Does Self Control And Self Improvement Lead To Enlightenment?

Oh! Mere ‘self” realisation would be enough!
Only that, to realise the self, perhaps, all that circus is needed, that self-control, self-improvement, etc!
The “child-like” innocent get it just-like-that! They have nothing astray to control, or improve upon!
Statistics give evidence! The bulk majority of those who ‘made it’ happen to be mostly unlettered ones!

You may renounce the world as an illusion in order to help your spiritual evolution, but it isn’t necessarily the best path. Renunciation has pros and cons. The pros include a sense of focus, commitment, and a more direct path to yourself. The cons include a possibility of adopting beliefs and concepts instead of purely experiencing, and possibly using unnecessary effort, force, and self-violence on yourself, which can be very painful and pointless.
I personally believe that a more gentle path, as well as a quicker path, is to adopt self-love instead of self-control and self-acceptance instead of self-improvement. Yet at the same time some focus and discrimination within yourself is very useful. The only cautionary note and word of advice that I have is this: don’t get caught up in all the beliefs and concepts about what you need for enlightenment and focus more on direct, personal experiences.
And as to the question “are our very bodies and minds the site of enlightenment”, my opinion is that while enlightenment may happen and our bodies and minds may experience it, I don’t think they are the “site” of enlightenment. I believe that the site of enlightenment is within the infinite itself, within the source of all that is, within our higher Self, our true Self, that Self which is always there, always has been, always will be, and contains endless peace, love, and joy within it. So in that sense we are already enlightened, but we are simply removing the blocks to experiencing it fully.

Hello Coyote long time ..hope you are as good as usual )
I dont know Coyote as I am not a spiritual or knowledgeable person . But I think that self control and notions of self improvement can never lead to anything. Practically they must be futile. Because human beings are inclined to think that what is there is not right or good, that best things must be otherwise and that the real situation they are actually living in must be one of dirt and sin.They seldom accept things practically as they are, what is there is natural and it must b ok- they dont like to align thier mind with nature and things natural. All this is just very strange to me. I have a vague idea tht its self delusion and it can not help anyone much.I am speaking not speceficaly from point of view of enlightenment- something I know nothing of. I am speaking generally

What is it that we lack brother? I focus on perfection but fail all the time however I know that my focus is always improving if I control my self. Every now an then a little more wisdom opens and my focus is improved. I recognise my mind understands the connection just a little more. How close I am is as far away as I feel, sometimes I feel hold and touch it but I let it slip away and I come back, for if I did not there would be no point to it.

The Kingdom of God is within. True enlightenment can only come from the Source of Light, and that, my friend is Jesus Christ. Christianity as practiced in the east is nothing at all like the Christianity you see practiced in the west. Self control and self improvement are assists on the path to enlightenment, but only travelling spiritually through the temptations that God allows to come to you do you, and relying on God as you realize you alone are not capable of overcoming them or working through them for the best spiritual outcome is the only way to become enlightened. Without the Source of Light, you will only be fooling yourself. Remember: satan himself can appear as an angel of light. Mere light is not the answer. Anyone can do that. And remember: even the demons know that Jesus Christ is God..they just are not spiritually smart or astute enough to worship Him after they recognize He is God. You are above demons. You can both know and worship, and the very act of worshiping God, in the Spirit of Truth, brings spiritual enlightenment. As mentioned, the practices in Christianity in the eastern world are nothing like the practices of the Christianity of the western world, which is what most people think of when they think of Christianity. The Kingdom of God is truly within, and all who seek it, find it. God bless you on your spiritual journey. I will pray for you that you find the true spiritual enlightenment that can lead you to heaven, in the peace of God, for ever…all in one lifetime, because that’s all you’ve got. If you get it wrong in this life, there are no eternal do-overs.

