It may be used interchangeably with Enlightenment. Yet these are descriptions. A description may be an unconscious presumption of a concept1 that might exist in reality as a separate existence in the Whole ‘of’ Creation. It assumes a duality2 between linear aspects that are continuous impermanent expressions of the Unity ‘of’ God, whereas in fact there is no such thing in the permanent subjective Reality.
There are encounters of ‘people’ that had Near Death Experiences - NDEs that recounted subjective communication ‘with’ others that was non-verbal. In Zen, Lord Buddha Himself, Dr. David R. Hawkins including that that is aware of the autonomous emergence of this writing, acknowledged that the Buddha Nature, Christ Consciousness is beyond any linear description, language and conceptualization.
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, The Word of God is the expression of the Infinite Identity of God, of what one is, including that that reads this text, that is beyond any definition of the mind e.g. genre, race, religion, sexuality, etc. Salvation replaceable with enlightenment is simplistically described as the subjective realization of oneness with that Identity; hence the sense of conflict of using dualistic language with no reality. Yet paradoxically the ‘human language’ allows Consciousness to evolve and learn, transcend its propensity to not know, see and be aware, beyond the current paradigm of existence.
It takes humility to acknowledge that one is not able to see beyond what one has become, that one is spiritually blind and cannot see without the help of our Lord Jesus Christ3. The realization of being one with that Identity - The Word of God, comes with the awareness that the ultimate meaning is That; yet still one cannot see beyond what one is.
With the above in mind one is invited to see that human language is temporary and meaning is beyond the linear semantics, but set by context.
All that is, is the ‘product of’ Love unseparated from Him. It is perfect, complete and holy. It may be perceived as changing but It may be known by His Grace as Permanent i.e. unchanging. It ‘changes’ from Complete, Perfect and Holy to Complete, Perfect and Holy4.
Evolution is the presumption of change from the current paradigm to one more supportive of Life that is described as ‘more’ aware where Truth is ‘more’ prevalent. Enlightenment is the realization that the Oneness of Creation has ‘changed’ from a non-aware dream state, to an awakened state hence the perception of insomnia for that enlightened ‘being’ in the preamble of the realization. One has transcended from the dream state that one is subject to death, external conditions and could rely on props from without, to the awakening that the Sole Prop is The Lord Himself to the Absolute.
In this seeming transition, consciousness may transcend perception that is a filter and seeming edit of the experience of Reality, to the point ‘where’ It is known directly. A hardened heart may be the metaphor our Lord has used to point to the innocence of Consciousness that has not reached the point to ‘understand’ beyond the literal, linear semantical meaning to the one nonlinear concerned with the essence - heart of the matter.
In the context of the ‘descriptions above’ what is denoted as ignorance is the presumption that one could be something else than one is in a certain context of the Allness of Creation, that one could see beyond one’s worldview whereas in fact one is blind to a more comprehensive and inclusive paradigm.
Up to one point of readiness, a karmic momentum, one is not aware that one is not aware.
What is defined as pride is the claim of knowledge and ability to see, without the awareness of the above principle.
Linear may be explained as measurable, controllable, programable, predictable, and caused by something that is without. Nonlinear may be denoted as beyond any cause and definition, logic. Whereas perception may be linear the field of consciousness is known as beyond any conceptualization. In the field of Consciousness the algorithm may become irrelevant for it has no existence other than imagination, yet these are just descriptors.
Differential calculus is not the cause of man getting to the moon, but rather the expression of the appearance that allows by Grace of the Lord the intention to ‘go to the moon’ to manifest as such, subject to His Will that is the same with Karma.
There is a metaphor in Zen that states that the finger pointed to the moon is not the moon. Lord Buddha Himself offers the analogy of His teachings expressed through language as the raft one uses to cross the river of suffering, Samsara. Once the river is crossed one does not need to carry the raft through the land but rather let it go5.
Yet ’to the point’ of realization of the Truth, the end times, ‘both’ our Lord Jesus Christ6 and Lord Buddha7 invite to discernment rather to take appearances as truth. In the meanwhile one is invited to not let any ‘image’ that is presented to the screen of awareness unexamined, for to allow that that is not true to be held as usual business is to repeat ‘old’ patterns and remain in the current paradigm.
The fact that the engineer seems to have written the algorithm (appearance) is different from what it is. The Divine Engineer is behind anything and everything and runs it not in an arbitrary way but with a non-linear coherence that is All serving to the Absolute.
If one cannot rely on appearance to judge, for it has not yet the ability to discern nor ‘see’ things in a larger context, one may ask oneself what would be a criteria to differentiate within appearance, within the linear?
A way to label and distinguish beyond form is the concept of level of awareness. It is a linear way to bridge between essence and appearance. It may indicate the prevalence of concern and supportiveness for life, the degree of responsibility and accountability to the Absolute.
Meaning derives from context. The more ’narcissistic and egocentric’ the underlying essence is, the more the corresponding appearance is more delusional, projective and resistant to Truth. With a compassionate context, the underlying essence radiates forth as intense lovingness e.g. the meaning of the gospels of our Lord is not semantic, linear, historical but rather His Principles and His Love transcends religion and culture, hence He may be found expressed including in other geographies and cultures e.g. some of the similes of Lord Buddha or some of the principles of Lord Krishna.
Up to the ‘point’ of integrity one cannot be interested in the Truth and does not value It. It is in a stage of progression where it is preoccupied with getting and being catered to rather than giving. Above the ‘point’ of integrity up to what is represented as Love perception is still linear yet concerned with being responsible and accountable oriented to serve rather than to being served.
Through denying oneself, carrying one’s cross and following the Lord unconditionally8 it was realized that consciousness is the fabric of Creation, that It is the Mind of God. All that is, is within the Mind, His Mind.
All that is, is His Love expressed through His Fabric that is denoted as consciousness. To ‘see’ this is to know God, to know with absolute certainty that all is His Perfection, Completeness and Holiness. Hence one is invited to surrender any belief that it knows, any projection that does not reflect Him, no exceptions.
So similar with the invites of our Lord Jesus Christ where He teaches to discern beyond appearance9 one is offered the possibility to ’look’ underneath the surface for meaning, to the essence of what ‘something’ is, regardless of its form that is the Love of God. For instance societal and technological ‘progress or advancement’ is the expression of the prevalence of Truth not separated from Love. To ’look’ for progress into appearance, that is linear, may be misleading and projective, whereas to know the underlying presence of Love may reveal that the societal dynamics are expressing ‘more’ compassion and its products and services are ‘more’ considerate of Life itself.