Review The Buddha's Instructions To Monks In The Mahaparinibbana Sutta And Develop Your Own Theory - Essay Example

Buddha’s Instructions How does he describe the processes for attaining enlightenment? He describes enlightenment as the process of attaining the status of a Buddha. It is a state of life, which links one with the totality of truth, the entire phases of life, death, space, individual, and others, and directs people to adhere to Buddha’s assurances. The assurance is to lead others to attain Buddhahood. He tells Ananda “Have recourse to none else for refuge. Hold fast to the Dhamma as an island.

Hold fast to the Dhamma as a refuge. Resort to no other refuge Whosoever, Ânanda, either now or after I am gone, shall be islands unto themselves, refuges unto themselves, shall seek no external refuge” (Ashvaghosha, 1998, Sister Vajira, 33, 8). In addition, he also describes enlightenment as a process towards total liberty; "Therefore, Ânanda, be islands unto yourselves. Be your own refuge”(Ashvaghosha, 1998, 33, 8). He also describes it as complete happiness, absolute sympathy, and eradiating suffering.

Moreover, he describes enlightenment as a process and not a destination, in that one cannot claim to have reached at the highest level, “Whosoever, Ânanda, either now or after I am gone, shall be islands unto themselves, refuges unto themselves, shall seek no external refuge, it is they, Ânanda, among my disciples who shall reach the very topmost height! But they must be keen to progress” (Ashvaghosha, 1998, 25, 20). Develop your own theory of enlightenment in about three paragraphs and share it with the class In the past few years, I experienced a life affirming, a complete spiritual change in my life while in my holiday vacation.

I felt a complete transformation and my perception changed, and I started seeing things in a completely different way. I am not certain whether it was God’s grace or some other overwhelming emotional state, but, this was tremendous, and I could not quite comprehend. In my theory of enlightenment, I relate my enlightenment situation with the following. The aptitude to step beyond one’s normal state of consciousness, into another level, that perceives the normal sense of realization, perception, and awareness.

Such a situation is necessitated by certain conditions that include; freedom from disruption and societal disturbances, freedom from anxiety of needs and wants liberty from communal rejection, knowledge about the nature of survival and many others. Such perception and awareness of self is not achieved with ease, but must be practiced.