Question asked by H
Hi, how do ordinary folks know what enlightenment is and why should we pursue it? Where did the lineage of enlightenment start? I mean of course everyone can see that enlightened beings are way above us and worthy of their attainments. But why do they get to be like that and how come I as an ordinary person am awful and the buddhas are amazing?
Dear H,
Enlightenment is the exalted wisdom of a Buddha comprising both eliminations and realizations. This means there is total elimination or purification (jang) of all delusions and realization (chub) of all qualities. Enlightenment is the state of having eradicated all obscurations (hindrances) to liberation and omniscience and it is the state in which ultimate happiness is achieved and all suffering has been removed.
There is no such thing as lineage of enlightenment. All beings have the Buddha nature which means that every being has the potential to realize Buddhahood. The Buddhas became enlightened by realising the Three Principal Aspects of the Path (renunciation, bodhicitta and sunyata). Ordinary beings can also become enlightened by following the same path as shown by the Buddhas.