Do you believe it is possible to attain enlightenment without saving other human beings from living lives full of choices based on greed, angry or foolishness.
by 
Rickster is victorious
ANSWERS: 16
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Yes, but only to a lesser degree of enlightenment ... full enlightenment requires you to spread a lesser enlightenment to others first, before continuing on your own way to a higher enlightenment ... before you can climb all the way, you must go back down and give a lifting boost to others ... only by doing so, can you lift yourself to that higher level ...
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Well, you can't save other people from themselves, or force them to be enlightened. All you can do is be an example, a light. I don't think it's possible to attain true/full enlightenment without active love and compassion expressed outwards in concrete action. So, in a sense, that's "trying" to help others, but without your ego being involved and your being attached to the outcomes.
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If I save others from their path do I not bring karmic consequences upon myself? and if I do not intervene skillfully when the opportunity arises will I not render a disservice to others or wander from my own path of enlightenment?
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Um, I think , yes. Its great to try tp help others, but its not our job to make that happen. We each have to be responsible for our own lives, choices and fates, but it makes us better people to at least try to help others make good choices.
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I think the act or process of becoming enlightened is a beacon to everyone who knows you. They are naturally drawn to you and seek your wisdom. I don't think you have to conciously make a point of helping people. It is just a natural part of becoming enlightened.
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What is enlightenment?? Many people think they may be providing enlightenment and they are just providing fuel for their own ego. I think true enlightenment is being there for your friends no matter what, if people come into your life who need your help but you have to help yourself first then you are being enlightened knowing that you too have needs. You can't help everybody, and I agree with the above post that you can only guide people not force them.... True enlightenment comes from you learning these things yourself, not because somebody has told you this is the way. You have to learn from experience in these scenarios, being told is not nearly as gratifying as learning it yourself.
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Yes. Everyone pretty much has to learn their own lessons. Just telling someone they shouldn't do such and such or that they should do such and such doesn't work unless they have some experience confirming what you say.
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No. Enlightenment (in the sense of awakening) after all is the concrete realization that others and oneself are not separate. 'Saving' however has a very different meaning than the one customarily associated with religions.
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Sure. You can go out on a field, pour a can of gasoline over your body & set yourself on fire and live the rest of the normal people to live their lives
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enlightenment could mean you've figured your life out. nothing to do with others.
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Yes in the sense that enlightenment or spiritual awakening is attained by the living life with conscious choices absent of greed, anger and foolishness. Once you achieve your own enlightenment you may then choose to share your wisdom with others but ultimately your enlightenment is a uniquely personal experience and not a commodity to be brokered amongst others in efforts to save them.
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Yes, and it's quite simple. Reject all religions.
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Yes, in fact I believe that enlightenment is a prerequisite, not an effect thereof.
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That is a very large question. I don't know if enlightenment is possible for any imperfect human being. Now, if your question is asking do we become better human beings by giving consideration to others and trying to be helpful and useful, then yes I believe we do. But judging others for degrees of greed, anger or foolishness when I am also imperfect is too big a leap for me. I'm happy just trying to be helpful to others when I can and let it go at that. :)
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no. we are all interconnected and are here to serve and be compassionate towards one another. if you do not stop to help others who fall down or get lost while traveling on the path to enlightenment, you have lost the way yourself.
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I worry about the whole notion of going around thinking "I know better than these greedy, angry, foolish people, and I'm going to enlighten them." Sometimes talking to a "less enlightened" person leads me to become more enlightened. There's really no such thing as "irrational behavior" -- bad, crazy behavior often serves a very rational purpose. It's just not obvious to an outsider. If you're going to try to teach someone, you have to be ready to learn from them as well. Ideally, when I interact with someone I give and I take, and they give and they take. Human beings are porous. The best you can hope for, really, is to ooze good stuff into them, and learn from whatever they ooze into you.
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