Enlightenment
Etymology
An English word built on “enlighten” (to give light or insight), used to translate concepts like Sanskrit “bodhi,” which more literally means “awakening” — the Buddha is “the awakened one.” Some argue “awakening” captures the sudden, waking-up quality better than the softer “enlightenment.” Note the clash with the capital-E Enlightenment, the 18th-century European movement of reason, a very different idea sharing the word.
noun · /en-LYT-un-munt/
In spiritual traditions, a state of liberating insight into the true nature of reality or the self.
What it names
A transformative seeing-through of illusion — the goal at the end of contemplative paths, not just being clever or informed.
Example
He chased enlightenment through a decade of retreats, then found more of it in finally forgiving his father.
Related idea
An epiphany is a sudden flash of understanding about something specific; spiritual enlightenment is a stable, comprehensive transformation of how one sees reality itself.
See also