By Vijay Jampana
This topic was and is being discussed by countless people wiser than me. It's just my opinion and collection of my thoughts.
Enlightened mindset allows us to break out of our shallow troubles. It's the realisation that all the primitive drives such as money, fame, career, success, profit, loss, Business, ego, jealousy, relationships, schadenfreude, sexual desires, envy, pleasure, love, hatred, fear, socializing etc are not the higher purpose of an enlightened individual.
This enlightenment is not based on any specific religion or ideology. It's just thinking from a cosmic perspective. All our problems, conflicts, goals, ambitions are insignificant and don't matter for the universe.
It's the pursuit of higher values such as knowledge, wisdom, Art, Honor, Justice, Progression of humanity, making the world a better place for our posterity as a whole, not just our children or relatives or tribe or group. It's not impossible, earth provides all the resources, but humanity's primitive thinking is the only barrier for reaching the next step.
It is the thought of not just being a cog in the machine, but the willingness to be thinking and being out of the machine and imagining a new machine with better values. Cogs might be necessary for the function of the machine that we call society. But, is our societal machine running ideally?. It's hanging on a thread as it is powered by outdated ideals and primitive goals. Will the cogs rearrange according to the enlightened values rather than primitive drives?. Let the new values build a new everlasting machine?.
Are we just like bacteria, constantly looking for biological matter to decompose and consume and reproduce?
Are we just like ants, constantly searching for food/resources, expanding colonies and fighting wars with other colonies with a single minded obsession?
Are we just like rats, competing with each other for stealing and eating trash and living in sewers?
What makes humans different? All the negative traits of beasts are prevalent in humans, if not more. Can't we make most use of our intelligent minds with higher thoughts than indulging/prioritising primitive goals.
Humanity should leave the residue of its evolutionary beastly traits, they served their purpose when we needed them for survival in wilderness. We evolved into complex societies now, yet in core, are we turning into more vile cunning beasts?.
Are we going to redefine our values towards enlightenment for a better world? or Devolve into a lower creature that dwells/hunts/schemes/scavenges in urban jungles?.
With all the misery in the world, are mere charities of Individuals, billionaires or corporations truly helping humanity? or a greater fundamental change in our values required? Is it even possible?.
Perhaps, but not immediately. Enlightened human will be the next step in the evolution.
This can even be applied for religious thought even if I personally don’t subscribe. Be it metaphorical or real depending on your beliefs. All our earthly shallow ambitions/acts weigh heavily on us and hinder us from reaching paradise. Hell is reserved for those who dwell in the evil mindset (Greed, envy, treachery etc), lying to oneself doesn’t help either. Even if you are unsuccessful, live an honorable life, then such a life is worthy of heaven. The view of most religions on afterlife is consistent and demands a honorable poor life over a dishonest rich one. Here I believe being Honorable or dishonorable is more important than being rich or poor.
What are we achieving with all the primitive successes in our lives?. Within a million years, humanity might go extinct, after half a billion years, earth will be uninhabitable. Does our primitive goals matter in this perspective?. When I die, I am going to disintegrate and be part of the fundamental matter of the universe, along with the richest, the poorest, the most talented, the miserable, the most successful, the most beautiful, the ugliest persons ever lived. The realisation itself is a path to the enlightenment. It gives contentment, meaning to the individual and ultimate independent happiness. No narcotic, no love, no relationship, no amount of money/fame, no sexual intercourse can compete with the reaching of the highest enlightenment of mind. This is not just my opinion, but of countless wise/learned men throughout the history.
An enlightened individual is not influenced or manipulated by external shallow factors. The mental strength and willpower are deep rooted. On the surface, he/she might look weak, but what he/she values is beyond the grasp of small mindedness.
Enlightened individuals might get praised, insulted, rewarded, threatened, bullied, loved. None of these change their core values. Enlightened individual accepts everything from the rise to the peak of the greatest mountain to the fall into the bottom of the abyss, neither matters on the scale of the universe from which he/she draws their power. The universe reflects in their mind. A metaphorical superhuman. I consider such individuals as my idols and their path is my guidance.