Life of the Enlightened

There is always a curiosity about how life is for the enlightened? Once the highest truth is known, about the world and the self, how does one go about living? Will there be smile on the face all the time? Specifically what happens to the emotional aspect of a person after he becomes enlightened?

Emotions are thoughts. Anger is an anger thought. worry is a worry thought, surprise is a surprise thought. Thoughts arise in the mind based on information from the world. or from other thoughts already in memory. or a combination.

What is presented to me as information from the world is based on the past actions. Past or present actions are driven by preferences.

The physical body undergoes changes. though we try to control it in a good way, there is a limit. It takes a while to realise and accept the truth and start living with the body one has. If I am fat, it can be the result of so many things. The so called Gene, eating , exercising habits, etc.. no matter how fit and trim, or bad the body is the fact that it ages is inevitable. The improvements that one sees in the body by doing regular exercise, eating properly, etc.. are at the surface level. The physical body starts to age from the day one. also exercises can only strengthen so much. If a truck falls on me, even if I am Schwarzenegger I am done. The point is the apparent control we seem to have over the physical body is minuscule. The true reason for what happens to the physical body is that it is part of the experience. and all experiences are result of past actions. I can desire and work towards a lean and mean body, but whether it will be so or not cannot be forced.

The same with the mind. what the mind thinks? what thoughts arise int he mind? One may assume that these can be controlled. Thoughts result from sensory inputs and accumulated thoughts. I can neither prevent or force myself to a thought. Events presents itself. it is perceived by the senses, Thoughts occur in the mind. It is clear that I cannot control the events. they are due to my past. similarly I cannot control the thoughts. neither can I control my actions. Similar to taking care of the body I can attempt to take care of the mind, force only good thoughts, avoid bad thoughts, and so on. and it will result in an apparent mental fitness.

If a particular event occurs, the event creates a set of thoughts. some so intense it breaks me down. I cry. weep like a baby. (of course it appears based on the 'strength' of the mind), There is neither a need nor a possibility to change any of this. If the thoughts of some of the finest moments in my past haunt me and paralyzes my thoughts of present day, let it be so. just like the body is in constant action, mind is in constant action, it creates countless thoughts about current experiences, memories and also fantasizes and worries about the yet to unfold future. That is the job of the mind. so I should let it happily do its job.

The preferences decide what will be the action, action decide what events occur. The mind chooses to act based on its likes and searches for actions that leads to fulfilment of its desires. This it does assuming it gives happiness. when things don't go the way the mind wants to, then it feels unhappy. It opens the gates to a flood of thoughts. and so on..

The emotions, when it is about an object/person very close, or to which I am attached have the greatest strength. the thoughts are all the more violent and turbulent based on how close these are to me. It is like watching a roller-coaster verses Riding one. Its like playing a video game with a joystick which can give force-feed backs, which when I go bump a car in a racing game gives me a shock verses If I use a regular joystick. The fact that it is a game does not change.

Just like a physical fitness creates an apparent improvement in the "general" lifestyle , so will a mental fitness create an apparent improvement in the "general" lifestyle. But...No amount of physical fitness can save the body if a truck falls on it, similarly no amount of mental conditioning will save its breakdown on certain events.

So the important thing is, once the delusion that I am the body/mind is gone, and that this Ego is clearly a part of the world where 'I' do not belong, and all of the world is a creation of my own power of illusion, including this apparently overwhelmingly powerful mind, then it is clear to me there is nothing I "need" do to correct/change/improve. I am not the experiencer / experienced / experience. But I simply do so since that is the only way I can experience.

So, as long as the Truth is known, accepted completely beyond doubt and as long as the Truth is held steady, or remembered, there is nothing to worry.