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Enlightenment/Nirvana

meh_meh_
edited March 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I was scouring youtube for an explanation of enlightenment, and I found a few videos.

One was Sri Bhagvad explaining Enlightenment - is the hindu concept of enlightenment different to the buddhist one?

Also - this dude talking about enlightenment, saying things about manifesting objects, and blessing people, and stuff Ive never heard of before...





Comments

  • meh_meh_
    Also - Im sure this sounds ignorant - but if you experience what is purely the now, with no internal discussion - how do you function in life, talk to people, carry out functions?
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    when you take a shit, do you think about taking a shit or do you just do it?

    that is the answer to your question.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    Internal discussion is part of purely the now.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB No-self vs. True Self;jsessionid=242DBBBB14ECE89062A956C17C380F57?p_r_p_185834411_title=MCTB No-self vs. True Self

    read this in regards to your question about the hindu concept of enlightenment.

    good luck!
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Also - Im sure this sounds ignorant - but if you experience what is purely the now, with no internal discussion - how do you function in life, talk to people, carry out functions?
    This is the key question for all the "be in the now" people. The answer is, you can't! You can't plan for the future, make decisions that depend on anticipating the future, etc. My guess is that many monks and nuns can allow themselves to live in the eternal now, because someone else is taking care of their needs: the roof over their heads, procuring the food they eat, following the year-long program of teachings, planning pilgrimages, if any. They have the luxury of living a child-like life, in a way. The rest of us have to keep the bills paid, keep track of appointments, budget the paycheck, etc.
  • EpicurusEpicurus
    ^yeah....and I'm still waiting for Buddhism to tell me how to decide what to do with my life!
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    haha! Be Here Now, Epicurus! Don't worry about the future. Don't worry about where your next meal is coming from! Just...be in the now. (Sorry, but this "now" thing tickles my absurdity bone sometimes.) ;)
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    ^yeah....and I'm still waiting for Buddhism to tell me how to decide what to do with my life!
    Do you have any affinity for Mahayana? You could do something bodhisattva-like. Or if you like Theravada better, you could do something with a lot of metta. I think I even remember something I read yesterday about Epicureanism being inclined toward the common good- though I'm not going to go back and read it again... :)

  • EpicurusEpicurus
    Sherab : Lol, I'm inclined to do something for the common good actually. But it has something that takes use of my skills and my intelligence. Basically, I want and need something stimulating too.

    The more I think about jobs that would help people, the more I feel I'd have to make sacrifices in my personal life. And I don't want to be in depressing environments day in day out. But I'm open to suggestions. :)

    Compassionate_Warrior : All joking aside, I'm a big believer in Now philosophy (not via Tolle or anything). I don't think it should be the axis of one's existence per se....but being in the now in whatever you do sure is great advice imo. It says nothing about how to decide in which direction you should move though, of course.
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    I think there's a balance between being in the now, and focusing on the future (or the past) appropriately. I'm not advocating daydreaming, I'm just saying that practical concerns (and perhaps creative endeavors of a sort) require envisioning the future. And past experience guides us in our decision-making. It's all good: past, present and future, as circumstances require.
  • xabirxabir Veteran
    Yes there is a difference between hindu and buddhist enlightenment.

    Only buddhist teach stage 5 and 6: http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html
    I was scouring youtube for an explanation of enlightenment, and I found a few videos.

    One was Sri Bhagvad explaining Enlightenment - is the hindu concept of enlightenment different to the buddhist one?

    Also - this dude talking about enlightenment, saying things about manifesting objects, and blessing people, and stuff Ive never heard of before...





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