神秘体験
Mystical Experience
2024-05-11 18:00:00
There are those who argue that some form of mystical experience is necessary to attain enlightenment (= liberation).
Such assertions arise from the fact that the state of enlightenment transcends human understanding and enters into a realm of profound mystery.
Indeed, the state of Nirvana, which is the realm of enlightenment, can only be reached by extinguishing (the nama-rupa,) the name and form, possessed by people (= sentient beings). Therefore, it is not incorrect to describe it as a "state beyond human comprehension."
However, it is not a temporary state akin to what is commonly referred to as a mystical experience, nor is it a state beyond mystical experiences. It is a state of non-delusion maintained in ordinary conscious awareness, with permanence, and additional practices to maintain it are unnecessary. Therefore, those who have reached and dwell in this Nirvana are also referred to as accomplished practitioners (enlightened ones).
And so, what is necessary for individuals to reach this Nirvana is to walk the path of the Dharma, namely the Buddha Dharma, which is in accordance with the teachings, and specifically, it boils down to accumulating merits.
In other words, it is evident that the path to enlightenment (= liberation) is completely unrelated to any mystical experiences.
Nevertheless, why do some practitioners become fixated on mystical experiences?
A major reason for this is that walking the path of the Dharma does not involve fixed practices, and moreover, there may be no tangible progress along the way, leading practitioners to become lost in confusion about how to proceed with their practice.
So, how can one attain enlightenment?
"Practitioners who believe in the teachings expounded by various Tathagatas, diligently cultivate virtuous conduct, and earnestly strive for tranquility, gradually accumulating merits, ultimately attain enlightenment (= liberation, = become Buddhas)."
This is nothing but the complete picture of Buddhist practice.
Therefore, it is natural that there are no specific descriptions of practices in the Buddhist scriptures, and it is left to the practitioners to discover specific methods of practice.
However, against this backdrop, practitioners who have lost sight of themselves may feel attracted to and engage in practices involving mystical experiences, which are one of the dubious methods of practice. Eventually, they may become obsessed with them.
In fact, mystical experiences are perceived as real mental phenomena by those who experience them, and certain stages of occurrence have been observed.
As a result, some individuals may mistakenly believe that their practice is steadily progressing, and in the process, they may become unable to extricate themselves from mystical experiences.
In essence, practitioners fixated on mystical experiences are likely individuals who are plagued by the uncertainties of the path and yet have been unable to find practical solutions to address them.
Then, how can one proceed with the Buddhist path correctly without falling into dubious practices?
It is by returning to the basics.
In other words, it would mean starting by reaffirming that the state one earnestly seeks is Nirvana.
***
