The TRUTH about Enlightenment

This is a topic which we will probably discuss endlessly, so let's
start here: There is no absolute definition about enlightenment. Now,
if you just believed that, you just believed an absolute definition
of enlightenment. See how tricky the whole thing is? However, that
being the case, there still are some things that can be discussed.

"One who says they are enlightened can't be enlightened." Is this
true? Then how come there are so many recognized teachers of
enlightenment who are either directly saying that they are or
speaking from the platform of being enlightened? Why is there so much
literature and scriptures on the nature of enlightenment if nothing
can be said about it. Lao Tzu starts the Tao Te Ching with the words,
"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the Tao" and then proceeds to
speak hundreds of words about that which is evidently NOT the Tao,
since he is speaking of it. Why would he be speaking of it, if not
subtly suggesting that he knows it? Yes, words fall short, are
fingers pointing to the moon, and so forth, but are required for
those who have no understanding. The difficulty here is
distinguishing to what degree the 'individual' is identified with the
body/mind/ego. There are MANY assumptions about an enlightened person
which greatly hinder someone from recognizing it themselves. Dogen
said, "Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own
enlightenment." So, you may well be enlightened and not have a clue.
Is that likely? Certainly! Most people don't really know what
Enlightenment is. The thing to understanding is the inability to
understand anything. We live in a place of infinite potentiality, and
nearly any explanation you might have for what enlightenment is, is
possible. But in probably the most simplistic terms, Enlightenment is
the recognition that you are not just the body/mind, but that you are
the Consciousness in which the body/mind/world is arising.

There is a story of Ramakrishna walking with a student and explaining
how you can never tell who is awakened to the Absolute (because
people have strong beliefs and assumptions about what an enlightened
individual should look like). Suddenly Ramakrishna points to a
decrepit looking street person who is fighting with a dog for some
scrap of meat and tells his student that the street person is fully
Awake. NO, the students says, but Ramakrishna tells him to go over
and ask. The student approaches the street man and asks, "Are you a
knower of Brahman (the Absolute)?" The street person simply stops
fighting with the dog for a moment, looks at the student, puts his
finger to his mouth and says, "Sshhhhh" and goes back to fighting with the dog.

In traditional literature, there are kings, bums, students,
housewives, butchers, doctors, shoemakers, crazy people and every
other category of person, all of whom are enlightened. Some will say
they are enlightened, others will not. Or perhaps they may not say
it, but they will acknowledge it in one way or another - they will
teach, accept students, perform compassionate acts to instruct. Or
they may simply go about their business as usual with no one
suspecting anything. Enlightenment doesn't necessarily make you look
like anything. An enlightened master is JUST as likely to wear skate
shoes and jeans as flowing robes, a cook's apron as a loincloth. You
are not likely to turn into a Jesus or Buddha or a Mohammed, or a
Ramana, or a Nisargadatta, or ..... Hopefully you will fully
recognize YOU, that which is aware of you, THAT which IS.

So what is Enlightenment really? To most, the answer is to Recognize
Truth, particularly the Truth of Who you Are beyond the senses and
mind - the recognition of Being Awareness, Consciousness, Presence,
the Seer, the Witness, the ALL, the One, etc. etc. etc. Perhaps it is
a glimpse. Perhaps the ego/mind dies entirely. Perhaps you will speak
it, and perhaps you will never speak again. The truth is when you try
to define Enlightenment, you have limited it, and that is one thing
that nearly all will say - Enlightenment is certainly beyond any
limitations. "The Tao that can be limited (by being spoken) is not
the eternal Tao."