Enlightenment

[Hazmatac]

I was wondering, what are your thoughts on enlightenment? Real? Fake? Achievable? Have you had any enlightening experiences?

I am referring to the concept of enlightenment in any tradition, such as Buddhism, or Yoga.

[Eiuol]

Buddhist usage of "enlightenment" is a completely mystical definition. It is like having a transcendental understanding of reality, being beyond reality. Any usage I've seen almost always implies mysticism. Occasionally though it's used like "you enlightened me on the subject of philosophy" as in "you gave me a new understanding". But in the way you're asking it, enlightenment as a state of existence, it is not achievable.

[Marc K.]

I was wondering, what are your thoughts on enlightenment? Real? Fake? Achievable? Have you had any enlightening experiences?

I am referring to the concept of enlightenment in any tradition, such as Buddhism, or Yoga.

How about enlightenment in the rational tradition. After all there is an entire age of history named after and dedicated to rational enlightenment, it is called the age of reason. This was a time characterized by rational achievement, prosperity, modernity, and advancement in every field of human endeavor and it stands in sharp contrast to the dark ages when religious "enlightenment" was characterized by ignorance, death, disease and enslavement.

If the enlightenment you seek is of the rational kind, then it is real and achievable.

If the "enlightenment" you seek is of the mystical kind, then it is unreal and achieves only death and destruction.