Enlightenment

n. state of being enlightened, state of intellectual or spiritual awareness

n. the Age of Reason, 18th-century philosophical movement that emphasized the use of scientific inquiry and reason (most commonly associated with Locke, Descartes, Newton, and Rousseau)

Enlightenment may refer to:Enlightenment (concept), a concept in mysticism, philosophy, and psychologyMoksha, the Hindu religious concept of enlightenmentBodhi, Satori, Nirvana, Dzogchen or Total Understanding (of the nature of existence, self, etc), the Buddhist religious conceptEnlightenment StupaYogic Enlightenment, the Yoga concept of enlightenmentSutra of Perfect Enlightenment
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Noun
1. a movement in the 18th century that advocated the use of reason in the reappraisal of accepted ideas and social institutions
(synonym) Age of Reason
(hypernym) reform movement

Noun
1. education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge
(antonym) unenlightenment
(hypernym) education
(hyponym) edification, sophistication
(derivation) enlighten, edify
2. (Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire and suffering and individual consciousness
(synonym) Nirvana
(hypernym) blessedness, beatitude, beatification
(classification) Hinduism, Hindooism

(n.)
Act of enlightening, or the state of being enlightened or instructed.
  

This is the usual English translation of the Sanskrit word "bodhi," which literally means "awakening." It is achieved by following the Eight-fold path , and therefore constitutes freedom from all desires. Enlightenment gives the person who achieves it the wisdom of perceiving the ultimate reality, which entails the power and the ability to work to change that reality in certain ways--especially to help people in need. For example, Amitabha created the western land--the Pure Land --as a heaven for his followers. Enlightenment is often described as emptiness . This is the final step before nirvana . Gaining Enlightenment can be likened to breaking through a wall. At first, only a small hole may be created, through which one can briefly see a small part of the other side. Ultimately, the whole wall may be destroyed and all will be visible.