If one believes that these methods will induce deep levels of enlightened states, so will it be. Self control is a quality that develops as result of being focused through the whole process of deliberately creating our chosen experience, it is about guiding our impulses towards a single pointed desire to explore the higher realms of our spiritual and physical potential and so disregarding anything that is extraneous to this cause. If one is self controlled then self improvement will naturally occasion, especially if one is using their life to further enhance life. It is a sure sign that one is not easily distracted by the many alluringly attractive pleasures of this world, especially those which offer little in terms of facilitating our desire to reach all that we can be.
I fervently feel that it is important to fully embrace the tonality of existence with a genuine acceptance and naturally defining who we wish to be in relation to the experience. I know people who are obsessively strict with chastisement and so follow a path where they deny themselves any form of what they call, “worldly pleasure” in the belief that it will help them reach higher states of enlightenment, and I also know of those who have not followed such a path and live life in “worldly pleasure” yet carry an enlightend state equal to those who strictly follow a divine path. If one chooses to believe that living a poor existence will elevate them to higher states, so will it be. If one chooses to embrace every kind of pleasure and in who exercises a natural self control with a belief that they will reach elevated states of enlightenment, so will it be. I personally enjoy my body and the whole process of connecting to my source and I fully engage every kind of experience with an awake state of being and in the moment choose what is benificial and what is not.
There are people who believe that they have to live a life of poverty and chastisement – extremely ecsessive self-control, to reach the purest connection to source, and many as a result end up living a life of patent misery. There are few who can live this life and be truly happy and content. I personally am a man of pleasure, simplicity, love. The world is an illusion, but you and me are apart of that illusion also, we are the illusion ourselves and I enjoy my whole sense of it, even though i know that my sense is also apart of the illusion. I bless me in you and you in me for we are truly one!

When you learn to recognize the emotional pain some one has and are able to lift them up with words of understanding,appreciation,and respect in how you talk to them and treat them giving hope,then you have the knowledge of enlightenment.Bless all with kindness and kindness will bless you.

What a funny little phrase… “lead to enlightenment.” Who is the LEADer?
Following the leader, the leader, the leader
We’re following the leader wherever he may go
We won’t be home till morning, till morning, till morning
We won’t be home till morning
Because he told us so
Tee dum, tee dee
A teedle ee do tee day
We’re out for fun
And this is the game we play:
Come on, join in
And sing your troubles away
With a teedle ee dum
A teedle do tee day
We’re following the leader, the leader, the leader
We’re following the leader wherever he may go
We won’t be home till morning, till morning, till morning
We won’t be home till morning
Because he told us so
Tee dum, tee dee
A teedle ee do tee day
We march along and
These are the words we say:
Tee dum, tee dee,
A teedle deelde deeay
Oh, a teedle ee dum
A teedle ee do tee day
Oh, a teedle ee dum
A teedle ee do tee day
Oh and about renouncing the world as illusion… only do that if you like to confuse yourself further, and wish to be searching for something already possessed… Grand quote btw!

Many people think so, although I cannot speak from experience. Self-control and self improvement certainly lead to feeling better here and now. Renouncing the world as an illusion is just daft – the trucks and the illnesses will still hit you. And probably more often.

You have so many good answers to this well thought out question, Patrick! I have so much trouble with all of the ideas of illusion, for I feel so real. All of my passions are real, are they not? My thoughts can so rise me, when I choose them most carefully… but let me say, I fill myself with Love which comes in many many forms … so wonderful the gift of love, and such a source on inexhaustible power! When I love, I am never in any kind of rut, it keeps me in communion so to speak with that direct line into enlightenment. Or at least with what I feel is enlightening… I don’t know what the pure process of Samantabhadra is… or understand this word and all which pertains t this… so I may have to come back to this question…. But for now… I say Love performs many wonders for me! Loving well, deep and purely just seems to get it all working right, harmonies blending and mixing… and zoom we are all uplifted! And this has much to do with all of our senses work sponataneoulsy! All that we have been given to use in positive ways is meant to bring us into the state if used correctly! …. I will ponder… this “Sam” thing… once i do … more! (Big words) smiles… )
Lovingly
She Dances With Love
Kar~n~Joy~c

no we are all born into this world dead spiritualy, thanks to adam and eve.romans 5:12 receiving the offer of life 1 john 5:11,13 Jesus is the only one that has a life o offer you and me, that is why the virgin birth is not up for grabs,

Selff- discipline, peaceful awareness , mind & body connection, meditation plus the Eight Noble Path will lead you to enlightenment but it takes so many lives & transformations, for one to be enlightened.

I certainly hope they do, because I can’t think of anything else that would. Besides, enlightenment is almost certainly unattainable, and efforts toward self improvement can make real changes now.

You just must simply understand what the ‘self’ is to find enlightenment.