# "Enlightened" In the religous sense what does it mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enlightened-in-the-religous-sense-what-does-it-mean/642229>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 27, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enlightened-in-the-religous-sense-what-does-it-mean/642229 "2012-11-27T02:12:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enlightened-in-the-religous-sense-what-does-it-mean/642229/21 "2012-12-07T07:23:56Z")

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> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> …and that furthermore the Eureka moment entails _seeing things as they are_, as opposed to the way they seem.

> [@RedFury](#):
>
> From your own _italics_, same query, what does that mean?

Well this one’s easy: an improper understanding of the world is harmful. An accurate understanding of the world helps: learning certain aspects about the human condition permits you to achieve enlightenment, though meditation helps too.

That claim is easy to understand: whether it’s _accurate_ is another matter. Within Buddhist mythology, the Buddha would give a lecture and half the auditorium would attain instant nirvana. But by the time Buddhism passed out of the oral tradition, attaining Nirvana was something only a few experts could do. Most believers would simply try to accumulate good karma in this life, in the hopes of improving their condition in the future and succeeding lives. Still later, certain sects established the goal of achieving Nirvana in _this_ lifetime.

## Personally, I wouldn’t get too bogged down in the salesmanship. That said, I find the philosophy useful in its way.

If you are asking what Buddhists believe the nature of the world to be… well you are asking what Buddhist doctrine is, right? [http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.html](http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.html)

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**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enlightened-in-the-religous-sense-what-does-it-mean/642229/22 "2012-12-07T15:55:36Z")

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Thanks **Measure for Measure**. I’ll give that link more than one read as this throws me already:

> [@](#):
>
> 1. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
> 
> The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. **Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment.** This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. **Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.**

bolding mine

Pretty ‘robotic’ if you ask me. Though that second bolded part certainly makes a lot of sense. 😉

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