ENLIGHTENMENT

While the English word enlightenment refers to the process of understanding, the Pāḷi word usually translated as enlightenment, bodhi, both means 'to awaken,' or 'to understand', i.e. to open the eyes. When, as a result of practising the Buddha's Dhamma, one deeply, fully and directly realizes the impermanent, inadequate and selfless nature of conditioned phenomenon one is said to have become or to have attained enlightenment. Quite automatically, this realization brings about a radical change in one's experience and one's behaviour. Frustration, anxiety and fear are replaced by peace and joy. A person who is enlightened is called either a Buddha or an arahat. The state itself is also often called Nirvāṇa. See Mysticism.