After the discussion in the pragmatic morality thread, I thought I would post this to clarify my views on the intersection of morality and attainment - what 'perfected' morality looks like and how it is achieved.
Suffering - Buddhism is founded on the principle of the eradication of suffering. However, suffering in the Buddhist sense is not a catch-all term, encompassing mental, emotional, and physical suffering. Buddhist suffering instead refers to that suffering caused by fundamental ignorance of our true nature - suffering caused by mistaken perception. This fine point is best appreciated in the context of attainment, in which although the clarity of mind increases, and neurosis falls away, emotional suffering may not be significantly modified. (Although this was my personal experience, it may not be that of all people, and a reason is found in the Three Dantien Model below). The important point here is that the explicit focus and designed achievement in Buddhism is the end of mental suffering alone.
The Three Dantien Model - Qigong theory holds that there are three main energy centers; the upper, middle, and lower dantiens (which roughly correlate to the third eye, heart, and root or sacral chakras). The upper dantien houses the energy of wisdom, the middle dantien the energy of love, and the lower dantien our vital, physical energy. When enlightenment occurs, the energy of the upper dantien is fully purified. Qigong personality is based on the relative balances or imbalances occurring between these three centers. As such, a person with naturally balanced dantiens gains increasing power in all dantiens as a result of attainment (upper dantien progress), while a person with imbalanced dantiens who gains attainment will also purify their other energy centers but still be subject to the emotional issues arising from imbalance.
Enlightenment and Post Enlightenment Progression - Upon enlightenment, the dualistic structures of mind fall away with finality. Nevertheless, progression continues. There are two discrete stages of progression post enlightenment, the first in which a backlog of gross conceptual thought must be overcome - through continued meditation - and a second in which more subtle residual mental fixations are overcome. During this time, those with imbalances will be able to overcome them as a result of focused practice. The final result is an energetically (read emotionally) balanced individual who has fully purified all residual perceptual obscurations. Such an individual has overcome all attachment and lives at all moments in a state of total experiential perfection.
Ultimate vs. Relative Perfection, and Continued Spiritual Progression - The question is then, how does such an individual manifest in the world? Although they have achieved ultimate spiritual perfection, still they reside in the relative world, in a relative body, subject to all such relative intrigues; they have achieved an ultimate basis of consciousness, but apply this to an relative, imperfect world. For example, life decisions are made based on available information - we seek to make the best possible decision to maximize the outcome, but we do so based on limited knowledge and experience. Even if we make the ultimate decision in all circumstance it still appears as a series of relative decisions to an outside observer. What's more, the best possible decision at any given time is still a relative decision, the consequences of which inform the next decision, and so on.
Even after gaining the final achievement, spiritual growth is ongoing. In the Dantien model of progression there are two components, growth and purification. Purification is achieved largely upon enlightenment and wholly in the time afterword; growth however is endless. We can always become stronger, wiser, or more loving. Enlightenment doesn't make you better than anyone else, it just makes you the best possible version of yourself, and paradoxically, even when we reach perfection, even when we live in perfection in every moment, we can still continue to improve.
Cheers all!
