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Mini - enlightenments

KnitwitchKnitwitch
edited March 2008 in Sanghas
A serious one for a change.

I don't think many people get complete enlightenment, I certainly won't this time around, but I do think it is possible to have mini-enlightenments that lead to greater compassion and understanding.

Example - a person dear to me, no names, no pack drill, has the habit of offering advice on any subject under the sun. No matter what you are doing, he wants to point you in the right direction, which, if you regard him as a thing separate from oneself, is annoying and leads you to think he is belittling your own skills or abilities.

BUT I had an insight (mini enlightenment) and realised that he is not belittling MY skills, he just wants to make sure that he doesn't lose sight of his OWN. He needs to feel needed. He wants to be appreciated. And the moment I realised that, the part of me that needs appreciating and needing reached out to him and I can now be perfectly happy with his behaviour.

Comments

  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited March 2008
    That's definitely a mini-enlightenment, if you ask me, and I think what you did is what it's all about. It's not about the "big enlightenment". It's about all the small steps we take to get there, isn't it? The small triumphs that lead to understanding and insight. All our conflicts come from misunderstanding ourselves and others and when we don't even try to see others, especially those who annoy us, in a different light, compassion and growth just can't happen.

    Great post, Knitwitch.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited March 2008
    I am convinced it didn't hit the Buddha in one fell swoop...
    he came to several realisations, I would guess, before the big one hit him...
    Like how useless it is to go to extremes, either in depriving ourselves of all comforts, or indulging to excess....
    I think the fact that he finally sat down and refused point-blank to move from beneath the Bodhi tree was partially stubborness, determination and - dare I say it - bloody-mindedness....?

    Whilst siitng there, he also had visions of his previous lives, so I reckon, even if we aren't there yet, like him, progressively, we're working towards it.
    I find it difficult to believe that the progress, and 'mini-enlightenments' we experience in this life now, will not be constructive to our progress...It's hard to consider slipping back so far that we undo the good karma we generate 'today'....
    Being Mindful, Following the Path skilfully - whatever our persuasion - can only be a good thing, cumulatively.....
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