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Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:13 pm
by logank9
I read on the wikipedia article about the three ages of buddhism that the age we are in now is called mappo, the age of degeneration. It states that in this age people will be unable to attain enlightenment and society will become morally corrupt. Is it really true that we can no longer attain enlightenment because of the age we are in and how society is degrading? :(

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:47 pm
by PadmaVonSamba
All beings will eventually attain realization because the unfettered mind is mind's true nature.
You can look at the present age as a kind of monsoon if you want.
If you have never been in an area that experiences a monsoon season, it is impossible to wash your clothes, then hang them out to dry and expect them to get dry. Even if you dry them inside, they never really feel completely dry.
But eventually the storm passes.
Regardless of the appearances in the world,
one should still practice to attain realization because this will matter in the future.
There are many enlightened teachers in this world today, so it is not impossible
but on a widespread basis, maybe not very likely.
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Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:53 pm
by logank9
Thank you, I shall stay on my path

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 11:27 pm
by DGA
logank9 wrote:Thank you, I shall stay on my path
:twothumbsup:

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:33 am
by Alfredo
I hear that some people in Japan get a certificate to that effect (that they have achieved enlightenment).

If only it were possible to calculate the odds. Okay, I guess the odds are eventually 100 percent, since many of you have vowed to save the rest of us, but with all the Buddhists going to temples and dharma centers and whatnot, and so few of them getting enlightened (the exceptions are typically announced by others, not by themselves), it must be possible to express this in a mathematical form, e.g. x number of Buddhists per million can expect to achieve enlightenment this year.

Or perhaps "enlightenment" is a myth, an inspiring story we tell ourselves.

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:06 am
by PadmaVonSamba
Alfredo wrote:Or perhaps "enlightenment" is a myth, an inspiring story we tell ourselves.
It is only a myth if one believes in the intrinsic reality of the person who is making it up.
That person is the myth!
:rolling:
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Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:27 am
by Rakz
logank9 wrote:I read on the wikipedia article about the three ages of buddhism that the age we are in now is called mappo, the age of degeneration. It states that in this age people will be unable to attain enlightenment and society will become morally corrupt. Is it really true that we can no longer attain enlightenment because of the age we are in and how society is degrading? :(
For the 1% yes. For the 99% rest of us, no it's not possible.

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:30 am
by PadmaVonSamba
Nighthawk wrote:Is it really true that we can no longer attain enlightenment because of the age we are in and how society is degrading? :(
For the 1% yes. For the 99% rest of us, no it's not possible.[/quote]

Well, specifically when is this Mappo time supposed to be?
I've got relatives coming over for dinner this weekend
and I'd just like to know so that I can plan things accordingly.

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 3:34 am
by Schrödinger’s Yidam
Enlightenment is still possible.

Developing oneself and making spiritual progress is what is important. Enlightenment should be thought of as a multi-lifetime project. Whether it is in this life or a few down the road, you've still got to walk the path. (Dzogchen notwithstanding.)

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:07 pm
by Karma Tashi G.
In all probability! Where does this question come from?: Is it still possible to attain a body?

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:10 pm
by oushi
Liberation is available in every moment, but honestly I don't know what an attainment of enlightenment could be.

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:19 pm
by Schrödinger’s Yidam
oushi wrote:Liberation is available in every moment, but honestly I don't know what an attainment of enlightenment could be.
I haven't bought it yet, but evidently Jomgon Kongtrul's last book in his encyclopedia describes it. Anyone read it yet?

Re: Is it still possible to attain enlightenment?

Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:16 am
by ClearblueSky
Though I've seen that said, I don't see why that would be. Saying we can't attain enlightenment due to some outside circumstance, that effects every person universally, almost sounds more like an excuse than anything else. If that's the case, then we all have to admit that no teacher around recently is enlightened either, can't have it both ways. According to that wikipedia page we've been in that age for a while, which precludes a whole bunch of people that were certainly believed to be fully realized too.