Unlocking the Inner Light: A Path to Enlightenment : หน้า 11/47

Certainly! Here is the extracted text from the image: --- **Introduction** defiled minds. We see our fellow human beings as enemies because of our defined minds. Because of defilements we have feelings of sadness, anger, jealousy and we suffer. Thus, once we realize this we can see that defilements are the true enemy of humankind. We will want to be free of the power of defilements; we will want to have knowledge; we will want to know the Truth; and we will move towards Light. This type of wisdom is the **GATEWAY** to **ENLIGHTENMENT** that is also found with ascetics and monks in many religions and faiths the world over. The intensity of ‘Inner Light’ depends on the technique and depth of the Meditation method applied. Inner light helps not only to know but also to see the true nature of the world and life. Correctly applied this is the list leading to ‘Enlightenment’, that reveals absolute knowledge and the true nature of all things and all phenomena. Only through meditation, can one obtain inner light to discover the truth. In Buddhism a lot of explanation is given about heaven or hell, about the mind etc, because Buddhists use meditation to achieve the absolute goal of life. And through meditation, Buddhists discover these facts from their inner light. In fact, not only Buddhists, but also anyone who meditates could achieve the same result. After some time of practicing meditation the mind can be ‘seen’. One who practices correctly will be able to see the mind as clearly as you see these words before your eyes. In Buddhism there is also a great deal of information about that which negatively influences the human mind; these negative influences are referred to as **kilesa** (defilements). It is like a radio receiving on a distorted frequency. We have partial information or perception when we receive incomplete information. We develop understanding, feeling and reaction based on that incomplete information. As a result, our reactions towards incomplete information we receive tends to be negative, which in turn will hurt ourselves and/or others, even those we hold dear to our heart. As one can imagine, if these things influence the mind negatively it is of great importance that we are aware of them. It must be remembered that the practice of meditation is not an exclusive path to enlightenment for Buddhists only, and that any faith, religion or practice that **enables individuals to meditate to the extent of connecting with their ‘Inner Light’** will achieve the same resultant enlightenment as this is a universal truth based on reality without any defilements or misconceptions. **LIFE** We are all prisoners of our own sufferings and mortality. When human beings are born, they are born into a prison where they are imprisoned for life. These are proverbial ‘facts of life.’ We are all prisoners of worldly existence, born into ageing, sickness and death. We cannot escape this; we cannot go anywhere away from this world or universe, so we are prisoners of it. Moreover, we are on ‘Death Row.’ No matter if we are a ruler or a beggar, in the end we are all mortal beings and ultimately will die. Some pass away not long after they are born; others after 10 or 20 years; while some even survive beyond the age of 100. Nonetheless, everyone dies; it is just a matter of time. Our prison is huge, so huge that we cannot see or visualize its walls as they seem so far away. We are trapped in a sort of loose confinement but, make no mistake, we are trapped here. We can go to the moon, another planet, eventually perhaps another galaxy … but we still die. Although our prison cell may change we still remain in this mortal confinement. In fact, our universe is a penitentiary so immense and complicated that without resorting to perfecting and connecting with our ‘Inner Light’ to reveal its existence we are unable to comprehend the true nature of our perpetual incarceration. The human mind can be expanded limitlessly. When we feel compassion for others beyond culture, race or religion our minds will expand sufficiently so that we will experience a desire to help and protect them. Greedy and self-centred people think that the world belongs to them, so they take advantage of others, of things, of nature etc. When the mind expands in a virtuous way, the world becomes small, as if it were an orange in the palm of your hand. Minds of monks or ascetics expand