Acharya Prashant: “He who claims liberation as his own, as an attainment of a person is neither enlightened nor a seeker. He suffers his own misery.”
Beautiful. “He who claims liberation as his own, as an attainment of a person is neither enlightened nor a seeker. He suffers his own misery.” Something we have repeatedly talked of, repeatedly warned ourselves against.
Enlightenment or liberation is not something that the person can possess, just as freedom is not something that a prison can possess or achieve. It is such an absurd statement to make, no? The prison has attained freedom! When you say, “I have attained liberation,” the prison has attained freedom.
Ashtavakra is saying, “The one who claims liberation as his own is not enlightened, and he is not even a seeker of enlightenment. He is a fraudster. He is calling himself enlightened.” Be very cautious of those who have claimed enlightenment for themselves.
Questioner: There are times when it lures as an achievement.
Acharya Prashant: Of course! And if you have declared that there is freedom inside the prison, then, for sure, you are never going to be free of the prison.
