Debunking the #1 myth about enlightenment | Robert Waldinger

Enlightenment: After the ecstasy, the laundry. Why enlightenment is never an end in itself.

Ask people what it means to be enlightened and you’ll get a wide variety of answers. But according to Zen master Robert Waldinger, permanent enlightenment rarely — if ever — exists. In fact, we should be suspicious of those who claim to be “fully enlightened” beings.

Although some people claim to have acquired total enlightenment after experiencing some fantastic spiritual event, Waldinger believes this perspective of “acquisition” can be dangerous. Instead of viewing enlightenment as something you acquire, he believes it should be something you practice in each moment, like an activity or a habit.

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About Robert Waldinger:

Robert Waldinger, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and a Zen teacher and practitioner.

For the last two decades, Waldinger has been the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. This study, conducted over more than 85 years, has analyzed the entire lives of 724 families to determine the activities, behaviors, and dynamics that enhance a person’s life-long well-being. Waldinger has dedicated his career to examining these elements and discovering what brings true fulfillment to human existence.

He is the author of several books, including his most recent, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.

[LeTangKichiro]

Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. - Zen Proverb

[kamilyassi]

interesting content i must admit I've consistently felt driven to contribute to humanity's greatest pursuits, aspiring to wield influence, power, secrets to perfect health and security. Recognition has been a persistent desire, not stemming from pride or extravagance, but from a deep sense of identity and purpose. Internally, I yearn to delve into the depths of human understanding, seeking knowledge reserved for the select few. My aspiration is to embrace the enlightenment that our predecessors fervently wished for us to attain.

[claybarrel]

The first time I took LSD back in the mid-90's, some of my friends who had already tripped before, told they me they saw "god". Being an atheist even at that time, I was very intrigued. I never saw god, but I 100% felt apart of the universe though. There was no me, or you, or even the planets or stars—we were all the same, there wasn't even a question, it just felt so true to my core. This concept blew my little 18 year old mind.

[xelasomar]

Enlightenment is not a feeling of euphoria, etc. Enlightenment is knowledge, comprehension, understanding. If the perception of oneness makes you euphoric, fine. But if you are doing it for the feeling or get overwhelmed by it, you are missing the lesson entirely. And if you are only doing it to just capture that feeling, you are not learning anything, you aren't getting past that first lesson.

[Mrthou]

The first time I used LSD, I became aware that all humans are connected. Although I never recaptured that feeling, it never left me. I believe it changed my perception for ever. Over the last 34 years, I have been working with therapists/counselors, read many books and worked the AA 12 Steps in programs that focus on codependency or the absence of inner agency. All of it was important, even the worst times in my life, But the most important work was probably working with a therapist who guided me through the frozen or stuck feelings I was afraid to feel. It often felt like she was dragging me and I hated it. But, I wanted to get to the other side. There was more to it than that, but I'm not writing a book. Anyway, it's my understanding that meditation can do the same thing, but I needed more. But I gotta say this, it was so worth it.

[Jsjsjsxjjdw]

I think it’s important to know in the back of your mind/subconsciously understand the interconnected nature of all things. But, at the same time, know that we are all having a somewhat separate and individual experience in our physical vessels/physical forms.

[mentalhealthrevolution]

Zen monk here. Beg to differ 😅 The Buddha taught there are four stages of enlightenment, each with permanent, increasingly deeper levels of freedom. The therapeutic promise of Buddhist meditation is not just bliss during meditation but a more permanent rewiring of one's nervous system -- this is why enlightened people show extraordinary baselines of brain waves, even when not meditating.

[hannuback]

I think there is a real danger of getting disconnected from the every day reality with the kind of spirituality that only seeks ultimate experiences. Spirituality can be those blissful states and ecstasy, but it is also feeling peace in the every day mundane life. The calm and restful mysticism shouldn't be overlooked just because it doesn't come with loud announcement and greater than life emotion.

