A Study on the Method of Practising 37 Factors of Enlightenment for ‘Self-realization’
Lee-Seom Yeon
The Journal of Buddhist Thought and Culture June 1, 2018 DOI: 10.33521/jbs.2018.10.1.161 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that self-realization, akin to the Buddhist goal of enlightenment, is achieved by redirecting attention inward and practicing the 37 factors from the 'Saṃyutta Nikāya'. The author proposes that this practice reveals unconscious suppressed desires that cause suffering and provides a path to healing, meaning, and happiness. |
Abstract
Self-realization is a precious thing where a person becomes mature by understanding and embracing himself through gaining an insight consistently, and it may be regarded as a process of growing for his happiness. In addition, as a positive action with which he tries to find his nature, it could be an opportunity to expand his life by demonstrating his unique abilities and potentials. As such, if we say that self-realization is a process of gaining power to purify ourself by looking into our problems through righteous recognition of our inner world, the teachings of Buddha could be equivalent to this. Buddha is aiming to teach us that our ultimate goal is finding enlightenment, i.e. self-realization, through a practice while seeking ourself by changing the direction of our eyes, that used to be towards the outside world, into the inner world. For humans, thoughts and emotions, which were intentionally neglected to live their lives, are imprinted and stored in their body and mind unconsciously. These suppressed desires sometimes create narrow-minded thoughts and values, and it can be a cause of pain which brings about obsession, attachment, fear, anxiety and depression. This cause of pain may be cured while revealing ourself by lighting up an abyss of existence through practising 37 factors. In addition, this could be an important measure with which we can begin a search for self-realization that would make us possible to find the meaning of life, and develop our strength for embracing the pain. Through this study, I have tried to provide an opportunity to find a way to be happy through self-realization, while examining the detailed measures for self-realization and studying the meaning of it, focused on the 37 factors including the four bases of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of magical powers, the five spiritual faculties, the five powers, the Seven enlightenment factors, and eight righteous ways to eliminate the agony which are written in the ‘Saṃyutta Nikāya’.