We have two significant words we have to consider before we put the whole titles into a teaching. We are NOT going to skip the other words until we focus and understand enlightened & ignorance.
Let’s begin!
The first one is enlightened; the second one is ignorance. Think about each word for a few minutes. What is the meaning of enlightened. Not surprisingly we find that enlightened means freedom from ignorance!
Well, these two words make a strong pair that turns out to be a fast track to freedom. If we reflect on just these two words, we have a clear cut path to realize the FREEDOM that is possible. JUST TWO WORDS!
The state of being enlightened can lead us to being free from ignorance. THINK ABOUT IT!
NOW, for some of us we may need a bit more explanation. AS an example, what does the word enlightened mean? What is the definition?
ENLIGHTENMENT refers to an awakening from what YOU think YOU are to what YOU actually are! A simple explanation is that we generally think we are this body, mind, intellect, ego structure. This type of thinking is rooted in delusion.
Take a look at some of your baby pictures. Are you THAT? No. You along with everyone else changes. And the constant nature of change assures us we are NOT what we used to be.
Aging, sickness & death are inevitable which provides a strong understanding that our nature is as all things on earth are, constantly changing. We could say this change comes with a message that we are unreliable in terms of who & what we think we are.
WE, like all things, are subject to HERE TODAY & GONE TOMORROW!
But…it refers to our mind, intellect, ego & body structures.
We all know that our baby shoes no longer fit our feet, even though there are those who CAST the baby shoes as keepsakes.
When we are Enlightened we are FREE from IGNORANCE. As a simple example, we know our CASTING of baby shoes no longer fit us. AND…will at some point disintegrate.
IGNORANCE is not a bad word nor does it come with condemnation. IGNORANCE is a lack of awareness of our true nature. It may start right when a baby is born. Have you ever seen a newborn scream when they leave the womb?
Infants, for the most part, recognize the change and often feel scared and bewildered. Right away the baby sees the shift in their body-mind. They are frightened and yet they have a strong pull to grasp the mother, to touch her, and many scream and cry.
Now, we could easily say they are in a strong state of ignorance. They are unaware of where they are. They have lost the comfort, solitude and nourishment of the womb. The CHANGE is enormous.
Slowly, the baby begins to make an effort to live.
Inevitably, the change continues from birth to death. The infant makes a strong effort to live. It is THAT effort which strengthens and changes life over time. IF only we could offer them immediate understanding of what is unreal & what is real.
Fortunately, for many, understanding develops. Development in general does not go deep enough when life brings developments. What appears to happen is that human beings focus on the material, changing world rather than on their spiritual development.
Human beings focus on their conditioned understanding of the world. YET, this teaching makes a strong effort to enter an Enlightened life leaving behind the material world of stuff.
The field of enlightenment is ever-present, yet many, many do not know about it.
But those of YOU wanting to know consider carefully:
I VOW TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE AN ENLIGHTENED LIFE!
DROP IGNORANCE SEEK ENLIGHTENMENT
