Let's not muddy the water by saying everyone is enlightened. It is a sloppy statement. It points to a truth, but it also misleads because it leaves out the necessary "realization" of this truth.
The truth of this statement points to the fact that everyone is Awareness. It points to our essential oneness. It acknowledges that we are the One, God, Brahman, the Absolute.
The problem with the statement is that only a realized person knows this. Enlightenment means that one knows this fact. Realizing this fact is enlightenment. But does the average person know this? No, he does not.
So, we have the truth that we are all Awareness, undivided, unlimited, unborn, eternal. But, we have people who realize this, and people who do not realize this. Enlightenment means the mind realized this, and the light went on. To not realize this means the mind remains in ignorance.
Therefore the statement that "Everyone is enlightened," is a false statement. It is better to say everyone is Awareness. This fact may be argued by those who have not realized, but lets not call them enlightened.
Realizing the self is usually a long process of questioning the mind, of inquiring into existence, and pursuing the question, "Who am I." For many, the subject is rather abstract. Understanding is not easy.
It takes a sattvic, clear mind to catch the subtleties of inquiry. Unclear, sloppy statements, don't help. Therefore, if we are going to help others to see the truth, we must be careful how we use words or phrases to convey this understanding. Let us be careful and admit that everyone is Awareness, but lets not be sloppy and say "everyone is enlightened."
The truth of this statement points to the fact that everyone is Awareness. It points to our essential oneness. It acknowledges that we are the One, God, Brahman, the Absolute.
The problem with the statement is that only a realized person knows this. Enlightenment means that one knows this fact. Realizing this fact is enlightenment. But does the average person know this? No, he does not.
So, we have the truth that we are all Awareness, undivided, unlimited, unborn, eternal. But, we have people who realize this, and people who do not realize this. Enlightenment means the mind realized this, and the light went on. To not realize this means the mind remains in ignorance.
Therefore the statement that "Everyone is enlightened," is a false statement. It is better to say everyone is Awareness. This fact may be argued by those who have not realized, but lets not call them enlightened.
Realizing the self is usually a long process of questioning the mind, of inquiring into existence, and pursuing the question, "Who am I." For many, the subject is rather abstract. Understanding is not easy.
It takes a sattvic, clear mind to catch the subtleties of inquiry. Unclear, sloppy statements, don't help. Therefore, if we are going to help others to see the truth, we must be careful how we use words or phrases to convey this understanding. Let us be careful and admit that everyone is Awareness, but lets not be sloppy and say "everyone is enlightened."
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