Question:
How does an enlightened one know that he has attained enlightenment (self-realization, that he is Brahman)? How does he know he has attained supreme bliss?
Sri Prabhuji:
Someone has a tooth ache. Whole night he suffers from tooth ache. Morning he rushes to doctor for treatment. Doctor gives a medicine which reduces tooth ache. He feels better. How does he know that tooth ache is gone ?
Similarly, identification of SELF with body-mind-intellect gives trouble for us. When body is superimposed on SELF, he/she feels he is the doer (karta). When mind is superimposed on SELF he/she feels enjoyership (bhokta), When intellect is superimposed on SELF – he/she feels knowership (jnata).
Doership(kartratva), enjoyership (bhoktava) and knowership (jnatratva) are limitations imposed on SELF. There is a feeling of inadequacy – limitation which we want to overcome. It is like a rubber ball which is squeezed. Rubber ball wants to expand. Similarly there is a desire in all of us to experience unlimited SELF – this is called mumukshatva or desire for freedom from limitation.
A steady effort involving karma yoga (Selfless service), bhakti yoga (devotion) purifies the mind. Emotional disturbance comes down. This is called chitta shuddhi – purification of mind. Identification with the mind is reduced due to bhakti yoga. Identification with the doership is reduced due to karma yoga. There is progressive feeling of freedom.
Finally jnana yoga – systematic study of Vedanta involving listening (shravana) – manana (removing doubts) and nidhidhyasa ( vedantic meditation) progressively drops the identification with the knowership (jnata), doership(karta), and enjoyership (bhokta). There is clarity that I am the infinite SELF – Aham Brahmasmi. No longer there is a sense of limitation. This freedom is called liberation. Understanding required to drop ignorance is called enlightenment.
Enlightenment or liberation does not happen over night or accidentally. There is progressive relief which happens due to various spiritual practices. A mango ripes slowly. Ripe mango falls one day. While ripening process is gradual, fall is sudden.
Similarly ripening required for enlightenment/liberation is gradual while enlightenment is sudden. When that happens there is relief. Everything which was causing suffering – no longer has an effect. Limitations of body-mind-intellect do not affect the inner peace. There is inner stability undisturbed by external situations. Such a person is called sthita prajna – Bhagavadgita 2.57 to 2.65 lists the qualities of Sthita prajna.
There is a satisfaction (trupti) of being limitless SELF. This satisfaction is purely subjective experience. Just like when some one is served food, the person says I am full. I don’t need any more food. Feeling of fullness is subjective experience. Enlightened one has subjective experience of feeling of fullness. Nothing more is needed. He recognises all the qualities of enlightened listed in Bhagavadgita 2.57 to 2.64 in himself. Nothing more to achieve.
Are there any signs of enlightenment? Yes they are there. Bhagavadgita lists the inner state of enlightenment – subjective experience ( 2.57 to 2.65). There are many people who feel they are enlightened. Is that genuine enlightenment or just a ego satisfaction? Nobody from outside can tell or judge. The seeker himself has to understand he is enlightened based on the feeling of peace, limitlessness of SELF. Here the key is genuineness of seeking. Uncompromising search for Truth. As long as Truth is not realized, there is always a question in the mind – have I reached enlightenment? On realization of Truth all doubts will vanish. Upanishads say “bhidyate hradaya granthih chidyate sarva samshayaha” – ignorance gets dropped, all doubts will vanish. Hence until there is doubt or seeking, enlightenment is not complete.
While enlightenment is inner quality, there are some manifestations of that in the external world. Spontanuity of action, compassion, love, service attitude, humility. People feel peaceful in the presence of such a noble soul. When such a noble soul speaks there is clarity and wisdom.
Subject object duality is gone. Sense of oneness prevails. As long as doubts are there, as long as questions are there, enlightenment has not happened.