Those who pursue enlightenment might not be aware of the consequences of not reaching enlightenment. You’ve learned about enlightenment and decide to undertake the journey towards it. You’ve heard about how difficult and time consuming it will be. You’ve also heard about how rewarding it can be. But do you know what will happen if you aren’t able to reach it?
Rebirth
One of the most well known consequences of not becoming enlightened, is that you will be reincarnated when you die. If you haven’t reached enlightenment by the time you die then you will remain on the wheel of karma and rebirth. That means that in your next life, you might not have such a good opportunity to reach enlightenment. You will be reborn as anything living, including an animal, insect or if you’re lucky, a human. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of the opportunity you’ve been given in this life.
Insanity
Another effect of not reaching enlightenment is mental instability. Living with a sense of separate self has the ability to drive you insane. A world that constantly feels threatening to your survival can cause extreme neurosis. It can lead to erratic behaviour including crime, drug abuse and narcissistic rage. Which leaves you feeling even more disconnected and separate from the world. This can also happen as a result of ego backlash. So beware of this potential trap by remaining calm and grounded during your journey.
Giving Up
The last and potentially most tragic consequence of not reaching enlightenment is giving up. When you’re aware of the truth of non-duality but haven’t experienced it yet, you might want to give up. This means suppressing the truth, which pushes it down into your subconscious shadow self. You’re entire life going forward will feel like a lie. That’s why it’s so important to stay on the path and see it through to the end. Because anything worth pursuing in life is difficult. The satisfaction and bliss you’ll have with enlightenment makes the journey well worth it. Have faith that in the end, the truth will persevere.