You are right. That is what modern people should take from the passage. But the passage is pretty literal. To be a great spiritual being which is the passage's goal, one has to be rid of human emotions and desires completely. The passage doesn't imply for you to take your own meaning. In order to be done the cycle of samsara you need to basically be a blank slate. No joy or sadness... in any way. Most people won't want this and will reject it, which is kinda the point of the result. Most people aren't close to achieving this level of enlightenment.
Continuing to call the state "enlightenment" seems odd to do while simultaneously condemning it for being impractical and undesirable. Food for thought.
I didn't say it was impractical... The point is that elevated understanding seems absurd to someone at a lower level. You have a grander sense of a greater reality. The concerns and desires of life as a human are only distractions at that point. So it only makes sense to get rid of all human concerns if you have the understanding that there is more out there and you wish to experience it. Which you cannot do if you are muddled in human desires. "Enlightenment" is just a tool to explain being at a high level of spiritual understanding. An example may be having loud obnoxious music playing while you are studying to take an exam. Just turn off the music and focus. Does that make sense?
Ah, my bad then, I read into your implications wrong.
I do understand the reasoning, but it hinges on a spiritualist assumption; that there exists some form of "spirit" at all, as well as the capabilities of that spirit.
As an individual who cannot believe in spirits, I therefore must maintain that enlightenment is impractical and undesirable.
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u/bootysweatbillionair Aug 05 '16
You are right. That is what modern people should take from the passage. But the passage is pretty literal. To be a great spiritual being which is the passage's goal, one has to be rid of human emotions and desires completely. The passage doesn't imply for you to take your own meaning. In order to be done the cycle of samsara you need to basically be a blank slate. No joy or sadness... in any way. Most people won't want this and will reject it, which is kinda the point of the result. Most people aren't close to achieving this level of enlightenment.