Buddha’s Morning Enlightenment

Previously I have posted about the references to Enlightenment in the Diamond Sutra.
Enlightenment is not a main topic in this sutra, but it is an important element in most branches of Buddhism.

It seems like the references to “Enlightenment” in the Diamond Sutra would mostly refer to the kind of enlightenment that is a sudden insight, a sudden transformation. A satori like experience. I base this (very loose) conclusion on references like this one:

“What this means is that Buddhas and disciples are not enlightened by a set method of teachings, but by an internally intuitive process which is spontaneous and is part of their own inner nature.” Chapter 7, Diamond Sutra

The references to enlightenment in this sutra are opposed to other references to “the highest, most fulfilled, and awakened mind”. These two types of references seem to distinguish between different types of mind. I haven’t formulated an opinion on just what these differences are, but there does seem to be a distinction.

The information below is something I was thinking about earlier, and thought I would post it here for you now. I admit it is only tangentially related to the Diamond Sutra, but hopefully it will be of interest to you nonetheless.

Was Buddha Enlightened in the Early Morning Hours?

I did some research on the web and found that several sources indicate that the Buddha reached enlightenment in the early morning hours.

Here are some of the links to pages I reference, and the references to the time of the Buddha’s enlightenment:

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Page: “The Buddha’s Enlightenment”
http://www.geocities.com/mkoay.rm/buddha_enlightenment.html (LINK NO LONGER WORKS)

“In the last watch of the night he developed the super-normal knowledge with regard to the destruction of passions – Asavakkhaya Nana, and comprehending things they truly are, attained Perfect Enlightenment – Samma Sambodhi.”

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Another reference: “The Buddha’s Enlightenment:
The story of Siddhartha Gautama -Shakyamuni Buddha – according to Tibetan teachings.”
http://www.psychics.co.uk/tibet/buddha.htm (LINK NO LONGER WORKS)

”Vowing not to get up until he had found the enlightenment he was looking for, he entered a deep state of meditation. As the night wore on he dived deeper and deeper into the nature of reality until at last he achieved a total and direct realisation of the truth.”

“As the morning star rose over the eastern horizon his enlightenment was complete and unshakable. Siddhartha Gautama had become the Buddha – a Sanskrit word meaning ‘One who is fully awake.’”

And further down the page there is this:

“At the third watch (2 a.m. to 6 am.) Shakyamuni Buddha attained absolute knowledge and absolute enlightenment. ”

“This breakthrough of realization coincided with the rising of the sun at 6 in the morning. Siddhartha had defeated the forces of Mara, had seen through the illusionary ego and extinguished all mental defilement. The struggle was now over he had realized the everlasting, supreme, bliss and, like the sun he saw rising in the morning sky, had awoken from the dark night of the soul. He had not just glimpsed Truth but had become one with it. He was now the Buddha.”

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Next reference: “Life of Buddha – Attaining Enlightenment”
https://kadampa.org/reference/buddhas-enlightenment

“Siddhartha then continued with his meditation until dawn, when he attained the varja-like concentration. With this concentration, which is the very last mind of a limited being, he removed the final veils of ignorance from his mind and in the next moment became a Buddha, a fully enlightened being.”

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So, it seems the Buddha may have attained his awakening and enlightenment in the early morning hours.

I used to do what I called “pulling an all-nighter”… staying up through the night into the next day. As the years go on I do less and less of those now – but I am seriously thinking of taking them up again!