Enlightenment is the highest state of spiritual awakening and not a “bullshit mental construct”.

Since I started writing about Buddhism and sharing my experiences, which has culminated in the publishing of my book Thai Tattoo Magick in my fifty-ninth year on this planet, I have noticed what I perceive to be negative feedback which centres around the term and use of the word “Enlightenment”. In order to clarify this term it is necessary to examine from where it has originally come and why it has been used in the first place. The Western mind has had a long standing problem in understanding and absorbing the essence of Eastern philosophy, as it attempts to place context on an idea it seemingly perceives to understand on its own terms, own values and logical reasoning.

The term “bullshit mental construct” comes from a blog post I read from a podcaster who’s show I was meant to appear on at some point later this year in order to promote my new book. This of course is no longer happening. This is not out of some spiteful refusal to talk to this person. It is also not because I feel that they have slighted me in some way, but simply out of the fact that anyone who characterises and ridicules the term Enlightenment in such terms cannot begin to appreciate the book I have written or the subject that it represents or indeed who I am, even though I see that the term “I am” is in fact in an impermanent and fluctuating state of impermanence. The decision not to appear on their show was not made lightly or out of some form of arrogance but out of a real need to protect my faith, my views and my work from someone who is obviously or casually in my humble opinion out to disrespect it. The blogger (who’s profession is a speaker, author, and trial attorney) said;

“The word Enlightenment, on the other hand, does not exist. So I’m not sure why I just capitalized it.  It’s just a bullshit mental construct, like so many others.”

I see. So what you’re saying is that the word just doesn’t exist and that it is something of a product of a poor use of language in describing something that is much more expansive? They then went on to state;

“Some people are naturally connected. And some people are not so they have to write books or blogs about it. 50,000 words or zen talks about something that is right in front of us 24/7 that we can’t escape. In fact, when you read all those words you start to think you are not connected, and that is when the word enlightenment stops giving off the “good” vibes I referenced above.” 

Oh. Then this is not about Enlightenment per se. It is only about how you personally perceive things. How you think you see things. How you have, probably due to your professional skills as a trial attorney, interpreted things. Because as we all know reading text and attempting to find subtle nuances that might offer some ideas as to what is being said can very often be lost in translation. However, what is clear to me re-reading this small extract from the blogger, is the fact their initial understanding of Enlightenment is very probably flawed and not correct or indeed connected to the original idea of its meaning or meaningfulness. The term Enlightenment is used to translate several Buddhist terms and concepts, which are used to denote (initial) insight (prajna (Sanskrit), wu (Chinese), kensho and satori (Japanese)); knowledge (vidya) and the attainment of supreme Buddhahood (samyak sam bodhi), as exemplified by Gautama Buddha. The Shurangama Sutra with commentary by the Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua says:

“Bodhi is like water, useful to everyone, and affliction is like ice, and the ice is in the water, and the water is in the ice, and the Buddha’s sutras say, “Affliction is just Bodhi.””

The state of spiritual awakening or Enlightenment is achieved through the understanding of the true nature of reality. Bodhi signifies enlightenment or spiritual awakening, reflecting a state of profound understanding and liberation. Enlightenment or awakening, is a sacred state realised by the Tathāgatas (a Tathāgata is a Pali and Sanskrit word used in ancient India for a person who has attained the highest religious goal) and has been and is still sought over the centuries by countless practitioners and devotees. Some commentators may feel opinionated and emotionally attached enough to take shots at me and say that I personally have not experienced Enlightenment, and that my understanding is based purely and solely on the comprehension of language alone and that I’ve not “been there”. I agree that it is necessary to take note of The Abhidharma-kośa (a key text on the Abhidharma written in Sanskrit by the Indian Buddhist scholar Vasubandhu in the 4th or 5th century CE) that identifies the six root kleshas (mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions) of which this, my outburst defending my faith, may possibly come under the term ‘wrong view’ or ‘opinionatedness’. However, ultimately one cannot ever quantify or know another’s inner experience of insight, knowledge, or understanding simply by reading their language or seeing that they have defended their faith in writing by this act alone.

Second-hand knowledge of the self gathered from books or gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realisation will do that. Realise yourself, turning the mind inward. – Tripurā Rahasya, 18: 89

While my offence of another’s denigration of my faith may seem to contradict one of the ideas of that faith (Āśraya-parāvṛtti, this being the transformation of the consciousness from an impure state to a pure state or described in a more colloquial way as to “Turn the light around and shine it on yourselves”) I will still reserve the right to defend the dharma in whatever way I feel is appropriate and necessary. First thought, best thought. Inviting me to read your poetry in order to try and convince me that you are enlightened is not going to happen or make me respect you. It will simply reinforce my commitment to my faith and tell me that my words are strong and founded in ecumenical (derived from the Greek word “oikoumenē” meaning “the inhabited world”) understanding. I stand firmly by my view that the blogger’s original statement about the term Enlightenment is actually in of itself “a bullshit mental construct, like so many others”. Enlightenment is the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice, representing the highest state of spiritual awakening and liberation from Saṃsāra and is not a “a bullshit mental construct“.

While I am very grateful to be able to reply indirectly to the blogger’s post and their brand of thoughtless and coarse writing it is truly a great shame, in a world that now more than ever needs Enlightenment and spiritual awakening, that they did not take the time and the effort required to investigate and ruminate upon their thoughts before actually deciding to post them. This is something that many politicians, billionaires and people across this chaotic and violent world could take the time and the effort to consider and think upon. Maybe then we could all live peacefully together and feel connected, respected and appreciated in the small amount of time that we have left to exist in.