Subjective Reality

Originally posted by lumberjim
I like that, mar, but once a person reaches enlightenment, don;t they then move to the next phase of existence in a different reality altogether?

Well, in the realm of Buddhism, I am the smallest grasshopper, but this is what I understand: A person who attains enlightenment remains in this world, in this existance. There's a Buddhist saying, "Before enlightenment you chop the wood and carry the water. AFTER enlightenment, you chop the wood and carry the water." An enlightened being remains right here with the rest of us, s/he is simply now AWAKE, as the Buddha put it. To be enlightened would be to see both the percieved realty and the actual realty, knowing the difference and not feeling disturbed at it because one has let go of all attachments to ego or a particular set of beliefs.

Some branches of Buddhism teach that those who attain true enlightenment are not required to endure the continual cycle of being born again into this life and the suffering which life brings. Instead, the enlightened being has the option of going to heaven (nirvana) after s/he dies which would be the next phase of existance, I suppose.

However, Buddhist belief has it that many enlightened beings take what is called the Bodisattva Vow, where they make a sacred pledge to return to this life in order to help all other beings attain perfect enlightenment. A Bodisattva vows to keep coming back until even the lowest house fly, even me, even Radar attains perfect enlightenment and all suffering is then at end. Those Bodisattva's got their work cut out for them!