Ask The Master: 9 Oct 2007

Q. Master, is enlightenment possible?

The first thing that you need to understand is that Enlightenment is possible; because from time immemorial there has been a conflict or fight among our sages. One group of Sages says there is something called as enlightenment. The other group says no there is no such thing as enlightenment.

People who say there is something called enlightenment, they state the fact. People who say there is no such thing as enlightenment, they say the truth. The first group, they give the fact that there is something called enlightenment. The second group, by saying there is no enlightenment create that as a technique. The idea that there is no enlightenment is a technique to make you enlightened.

Just by the idea that there is enlightenment you turn enlightenment into a goal. The moment you make it as a goal you miss the goal. Anybody who makes enlightenment as a goal, they always miss it. It is not the goal; it is the very path itself.

Please understand, if you are not able to realize the truth when I am speaking, the air which comes from me as a sound, the moment it reaches your ears, if you do not feel the effect of the words in you, forget about the words. When you carry this as a memory in your mind, you will always give your meaning. When you start giving your meaning to my words when you go home, you will create two problems: you will torture yourself and vomit these words on others and torture others.

When masters say there is nothing called enlightenment, they are breaking your goal oriented mind and they are bringing you to this present moment. From time immemorial, in the Vedic system of India, the spiritual nerve center of the world, I've seen two kinds of seers, two kinds of rishis. One group continuously says there is enlightenment; these are the descendants of Sankara. The other group that says, no there is no such thing as enlightenment; these are descendents of Buddha. One says Purna, the other group says Sunya. But both of them are leading to the same reality. One group states the fact; the other group says the truth.

When I use these two words you need to understand - the fact is as it is, as you understand. Truth is the word that you may not understand with your mind. But the moment you work with that word, suddenly something opens up in your being and you end up in the truth.

By the words of Sankara, when he says there is enlightenment - the Purna, he inspires you to work towards it. He creates tremendous inspiration. When the tremendous inspiration is created, automatically all other goals, all other ideas are dropped from your mind. The moment Buddha says it is Sunya, no there is no such thing as enlightenment, there is no such thing as Purna, there is no need for you to run. There is no need for you to search; immediately the tremendous energy which is created in you in the name of search starts falling into itself, it is directed towards itself. The moment the energy is directed towards itself, it becomes enlightenment.

Desire without object is enlightenment. When you have some strong desire with object, you are towards that object. But if the object is removed, the same strong pull, desire, energy, the same energy turns towards itself and you realize yourself.

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This excerpt has been taken from Nithyananda's discourse on Ashtavakra Gita, titled "Enlightenment: Guaranteed", delivered in Bangalore in November 2005.