[cuttingthrough]

When Suzuki said ‘there is no enlightened person, there is only enlightened activity’, perhaps he was saying that enlightenment means activity without a self - that there is no one doing, knowing or trying to be…

[ebrennie]

What a clear, concise explanation. There’s so much noise out there in mindfulness. So much pseudoscience. Too many charlatans. I remember when I realized this about enlightenment. That a steady state experience wasn’t possible, or really the objective. Striving for perfection can be very exhausting and you miss so much along the way. What a relief I felt!

[jamiea]

Don't mix up enlightenment with the experience of attaining enlightenment. Once enlightenment occurs, the way of perceiving the world and oneself is fundamentally different forever. It's not that 'everything is connected' but that everything is the same reality manifesting itself in multiple forms. Also don't mix up enlightenment with kensho - something that seems to have happened in Zen (maybe it's a translation issue). Kensho is a glimpse (after which 'you' come back), enlightenment is a permanent shift. Of course getting attached to kensho can be an obstacle to enlightenment, but not being obsessed with kensho doesn't mean denying the existence of enlightenment, or conflating the two.

[strollingthroughparadise]

Enlightenment is an overused word that really separates people and automatically sets up a goal or a hierarchy, which also creates separation. When you really comprehend that human beings, nature and everything else are like waves of the Whole, you don’t need words to describe your understanding. As soon as anyone says “I am enlightened” the ego is engaged making the person think they are superior even when they don’t think they’re feeling that. Beyond ego/mind is the awareness of who we are along with all that exists. Having an unusual “spiritual”experience is also the ego/mind wanting to relive the sensation of the joy of connection instead of discovering how to live aligned with the Whole. Naturally honest with self and all, grateful to be alive right now, authentic, kind and present. Wake up to who you really are! 🙏

[violetafarcas]

It's not called debunking a myth if it's based on Zen. Enlightenment is so much more than a Zen master. It's definitely not separate from the mundane, either (there's a subtle but important assumption that Enlightenment is separate from doing the laundry)

[angryTOAD-]

I studied Buddhism during 8 years, the last years mostly in the Theravada tradition. Ultimately I left and retired to my activities. In my personal experience I could tell that what is resumed in this 5 minutes video is all what I need to know, and not more, about Buddhism.

[bparcej]

As a perfectly unenlightened being, I can say that a glimpse of clarity is sufficient to confirm the reality of a higher state of consciousness. This keeps me from wandering away from the path. As you indicate, we ought to behave as an enlightened person…loving kindness to others and ourselves…✨

[diplomatamaravilhosa]

This is so accurate. In my experience, the enlightenment gives you a feeling of deep peace and that everything is resolved, no need to fix. Which can be a problem bc it steals the feeling of meaning in life. You just get into this state of mind like “ok, I can die now because there’s no need for me to archive anything so everything that I do is pointless” 😅

[ADIGOD]

Sounds like everything someone who isn’t and has never felt enlightened would say

[embah]

From the gateless gate:
35. Every-Minute Zen

Zen students are with their masters at least two years before they presume to teach others. Nan-in was visited by Tenno, who, having passed his apprenticeship, had become a teacher. The day happened to be rainy, so Tenno wore woodden clogs and carried an umbrella. After greeting him Nan-in remarked: "I suppose you left your wooden clogs in the vestibule. I want to know if your umbrella is on the right or left side of the clogs."

Tenno, confused, had no instant answer. He realized that he was unable to carry his Zen every minute. He became Nan-in's pupil, and he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute Zen.

[ayounglivelysoulinanoldtir]

that description of what enlightenment realy is, the realisation that everything that exists is part of a greater oneness is, indeed, a perfect description of my own enlightnment experience. there have been several such times in my life when i have percieved great profound truths about the true nature of God & creation, but this is the most important concept of all. furthermore, i find that you can't delibirately search for such experience by spending hours in meditation, fasting, deprival of worldly pleasures, taking psychadelic drugs or any of this sort of stuff. i have never needed to do these things. if you are open minded, & capable of understanding such things, then experiences of this sort will just come to you, naturaly & spontaniously, often when you least expect them. i've had such experiences while walking in the countyside, standing in my garden, doing housework, & even sitting on a toilet!!!

[BrothaNeo]

After looking at this video, I now realized that “enlightenment” is much simpler than we are taught it is.