Enlightenment

Only For the Few ?

Is it true that

• Realization is only for the few?

• It is very difficult to achieve involving years and possibly lifetimes of dedication and study?

• Only the most 'worthy' will succeed?

• Only those with the 'purest' of intentions have any chance at all?

• Those that succeed are very 'special'?

• It is essentially very very distant and remote?

• That you will have to 'give up' a lot to achieve the goal?

• Realization is only for those that have these marvelous spiritual experiences?

It is only the illusion of the Ego, the Reference Point, as Bob calls it, that gives rise to the ideas of being 'very special', having as a quality 'pure intentions' , being one of the 'chosen few', and above all, being 'worthy'.

Those ideas, being dualistic, have built into them their opposites. Not being 'very special' at all. Having intentions that could not be 'pure'. Not being one of the 'chosen few'. And not being 'worthy. Both are sides of the same coin.

There has to be a conceptual 'me' there to whom those thoughts apply - the so called 'good' side, or the so called 'bad' side. There is nothing wrong with those thoughts and we do not choose our thoughts.

The suffering occurs when they are believed to apply to a 'me'. The 'me' to whom the thoughts are believed to apply does not exist in any way other than the content of thought. This applies whether the 'good set' is believed, or the 'bad set' is believed. No difference at all.

The 'me' is the 'mistaken identity' that we think we are. It is the 'me' that has be to be seen through - and the actual content of the thoughts about the 'me' is not the issue. The issue is the 'me'.

The idea that realization, so called, is very remote, or distant, or hard to get to is only due to the belief that we are what we think we are. This is the same 'me', the same the self image, the same the reference point.

Our true nature has not gone away. It exists, is fully alive, aware and complete in every way. But we rely on the content of thought to tell us what/who we are. It is the same matter of mistaken identity.

Beliefs about the need to be 'very special', have 'pure intentions', being one of the 'chosen few' and being 'worthy' have at their core a strong belief in the 'me'. The issue is the same. No difference.

The 'one who we think we are' is an unchallenged, uninspected belief. It is not a matter of changing the belief, but seeing though that belief - seeing the falseness of it. When that is seen through the thoughts may still be there, but they are not believed any more. Not a problem. Just thought. Just like clouds passing by.

There is only the issue of who/what you are and who/what you are not.

That is what it is all about - not issues of the worthy, the pure, the special - all mind stuff - all red herrings.

Ramana Maharshi

"Realization is for everyone; realization makes no difference between the aspirants."

Written by Mike Graham, 19 Jan 2008, last edited 17 Feb 2008