interested in a pragmatic answer as to how long one needs to work to get enlightened.

How long it takes seems to vary extensively depending on the method and of course the person. I guess one could make general conclusions about which methods are more effective, for example, self-inquiry is likely faster than most mindfulness approaches. My theory would be that Enlightenment happens faster for those who are more mindful throughout the day. If one does an hour of self-inquiry a day and goes on to live in the typical unconscious way for the other 23, it's going to take longer than for them than for someone who keeps up a steady questioning throughout the day.

 

[Ayla]

@Sigma ,

I don't "philosophize" about these things any longer. I am just trying to convey my own experience with words that don't do it any justice. In fact, there is nothing to say about anything any longer, but if one does try to speak/write about it (in order to guide others), as you can see, it becomes questionable, people begin to validate it or not, to make of it something that it is not... or simply to dismiss it through opinions and quotes that are, again, just words passing.

So my invitation to you is to leave the "how's" all together. When it will happen, it will be an instant so glorious, that all your current world will be shattered forever. It will be a question of homeostasis, yes, if you can let go right there and then, or if you need to struggle for X years. 

[A way to Actualize]

 

 

Their are many teachings on this way to enlightenment.

[Guest]

All the words and explanations in the world will not result in so-called "enlightenment".  Are you pursuing an idea, or a concept of "enlightenment"?   It is just a word.  What you are looking for is a realization - not the word - but the actual event.

Is there a method? Well, we can develop/design methods based on actual realizations, but then we run into words and interpretations and so on.

In every case, one has to attend to watching, and practising mindful behaviour as often as possible throughout every day.  One must approach this with seriousness.  How badly do you want it? One Zen example often mentioned is the allegory of shoving a person's head under water until they panic for air, and then letting their head up for air and then saying something like "When you want it as badly as you wanted air just now".

Just practising techniques and carrying out certain routines is not sufficient by itself.  You must want it badly enough so that your intention and behaviour in every aspect of your life demonstrates your dedication to meeting with truth.  It is here before us.   Will we attend to it?

Those who have eyes to see ... and ears to hear ... you know ... that sort of thing.

Of course there have been seemingly spontaneous cases of "awakening".  But there is much behind those happenings.  Tolle spoke of his childhood and the problems his parents had and what state it left him in; then his desire to find out the truth - so he went to university where most people and he also believed, the truth could be found; then his disappointment, that after all his higher education, he had still not found the truth he was seeking; then during his doctorate year he had such a great depression he wanted to commit suicide (a thought he had entertained even during childhood); then as all this built up to a peek, a sudden insight dawned on him. "I cannot live any longer with myself".  "There must be two of me.  I and myself".  What was this all about, he wondered.   He seems to have entered a deep mode of self-enquiry - it activated his subconscious mind. He fell asleep exhausted and awoke the next morning to a different view of the world.  Then he stopped attending university and spent time on park benches and went to various places to find out what had happened to him.  He researched and learned more and more.

As most awakened people will tell you, it is an ongoing process.  The first instance of awakening is a huge change of world view in terms of what is reality as compared to apparent reality.  But the awakening process continues and matures.

I hope this adds light to some of the matters under discussion here and elsewhere.

joy

 

Edited February 12, 2016 by walt

[jjer94]

How long? Of course you could say it takes no time since time doesn't exist, but that doesn't really help answer your question.

On a practical level, how long it takes depends on how deluded you are: how full your cup is. 

If your cup is the size of an oil tanker and the drain-hole is small, it'll take a long-ass time to empty that cup. You may not even want to bother. This is often the case with senile old people who entrenched themselves in ego at an early age and dug themselves into a massive hole. This can even be the case with people who consider themselves spiritual that have meditated for 30+ years expecting enlightenment but haven't gotten there because they still believe all of the garbage their teachings tell them.

If your cup holds 8 oz of clean water, then emptying that cup would be a breeze. This is often the case for young people who caught themselves early on, or for people who never really believed in much to begin with. Depression usually helps to accelerate the disillusionment process. 

Of course, you also have to keep in mind that after enlightenment, there will often still be plenty of deprogramming to do, which can take months to several years to work through. 

As you can probably see, I can't give you an exact time frame for how long it takes. It's different for everyone. You also don't realize how full your cup is until you've actually looked for yourself.

Hopefully that clears things up a little for you...?

Edited February 12, 2016 by jjer94

[Leo Gura]

If you're looking for a pragmatic answer, the answer is, it's highly variable. Some people take decades, some people do it one weekend. I've met a lady who got enlightened in one weekend.

There are so many variables: your openmindedness, the degree of your intent, the quality of guidance you get, your childhood upbringing, your genetics, and even pure blind luck!

With quality guidance, high levels of intent, and lots of sitting, you could reasonably expect something like 2-3 years. But don't let that limit you. Whenever you actually sit down to do enlightenment, intent to become enlightened RIGHT NOW!

 

[Ayla]

Here's what worked for me as an invaluable "shortcut" : 

Try to catch the exact moment when you fall asleep. To be aware of it. To actually be present that moment. Do the same when you wake up. Catch the moment when mind starts.

When enough experience of this has accumulated and has gain a certain momentum, what you will realize is that mind is like a wheel. Something shifts "in you" that allows it to start and stop. This SOMETHING ... is who you really are

 

[aurum]

It depends on your school of thought but I can't see it happening without a fairly long process. Think of how strong the ego's hold is on humanity. Cutting those chains it going to take some serious effort. I highly question anyone who says it took them less than a couple years.

[Ayla]

@aurum ,

Please question me  

I will not answer with quotes and parabolas.. but from my personal experience. 

Oh and... I have no claim that I am enlightened, but I do see myself as wide awake - which is a state where you are actually able to see the Light. When you are soundly asleep... you don't. You're just dreaming

 

[Electron]

7 hours ago, Ayla said:

Try to catch the exact moment when you fall asleep. To be aware of it. To actually be present that moment. Do the same when you wake up. Catch the moment when mind starts.

@Ayla Would I still be sleeping if I get aware of the fact that I am sleeping?

[Ayla]

1 minute ago, Sigma said:

@Ayla Would I still be sleeping if I get aware of the fact that I am sleeping?

You need to catch the moment when you fall asleep...as much as you can be aware yes

[aurum]

@Ayla

Who am I talking to?

[Electron]

@Ayla Thanks....I will practice this for a week and see the changes..!!

[Ayla]

@aurum yourself

[aurum]

@Ayla Well this was rather pointless then wasn't it?

 

 

[Ayla]

2 minutes ago, aurum said:

@Ayla Well this was rather pointless then wasn't it?

 

 

It is pointless only because you think that I was trying to make fun of you or trap you, but I was actually being very serious. 

You think you are talking to me...but that is just not true. 

Think about that