I would say it is the other way around. When you are enlightened, then you think right thoughts. It is true that the Buddha listed “right thought” as part of the Noble Eightfold Path. But he was referring to living a life free from suffering. Being enlightened is more than just the cessation of suffering.
An enlightened person’s body may suffer, yet at the same time, he or she is aware that they are not their body. That is enlightenment. When we realize that we are not our bodies and we are not our minds. We clearly see that we are Spiritual beings inhabiting the body for a duration, with a mind that helps us navigate through the physical world.
We cannot monitor every thought we think. They are too many and it is ridiculous to sit all day, every day saying “This is a right thought, this is a wrong thought.” That is not going to lead to any kind of enlightenment and may even lead to madness. And who is going to tell us what is a right thought and what is a wrong thought? Organized religion has tried that for centuries with very little success, judging by the state of the world.
Therefore, enlightenment bypasses thought altogether. Thoughts appear and disappear automatically. When we think we are our thoughts and their whimsical patterns, we are clearly not in an enlightened state. But if we go beyond thought and allow our minds to be the wonderful tools that they are and nothing more, we are in a much more enlightened state.
An enlightened person’s body may suffer, yet at the same time, he or she is aware that they are not their body. That is enlightenment. When we realize that we are not our bodies and we are not our minds. We clearly see that we are Spiritual beings inhabiting the body for a duration, with a mind that helps us navigate through the physical world.
We cannot monitor every thought we think. They are too many and it is ridiculous to sit all day, every day saying “This is a right thought, this is a wrong thought.” That is not going to lead to any kind of enlightenment and may even lead to madness. And who is going to tell us what is a right thought and what is a wrong thought? Organized religion has tried that for centuries with very little success, judging by the state of the world.
Therefore, enlightenment bypasses thought altogether. Thoughts appear and disappear automatically. When we think we are our thoughts and their whimsical patterns, we are clearly not in an enlightened state. But if we go beyond thought and allow our minds to be the wonderful tools that they are and nothing more, we are in a much more enlightened state.
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