Is Enlightenment A Paradigm?

[Christian]

I just watched Leo's new episode on paradigms. And it got me thinking. Is enlightenment really a paradigm? He made lots of examples, but he did not adress these higher spiritual truths. I mean enlightenment is a perspective as it is forunded upon a radical empirical investigation. And the statements and perspectives enlightenment takes surely come from biases and a certain hierachy. Direct experience is really King when doing self inquiry and doing enlightenment work. But what if there is something out there that is missing? Maybe there is an alternative. And enlightenment is a way of looking at the world. Despite how correct it is, it is still a perspective, right? 

 

[Wesley]

I think it's about understanding reality from a big picture, i think it is a paradigm but still helpful in exploring. enlightenment helps in dropping many paradigms

[Nahm]

@Christian Enlightenment 'contains' many perspectives at once, so paradigms don't appear as riddles. It makes it easy to spot the inconsistent perspectives that make it appear to seem conflicting. 

[Christian]

I would say that in my opinion a description of enlightenment is a perspective. But actual enlightenment which reveals what reality is is NOT a perspective. I have listened to dozens of videos and red many books on enlightenment and the existential fact that these sources point to in my experience is true. But the language that is used to communicate these spiritual truths such as reality is nothingness, you are god, god is nothing, thoughts are illusions.

All this is observable and discoverable through enlightenment work. I have gotten taste of these experiences so from my little view, I can arrogantly say that what is communicated between the lines in enlightenment teachings are literal facts. But I just don't know if I'm in deep delusion or on to something. I can with 99,9% certainty say that the ego is false. But is that still a paradigm if that insight was realized based of an empirical investigation? Are metaphysicsal truths supposed to be placeres in a different category than paradigms? I don't know. 

Hope I'm making sense here, shit this stuff is nuanced.

[Nahm]

It 'contains' many perspectives, as in your perception becomes less linear or one dimensional. Not enlightenment IS a perspective. You have to experience the difference to understand it. All the books and videos you mentioned will certainly help, but there is a 'POP' of mind expansion that happens eventually, and then you will see what I'm trying to communicate. 

Regarding the ego - you're on the right track, delusion is helpful in the way you reference, because you realize to question it. High praise there. Try not to think of the ego as "false'. It's a good thing, as it is a gateway to this whole experience. It is also a good thing to let it go and see beyond it, which it sounds like you will. I get the impression you 'naturally' learn and pursue these things, which is awesome. The "empirical investigation, the self inquiry, meditation, healthy eating, excercise, mindfulness and awereness growth are all IMO equally necessary components of the recipe for the fore mentioned "POP". You are on the right track. Do some self inquiry on which of those categories, if any, you may be lacking in, put some time and focus there, and I bet you have that pop within a year or so. Godspeed my friend.