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awakening
In Buddhism, awakening or enlightenment refers to a state of understanding the nature of reality, which Buddha Shakyamuni attained while meditating under the Bodhi Tree at Vajrasana or Bodhgaya. It is called awakening because a person reaching such understanding “wakes up” from an illusion—perceiving everything and oneself as real, unchanging, and existing independently of everything else. See also nirvana.
enlightenment
