Awakening vs. Enlightenment

A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the Way (Great Awakening) and attaining the Way (attaining Enlightenment). (Note: There are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., Buddhahood.)

To experience a Great Awakening is to achieve (through Zen meditation, Buddha Recitation, etc.) a complete and deep realization of what it means to be a Buddha and how to reach Buddhahood.

It is to see one's Nature, comprehend the True Nature of things, the Truth. However, only after becoming a Buddha can one be said to have truly attained Supreme Enlightenment (attained the Way).

A metaphor appearing in the sutras is that of a glass of water containing sediments. As long as the glass is undisturbed, the sediments remain at the bottom and the water is clear. However, as soon as the glass is shaken, the water becomes turbid. Likewise, when a practitioner experiences a Great Awakening (awakens to the Way), his afflictions (greed, anger and delusion) are temporarily suppressed but not yet eliminated.

To achieve Supreme Enlightenment (i.e., to be rid of all afflictions, to discard all sediments) is the ultimate goal. Only then can he completely trust his mind and actions. Before then, he should adhere to the precepts, keep a close watch on his mind and thoughts, like a cat stalking a mouse, ready to pounce on evil thoughts as soon as they arise.

To do otherwise is to court certain failure, as stories upon stories of errant monks, roshis and gurus demonstrate.

 (See also: Awakening vs. Enlightenment, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Great Awakening

See "Awakening vs Enlightenment."

(See also: Great Awakening, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Enlightenment

See "Awakening vs. Enlightenment."

 (See also: Enlightenment, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Buddha-nature (originally in Sanskrit, "Buddha-dhatu" - "Buddha Element", "Buddha-Principle") is a doctrine important for many schools of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddha-nature ("Buddha-dhatu") is taught to be a truly real eternal potential or principle, present in all sentient beings, for awakening and becoming Enlightened. The Buddha-nature doctrine relates to the possession by sentient beings of the innate buddha-mind or buddha-element ("Buddha-dhatu"), which is, prior to the full attainment of buddhahood, not fully actualized, or at ...

Including:

• Buddha-nature - Development of Buddha-nature
• Buddha-nature - Buddha-nature vs. atman

Read more here: » Buddha-nature

Buddha-nature (originally in Sanskrit, "Buddha-dhatu" - "Buddha Element", "Buddha-Principle") is a doctrine important for many schools of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddha-nature ("Buddha-dhatu") is taught to be a truly real eternal potential or principle, present in all sentient beings, for awakening and becoming Enlightened. The Buddha-nature doctrine relates to the possession by sentient beings of the innate buddha-mind or buddha-element ("Buddha-dhatu"), which is, prior to the full attainment of buddhahood, not fully actualized, or at ...

Including:

• Buddha-nature - Development of Buddha-nature
• Buddha-nature - Buddha-nature vs. atman

Read more here: » Buddha-nature: Encyclopedia - Buddha-nature

Great Awakening

See "Awakening vs. Enlightenment."

 (See also: Great Awakening, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

This is a sitemap for Buddhism - A . Click on a link and you will find multiple definitions and articles related to the word.

Abhidhamma, Abhinna, Acariya, Acquired enlightenment, Adhitthana, Agadas, Agamas, Agara, Agaru, Aguru, Agura, Ai, Ajaan, Akaliko, Akusala, Alaya, Alaya Consciousness, Alaya-vijnana, Almsgiving, Altruistic Behavior, Amida, Amita, Amitabha, Amitabha Sutra, Amitayus, Anagami, Ananda, Anapanasati, Anasrava, Anatolia, Anatta, Anicca, Anupadisesa-nibbana, Anupubbi-katha, Anusaya, Anuttara-Samayak-Sambodhi, Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Apaya-bhumi, Appamada, Arahant, Arahat, Arammana, Arhat, Ariya, Ariyadhana, Ariya-puggala, Ariya-sacca, Arthakrtya, Arya, Asamkhiya, Asana, Asava, Ascetic, Aspiration for enlightenment, Asrava, Asubha, Asura, Atman, Attachment, Attaining Buddhahood in one's present form, Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime, Attainment of Buddhahood, Attainment of Buddhahood by evil persons, Attainment of Buddhahood by persons of the two vehicles, Attainment of Buddhahood by women, Attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past, Avalokitesvara, Avatamsaka, Avidya, Avijja, Awakening of Faith, Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, Awakening of the Faith, Awakening vs Enlightenment, Ayatana

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Buddhism Dictionary

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Also see these pages for material related to Buddhism:

Sanskrit Dictionary , Theosophy Dictionary , Hinduism Dictionary , Spiritual Dictionary, Mysticism Dictionary .

Read more here: » Buddhism Sitemap I - A