A state of “enlightenment” (bodhi, moksha, satori) is the end goal of both Buddhism and Hinduism. It is assumed to not be the domain of people from those religions, however, but an ultimate state of release and integration that all people are capable of. I sometimes ponder famous religious and spiritual figures are or are not actually enlightened, and sometimes discuss the topic with others. Here are my assessments:
* Adi Da – Ken Wilber described him well: a genuinely enlightened soul with a sociopathically psychotic personality
* Adyashanti – Seems to be, as he describes himself to be, fully awakened, in all ways
* Ajahn Amaro – Profoundly clear, deep, and good man, probably in the early stages of enlightenment, not fully there that I saw fifteen years ago.
* Ajahn Jayasaro – Most enlightened Therevada Buddhist I have even met. In my few hours seeing him speak, he seemed to me close to full release.
* Alan Watts – Was able to articulate and explain enlightenment better than anyone I’ve encountered. Seemed to have a beautiful open heart. Anyone who drinks themselves to death has some aspect of being that is still caught and tangled, however.
* Ali Hameed Almaas – Sometimes seems like it, and I think says that he is. I would not have guessed it, though.
* Ammi Ji (Mata Amritanandamayi) – I can’t tell. Probably.
* BKS Iyengar – Seemed to get too annoyed too often to be the full deal
* Byron Katie – Yes. Her personality is a little glitzy some times, but it seems to me like her soul is genuinely fully released. Has startled me again and again with demonstrating an almost complete lack of viscosity in her soul, and surprising descriptions straight from a transparent-to-infinity state.
* Cheri Huber – I can’t tell. Wise being, either way.
* Chogyam Trungpa – No. Had a profound understanding, helped a lot of people, deeply committed to the path – but, Alan Watts, still had inner demons and tangles that kept him normal human and distant from full release.
* Daniel Ingram – Sure why the f not.
* David Deida – I can’t tell
* Depak Chopra – Has some good things to say, but, from the stories that I have seen, is really into money, power, prestige, and sex. No.
* Eckhart Tolle – Fully awakened, in all ways
* Friedrich Nietzsche – Seemed to come from that place, so was close in some ways, or who knows maybe even there in his own fucked up way
* Jack Kornfield – LOL
* Jed McKenna – Head and gut seem enlightened and liberated. Not as enlightened as he claims that he is and his fans think he is, though – heart still closed, negative, and unevolved.
* Jiddu Krishnamurti – Was a wise, clear, insightful, charismatic, and powerful person, but not enlightened.
* Joan Halifax – A unusually spiritual normal person who is really into her opinions
* Joshu Sasaki Roshi – Combined fully deeply enlightened soul with unpleasant, pervy personality. Most liberated human I have ever met in person.
* Ken Wilber – Obviously his biggest strength is his mind and his understanding. But I think he’s maybe also more liberated and frictionless in his soul than his critics give him credit for.
* Mahatma Gandhi – Not technically, I don’t think so.
* Marianne Williamson – More liberated than 99.9% of people, but still caught and tight in her mind, her desires, and her fears.
* Michael Singer – His book Unteathered Soul seems to show understanding of enlightenment. Would have to watch him to know more.
* Neem Karoli Baba – Ram Dass’ stories make him seem enlightened, at least
* Noah Levine – Charismatic and sincere but otherwise normal person.
* Pema Chodron – Wise, strong, deep, clear woman. Somewhat close to enlightened.
* Philip Kapleau Roshi – I don’t think so. Very wise person though.
* Rainer Maria Rilke – Some of his poems make him seem like it.
* Ram Dass – Close. Seems like he came closest when he was studying with his teacher Neem Karoli Baba in the sixties, but his desire for fun took over.
* Rasjneesh/Osho – Must have been hard for him, to talk about enlightenment all day every day, and to pretend to all his students that he was enlightened, while still knowing on the inside that he was caught in a normal human suffering self.
* S.N. Goenka – A great and spiritual man. Not enlightened.
* Shinzen Young – He hints that he is, and I can believe it.
* Shunryu Suzuki Roshi – Seemed close
* Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj – A genuinely fully awakened person. But on top of his zero-friction soul he still had a tight, occasionally grating, chain-smoking personality.
* Sri Ramana Maharshi – The most fully awakened being the modern world has known, thoroughly and in all aspects of his being. Surface-level personality, and all levels in between, also reflected the purity of the depths.
* Tenshin Reb Anderson – Most enlightened Caucasian I have met who practices Zen. Often has seemed close.
* The Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) – No. Some parts of him are close, but he has had to think about stuff and manage too many people and politics in his life to fully let go.
* Thich Naht Hahn – Seemed close. Maybe has had to manage too much in his life (books, monks, politics) to really fully let go.
* Wayne Dyer – I don’t think so. But sometimes showed flashes of it, and seemed close.
I don’t know enough to have an opinion: Baba Hari Dass, Drunvalo Melchizedek, Ganga-ji, Gurdjieff, Khalil Gibran, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Mother Meera, Papa-ji, Paramahansa Yogananda, Ramakrishna, Ramesh Balsekar, Sai Baba, Sailor Bob, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sueng Sahn
