ENLIGHTENMENT

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Although there are so many wise sayings I could have included to introduce the topic of enlightenment, I have selected some of my favourite quotes. A few of these are my own musings along with a couple of excerpts discussing this subject from the second book of the series, SURREAL ADVENTURES.
I trust you will find some of these 'enlighteniing.'
“Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment”
― Lao Tzu
“Enlightenment will be now the beginning, not the end. Beginning of a non-ending process in all dimensions of richness. ”
― Osho
“The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.”
― Nikos Kazantzakis
“The greatest illusion in this world is the illusion of separation.”
― Anonymous
“Enlightenment is not a change into something better or more, but a simple recognition of who we truly already are.”
― Anonymous
“Enlightenment is not the byproduct of avoiding the darkness in favor of the light. It is the byproduct of taking the light of consciousness and diving deep into the darkness with it. To make the darkness conscious is to turn the shadow into light.”
― Teal Scott
“The ego tries to convince us that we must do things to achieve enlightenment. The spirit knows that enlightenment is not a matter of doing, but a magnificent consequence of being.”
― Dean Jackson
“Enlightenment, joy, and peace can never be given to you by another. The well is inside you.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
“What is enlightenment? It is complete and total non-attachment to one’s own thoughts. And in the absence of attachments to one’s own thoughts, all that is present is love.”
― Teal Scott
“Enlightenment is the journey from the head back to the heart, from words back to silence.”
― Jack Brocas
“Make no mistakes about it – enlightenment is a destructive process. It has nothing to do with becoming better or being happier. Enlightenment is the crumbling away of the untruth. It’s seeing through the facade of pretense. It’s the complete eradication of everything we imagined to be true.” ― Adyashanti
“I went in being me, but not knowing it. I came out being me, and knowing it. It was this that changed my life.” ― Anonymous
“If I could define enlightenment briefly, I would say it is the quite acceptance of what is.”
― Wayne Dyer
“The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.” ― Kazant Zakis
“There are many paths to enlightenment.”
― Anonymous
“So the single most vital step on your journey toward enlightenment is this: learn to disidentify from your mind.”
― Eckhart Tolle
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
― Carl Jung
“Enlightenment must come little by little otherwise it would overwhelm.”
― Idries Shah
“Your imagination is the vehicle to enlightenment.”
― Gary Hopkins
“The attainment of enlightenment from ego’s point of view is extreme death.”
― Chogyam Trungpa
“Alwasy keep your mind as bright as the vast sky, the great ocean, and the highest peak, “Alwasy keep your mind as bright as the vast sky, the great ocean, and the highest peak, empty of all thoughts. Always keep your body filled with light and heat. Fill yourself with power of wisdom and enlightenment.”
― Morihei Ueshiba
“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.” ― Immanuel Kant
“On the pathway that leads to enlightenment, only your heart can tell you whar is right.” ― Frederick Lenz
“Attachment is the main thing that is blocking your path towards enlightenment.”
― Garchen Rinpoche
“Enlightenment is life and of itself. Enlightenment is the knowledge of the origin and of truth, whereby truth is self-existing and unchanging. Enlightenment is the univers that exists as it is; Enlightenment is the act of knowing this universe.”
― Woo Myung
“What you focus on you becom. So always focus on that which is highest, brightest, happiest and most noble of all things, enlightenment.”
― Frederick Lenz
“Enlightenment, or true happiness, is not a transcendental state. It is a condition of braod wisdom, boundless energy,a nd good fortune wherein we each shape our own destiny, find fulfillment in daily activities, and come to understand our ultimate purpose in life.”
― Josei Toda
“When we wake up from our confused state of mind, that is enlightenment.”
― Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
“Being is enlightenement.”
― Osho
“Nirvana or lasting enlightenment or true spiritual growth can be achieved only through persistent exercise of real love.”
― M. Scott Peck
“Someone who wants to attain enlightenment must be brave. He must rush into the crowd of enemies with a dagger. In the practice of Zen, enemies are our delusive thoughts and passions.” ― Koun Yamada
“To study the way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things. Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment." ― Dogen
The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.”
― Albert Einstein
“Enlightenment is not something to be attained. As a human being it is your natural state. Your very core is composed of love and light, it is consciousness. It is the fallacy of ego and reality that prevents you from realizing your inner divinity. You must shed the illusions and you will be left with pure enlightenment. It is not something to attain, you must lose, and you shall be.”
― Anonymous
“If we look at the path, we do not see the sky. We are earth people on a spiritual journey to the stars. Our quest, our earth walk, is to look within, to know who we are, to see that we are connected to all things, that there is no separation, only in the mind.”
― Native American
"If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him."
― Buddha
"Your greatest awakening comes, when you are aware about your infinite nature.”
― Amit Ray,
"The Enlightenment view of mankind is a complete myth. It leads us into thinking we're sane and rational creatures most of the time, and we're not."
― J. G. Ballard
"To know the light you must first become the light."
― NG Meyers
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The following excerpt is a brief discussion on enlightenment that's found within the third chapter of ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE: SURREAL ADVENTURES, the second book of the novel series. (Publication pending.)