Enlightenment: When are we ready?

Hi everybody!

I recently had to make a career change and choose a new job. I took a look at jobs from two different perspectives. In one way, I thought about kind of job I would want, that I would enjoy the most. Then I stepped back and looked at which kind of job I could do that would benefit humanity the most. (As it just so happens, I ended up in a job that was less 'exciting' for me, but one that is more beneficial to humanity -- teaching English to people in China).

I then considered this whole subject from the perspective of enlightenment. What if we were to choose employment merely on the criteria of which job is the most beneficial for humanity? Are enlightened people expected to make such choices? Are we willing to make such choices? Is thinking this way a prerequisite for enlightenment?

The word enlightened is used in different ways. If we use it in a Buddhist sense, to achieve enlightenment, to enter Nirvana, then most of us are probably not ready. If we use it in a rational sense, to become aware of the suffering of our fellow-man, and to want to alleviate that suffering, then step right up. If you're reading this forum,, you're probably ready.

Going back to the Buddhist approach, one should try to avoid occupations that increase the suffering of our fellow-man, such as working in a munitions factory, but I'm not sure that we can all choose jobs that are overtly 'beneficial to humanity'. More important, I think, is the way we relate to our job and our co-workers. If we listen to our inner wisdom and compassion when relating to people in our daily lives we will be acting in an enlightened way ~ and our daily lives will be beneficial to humanity.

I have been fortunate. For many years I had a well-paid job in a mundane computer company, although there were moments of unease. Some of our contracts were with organisations that did questionable things. Was I indirectly increasing the suffering of my fellow-man? But when I had paid off my mortgage, and a high income was no longer important, I took a low-paid job establishing wind farm co-operatives for small communities. Presumably my daily life was no better, no worse, than before, but now I was doing something that I believed in, that was beneficial to humanity.

Harvey,

I have always avoided working in a butcher shop, alcohol/tobacco store, gun store, or gambling casino. But there was a time when the only job I could find was working in a convenience store, so I took it. (90% of all my sales in the convenience store was either liquor, gambling, or tobacco.) I think karma takes into consideration all these things. If we have to make bad karma in order to live, then we do it, but we should try to make as little as possible. (I quit that job as soon as I could.)

I admit I still eat meat, which is something I would like to give up. I was once shocked to realize that if the Mahatmas were to look for a place to visit, they would be very uncomfortable visiting me in my apartment, because the smell of cooked meat in my apartment would sicken them!

You have raised a fascinating question, as to what enlightenment is and is not, and its relation to nirvana. I like HPB's definition, and that is the definition I use. But the good thing about Theosophy is that no one is forced to use anyone else's definition, and everyone must take the responsibility to decided for him/herself which definition to use for enlightenment and other important ideas.

From an advaita point of view, believing that you somehow LACK enlightenment, is suffering. You cannot BECOME enlightened, for there is no tomorrow (or yesterday). Most of us go through life thinking that if I meditate just a little longer, or if I read this one more book, or if I quit this job, or if I stop eating meat, I may BECOME enlightened (some day).
The only time you can DO any of these things is RIGHT NOW. If you are not doing them NOW, and believe that you must, you are suffering. Similarly, the only time you can help alleviate someone else's suffering is right now. Value that 'other' now. Affirm their dignity. Admire their worth. Serve.
(Sunday I am volunteering with a group at the local 'ribfest' in a beverage tent. I wonder if I'll be serving beer. With a smile.)
I try to look at each moment as an opportunity to "be all that I can be" (props to those enlightened beings in the US Army), or rather, to be all that I am. Perhaps that is the best I can do.

I think patience is a key word.

I have an ordinary job where I interact with a large group of people. We produce economic data and analysis and I guess no one will be harmed by this product/service...I try to apply some ethical principles, like avoiding to judge others, forgive errors, being cooperative instead of competitive, etc...All of these things are very hard to accomplish, because maya is very strong and when you interact with others in a very fast world like we have today, you probably reach the end of the day and regret something that you said or did. This daily analysis is very important and allows you to grow spiritually. Reading theosophy and buddhist books about dharma, the 3 poisons, and the steps to enlightenment surely helps a lot. It is a very long way, indeed.

If you care about ethics it is hard to work, for example, in a big corporation, that is driven by the goal of increasing its profits. But if you can work with ethics and trying to best serve your clients and not deceiving them, then I don´t see a problem in keeping that job. Just don´t wait for a promotion! Probably your colleague who has traces of sociopathy, will get it!
Many buddhist monks who came to the West to teach, fell in the trap of sensualism and materialism (once I read a book with a few cases and the Dalai Lama admitted that it was a great temptation for the monks to have at their disposal things that never had before).

And there are limitations. For instance, I too wanted to stop eating meat. I tried to convince my wife to learn how to cook vegetarian food. I failed in that and since I don't have time to cook (and I am a terrible cook), I have to eat meat (except cow meat). But there are people who don't eat meat and are very selfish and egocentrical beings...For what I can remember HPB was not a vegetarian... and Charles Manson was.

Hi Guys,
From the Advaita standpoint,everyone is already Enlightened.
There is no one to become Enlightened.
One has to simply turn the the attention to consciousness instead of the "person" "The story" we think we are.
Enlightenment is consciousness without a "story" of a "me"

You must grasp the fact that the story of a me develops from an early age along a mind made sense of self, an ego as Eckhart Tolle says.
Before the age of about 2-3 you were unaware of yourself,but you still existed ,right? just consciousness.
But when you became a reflecting consciousness, a "me" the trouble starts !

Enlightenment is not therefore something you get,there is no "you" to get it,it is not an object in the future.

So you have to untrain yourself,untie the knots of delusion of a seperate being.
There is only one consciousness, one Self.
You will still have a personality but you will realise it is not you,just a bunch of memories,which can be frightening to the ego at first....but the real thing is so much better than a false I.
When "you" get it it is very funny,often a deep laugh happens.

It is sometimes called awakening from the delusion of I as a person,this is what the Buddha realised 2600 years ago a marvelous insight,he actually awoke from the illusion,and became the Buddha,one who is awake.
and it deepens.
So when one awakens ,ones choices in life change,like maybe becoming vegetarian,choosing a job that supports the planet,and so on.

You cannot become Enlightened the other way around !
People that copy the lifestyles of the Enlightened will not become Enlightened !
So dont waste time worrying on that,it will happen gradually the more the awakening experience deepens.
Love noone.

The use of "enlightened" seems a bit confused. You want to bring "spirituality" into it. I think. If so, and I would concur by the way, then we must release control of our existence (ego) in proportion to what we surrender to the Universe to handle for us in our best interest. Done properly, the Universe presents us with the answer by way of a [current opportunity]. I am using a New Age concept because it is so much easier at this level, but I think the idea is clear. IF WE TRY, we are alone ... when we work with the Universe, we exert less effort, get better answers and opportunities, and we progress farther.