Expert: Justin Choo - 1/29/2005

Question
Hello Justinchoo!

Very often, in Buddhism, we read and hear about enlightenment,but, actually, what is it Enlightenment? How does one know that he is enlightened or not? Is it possible to know that you are enlightened, how to feel it, what is it connected with? If you were enlightened would you know it? How would you perceive the world then? Is there any explanation for this "higher state" of being?
Thank You!  

Answer
Hi Luke,

Thank you for asking me.

The Buddha is regarded as a Fully Enlightened person.  The Pali term is Samma-sambodhi.  The root word is Bodhi, meaning to awaken or to understand.  There are 3 classifications of enlightenment.  The highest is that of a samma-sambodhi, only attained by a Buddha who would then teach the world of his achievement.  The second type is one attained by a Pacceka Buddha, but he would keep his achievement to himself without teaching others.  The third is that of a "saint" or Arahat who attains through following the path as taught by the Buddha.

The result of all these 3 categories are the same, having attained complete realization of the 4 Noble Truths, and more importantly, the complete eradication of defilements of greed, hatred and delusion.  How does one know that one is enlightened?  I really cannot tell you for sure because I, myself, is not enlightened.  However, I can venture to share with you an illustration.  When we are sick, we know the feeling.  When we are well again we know for sure that we are well.  I would say, that once one is enlightened, one WILL know for sure.

When we talk about enlightenment, we will definitely have to refer to the accompanying result, i.e. Nibbana (or Nirvana in Sanskrit).  Nibbana means extinction of desires, and complete eradication of the 3 roots of defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion.  Without any trace of these defilements, there will no longer be any clinging to future rebirth. Without birth, one will not be subject to the dictates of this unsatisfactory existence.  One is no longer subject to conditions.  One's existence is free from conditioning.

To the enlightened person, the world is just an illusion.
A place full of deceptions, and in the end, death.  He is no longer a slave to this world.  He does not react to the bluffs of the world in terms of laughter or sorrow.  He views the world with equanimity, neither complaining nor condoning.  He is at peace with himself as well as the world, until he leaves the world for good, never to come back again.

Hope I have answered your question.  Please come back if you have further questions.

Smile from justinchoo :-)