/lit/ - Literature

Everything

Enlightenment doesn't happen within a life like a subordinate appendage of it

>>11013872
What do you mean when you say enlightenment

>>11013872

> In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

https://realization.org/p/ashtavakra-gita/richards.ashtavakra-gita/richards.ashtavakra-gita.html

>>11013881
The most useful self help books towards a better understanding of life.

>>11013994

There is no self help, only submission to something greater than yourself.

>>11013919
this is a beautiful picture

>>11013872
can throw in a few recommendations here.

for commentary on the upanishads aurobindo is quite helpful. laozi belongs on your list and the unappreciated wen-tzu may be more helpful than the TTC, even though the TTC is wonderful. analects. bhagavad gita is great too. these are all great books and worth your time.

what else...the meditations are good.

traditionalists: schuon, guenon, evola.

i miss that neoplatonist anon. if he were here he would recommend lots of other good stuff...proclus, for instance. reading the books are good but sometimes /lit/ does something really special and you get to read excerpts that are really interesting, from people who have spent time thinking about a subject in some depth...hope that helps.

bump

>>11013872
Thus spoke Zarathustra, brainlet

>>11013872
The Mind Illuminated.

>>11014934
this is good

>>11013872
You should add more primary sources translated by unbiased academics, get a thourough overview of the historical progression of the tradition in question and avoid mixing different schools of though up too much – they're very different in their technical approach, philosophical framework and so forth.

"Enlightenment" - which is a word I don't like for it's whimsical, overtly sentimental, thouroughly romanticized New Age connotations - tends towards transcendentalism and is therefore of little use in "a better understanding of life".

I wouldn't recommend studying these matters, let alone practice them, if you're a young man, unformed as a person and disenchanced with the world; an embryo gestating in the mediocre fumes of ennui. It will lead to alienation and instability and you will find that it's not the panacea that inexperienced daydreamers make it out to be.
In other words – if you want to be a more charismatic individual, socially smooth, grounded on the rock of confidence, internally centered, developing genuine relationships with people you reasonate with and so forth, hold up with the metaphysics. These matters belong to the realm of character and should be seperated sharply from mysticism and magic.

With that said, your starter package is fairly basic and I don't think it will do you much good besides giving an emotional high. Tell me a bit about yourself; your desires, natural inclinations, what sort of practices appeals to you. I might have some recommendations up your alley.

Gita is a good start, you can start doing Karma yoga just about any time, just do you duty to your best and keep your mind on the absolute.

Also I'd say Jacob Bohme, Way to Christ, basically you got to let your own will die and enter into christian serenity, where you just want to be a good tool for God and let him be the doer and such in your life.

What really counts is a honst longing, keep that u and be patient.

>>11013872
"Society of the spectacle" by Guy Debord is all you need friend

https://www.scribd.com/document/78380341/Vigyan-Bhairav-Tantra-All-112-Methods

>>11013872
I suggest The Outsider by Colin Wilson followed by The Perennial Philosophy by Huxley.

>>11013872

You are an embarrassment. Do you not see that there is no enlightenment, no supreme state. You will never be happy, nor will you ever understand yourself and your surroundings. Just know this, you are alone in this world; your parents will die, your siblings will lose their love for you, your wife will stop loving you and your kids will go on and live their own lives and forget you.
Realise that, you are alone and you will die on this rock alone - facing the end of existence alone in your mind (even if you have a bunch of children around you, feeling sorry for you).

All your desires are not your own, you simply chose out of the options which our present society has given you.
All your opinions are not your own, you simply chose out of the options which our present society has given you.

Stop trying to elevate yourself above what you are - a stupid chimp who thinks he understands.

>>11013919
Hey side question, what's the deal with the hand symbol? I see it everywhere but can't figure out how to search for it.

>>11016460
LOL

bump

>>11013872
Zoroastrianism...
At least read the Gathas

>>11013872
>What should I add and avoid?
Add 5 dried grams of Psilocybe cubensis after fasting for at least 6 hours.

>>11015940
not op but really interested because your reference to ennui gave me hope. i somehow find myself troubled with what the christian describe as acedia. However, i'm not a christian but i think this concepts applies to many the spiritual in generall.

what can i say... i think i got lost after some insights (meditation, thinking, going beyond language). i thought about going into a monastery, yet i did not go. i really don't know how to proceed anymore. i think what you describe and warn about happend to me to some degree. can you recommend something?

What makes you think there is such a thing as enlightenment?

>>11016460
auch

You have to practice Yoga. Start of by abaiding by the Yamas and Niyamas. Then you move on to practising the Asanas. After 10 years of rigorous practice you will be ready for Pranayama. Once you learn to control the breath and therefore the mind you can begin meditating. Moksha comes much later

>>11013872
maybe this story will be interesting to you OP.

http://www.innerjourneytothewest.com/english/en-index.html