> Buddha, for one ... ;-)
[What follows is all about my understanding of our world. I see its
relevance to Glorantha as giving us a richer set of RW examples to draw o=
n
...]
I think there's a confusion here.
Enlightenment, 'satori', is a state of consciousness which is attained briefly while still in the world. It's often described as having a momentary awareness of the entire universe. It has a permanent effect on=
one's worldview, and someone who has been through it is described as 'enlightened'.
Nirvana is non-being, freedom from the world of desire. It's a state you=
go to at the end of a life instead of being reincarnated. Being enlightened during ones life is usually thought to be necessary and sufficient to attain Nirvana at the end of it.
You can't 'return' from Nirvana. There is no-one to return.
The Buddha achieved enlightenment and spent the rest of his life teaching=
others to do the same, then he achieved Nirvana at his death.
Different Buddhist sects have different ideas about enlightenment, and on=
ly
some have the idea of a 'Boddhisatva', people who have reached the point
where they could enter Nirvana but have decided instead to undergo furthe=
r
incarnations to help others. This would be a heresy if Buddhism had them=
.
Zen Buddhism takes a different approach, and doesn't seem to be concerned=
with Nirvana at all.
The best account of Zen practice I know of in English is a pair of books =
by
Janwillem Van de Wetering, 'The Empty Mirror' and 'Glimpse of Nothingness=
'
- the first book describes his experiences in a Japanese monastery and th=
e
second in an American one. It's only in the second book that he achieves=
any degree of enlightenment himself.
Andrew
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End of Glorantha Digest
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