Yeah, that's why I think it's kind of a tricky subject. Because of the constantly evolving nature of the universe, the "enlightenment" of 2500 years ago is probably a far different thing than what it is today. I feel like that might be why several people can seemingly grasp the concepts that Buddha presented us with and put them into practice, but aren't necessarily enlightened. Because(in my ideation) the world is a completely new thing each moment, the only way to understand it clearly and live accordingly is to keep progressing and changing with the times.

It's kind of like when you go really deep into hyperspace to an "enlightened" state that feels all-encompassing, timeless, and perfect. It seems like you've reached a pinnacle, or like the deepest core of life itself that is the source and embodiment of all that was, is, and ever will be. Boom! Heaven. Impossible to improve upon...Until a month later when you put that shit in the shade with the glow of your next big experience. If there were some sort of final or complete state, it seems to me that no matter how beautiful and perfect it may be, eternal contentment with it would be impossible unless it's always changing. So I feel like the old ideas of the brilliant ones back in the day, while still offering a lot today, just aren't as mind-blowing and life-altering as they used to be.

Also, somebody mentioned something about miracles not being necessary, or something to that tune, but I sort of disagree. I think there's probably a separation between someone who understands many things from having the veil temporarily lifted, and somebody who can permanently embody the universal energy and sort of run with it and master it in a way. Maybe there's fault or too much ego in my ideal, but if I were to get the point of being a vessel for the creative energy of the universe, then I'll be disappointed if the most ridiculously amazing and impossible things aren't happening left and right. If enlightenment isn't the happiest, most miraculous ride available, then I'm not sure enlightenment is what I want.

EDIT:

I also just wanted to add that d-T-r hit on some points that vibe with me, like the Lao Tzu quote. I've said this before in another thread, but I feel like because of the interconnection of everybody and everything, that nobody can permanently enter heaven or become enlightened until everybody does, or at least it's incomplete until we're all there. That's also why I like McKenna's ideas of the singularity, which for me seems sort of inevitable. I think a snowball of heavenly experience already exists somewhere in the future, or somewhere outside of time, and many beings are probably already on that roller coaster ride, but it can't completely take off because us unenlightened ones are sort of keeping it attached to the dead weight of our problems and imperfections. But that's why helping others get to whatever positive levels we've each reached is just as important as pushing ourselves further. It's like if you and a friend started drowning, and he started to sink first, so he's holding onto your feet and dragging you down. The best thing wouldn't be to try to swim up even harder, it would be to help your friend up first, thus making it easier for both of you to reach the surface and take that life-nurturing air into your lungs. Anyway, my dream of how life "ends" is that the snowball keeps getting more and more awesomely powerful, and it eventually sweeps everybody and everything into it for an endlessly improving cycle of love, creativity, and transformation(sort of vague, I know; but I can picture it so much more clearly when I'm blasted on ayahuasca )