Meaning will never get us to Truth
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John Aufenanger
 May 19 2023
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    What is Enlightenment, and how does it differ from self-realization?


    I avoid using the word Enlightenment because it's a heavyweight word. Enlightenment is a religious idea - a religious term with religious definitions. Just as I prefer to leave the science to the scientists and the philosophy to the philosophers, I also prefer to leave the religion to religious authorities - especially if the religion in question is foreign to my familiar cultural identity. But I'll make a suggestion. Enlightenment is about more than merely being Self-Aware - more than simply "clear seeing" of the nature of Self and of Reality. It is the wisdom without which this clear seeing doesn't do us much good.


    It's one thing to be "aware of Awareness," we might say, but another thing to know what do to with it. Most of the literature on Enlightenment is about ethics, morality, right conduct - how to live, in other words. There are expectations of the Enlightened Being that are rarely mentioned in popular (and largely secular) Spirituality, Nonduality, Awakening, and relata. In those religious modalities which focus on spiritual enlightenment, the "spiritual awakening" is only the first baby step, as it were - not a goal. In the most widespread of these religious systems - Mahayana Buddhism, for instance - it is rare that Enlightenment is even spoken of unless it's about largely mythological Beings. If you ask a traditional Zen teacher about Enlightenment, he or she might hit you with a stick.


    Likewise, Reincarnation is a religious idea. Often it is assumed that in order to seek, or pursue, the spiritual life it is necessary to assent to a Reincarnation doctrine. No. In fact, it is best to drop ALL doctrines - especially the one you most fervently believe - if your goal is realization. Similarly, some spiritual teachers teach from a consciousness-first or consciousness-only scientific doctrine, but this must also be dropped as just another belief. A doctrine is a doctrine is a doctrine. And Dogma is Dogma, no matter how it's disguised.


    "Self" is exactly the same as "No Self." Hindus and Buddhists argued about the philosophical implications of "Self" v. "No Self" for 2,000 years. They still do today. Of course there is a meaningful difference between these concepts. "Meaning" is what concepts are all about. But I'm not interested in meaning; I am interested in Truth. And truth is beyond "meanings," beyond words, beyond the conceptual, beyond arguments, beyond religion, beyond philosophy, beyond science. Self and No-Self are the same: both are words. Drop them.


    "The Meaning Crisis" attracted me into this, and related, interests. Rapidly, I realized there is no meaning crisis; what bedevils Humanity at this time is a Truth Crisis. Meaning will never get us to Truth. 


    Yes - Truth is realized only when all meanings are discarded. The ONLY truly effective thing you can do to help Humanity is to wake up. Every other effort you may undertake will do no more than make matters worse.


    Peace, friends. 


    philosophy spirituality religion enlightenment science consciousness identity
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