Hi everyone,


by way of introducing myself, I'm a long-time Goenka-style vipassi, pre-path long-time dark night. I resonate deeply with Daniel Ingram's book which I discovered a few years back, and have been following this forum sporadically ever since.

A professor of mine who has developed his own technique of meditation over the years, has recently claimed enlightenment, and wrote down his reflections on this in a note. 

Please, feel free to read it: https://www.academia.edu/7866603/On_the_Indian_Notion_of_Enlightenment_reflections_based_on_experience
and discuss about it in this thread. I'm especially curious to hear from those who have attained one or more paths as to what they make of his thoughts on enlightenment and 'self-awareness' and what criticisms there might be. How does it line up with your experience?

If you'd like to discuss it directly with the author of the note, try the yahoo group dedicated to his reseach in which Balu himself participates, if time permits: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theheatheninhisblindness


thomas

Hi,

Welcome to the DhO.

I had a skim, and it seemed very theory based and philosophical, and not much on technique or on direct experience. 

Since you are familiar with his work, and you are familiar with the DhO and MCTB, perhaps you might be well placed to make some comparisons to start the conversation rolling. Might you also say something about the techniques that Professor Balu recommends or used himself, as I think that might interest the audience here ?

Hi Sawfoot_,


thank you.

Yes, it is very theoretical and not about technique, but that's not the purpose of the text. However, it does concern direct experience. As the subtitle states, it is a reflection about experience. Having experienced enlightenment, what is it that one can say about enlightenment, and how does that dovetail with other knowledge we have of human beings?

I do believe, even though it's all theoretical, because of its subject matter, it is of practical value to practitioners, as theoretical knowledge can greatly inform practical knowledge. 

I'm a former student of his and haven't had any personal contact with Balu for over many years. So I don't know which are his practices.
It might be interesting to know, but as context for understanding the text, I think, it's irrelevant. I don't think it matters how you got enlightened, to talk about enlightenment, if it's the same goal that can be reached by many different routes.




thomas 

Thanks for the explanation Thomas. 

It does look interesting, but quite dense, and so, to be honest, I (and perhaps others here) might need bit more of a sales pitch to take the time to read and digest it properly.
Well, that is an up for debate, I would say. The key word being "if"...Some might say that it is actually different goals, and that different routes lead to different versions of "enlightenment".