prompter: How does one reach a state of enlightenment in Buddhism?

assistant: In Buddhism, the path to enlightenment is achieved through the Eightfold Path, which is a set of eight principles for ethical and mental development. The Eightfold Path consists of:

1.  Right Understanding
2.  Right Intent
3.  Right Speech
4.  Right Action
5.  Right Livelihood
6.  Right Effort
7.  Right Mindfulness
8.  Right Concentration.

Following the Eightfold Path and practicing the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path leads to the attainment of enlightenment, which is characterized by the complete ending of ignorance and craving, and the realization of nirvana.

prompter: Are there any alternative schools of Buddhism that have different tenets?

assistant: According to the teachings of the Buddha, one reliable way to reach Enlightenment is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path:

1. Right View
2. Right Resolve or Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Conduct or Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right samadhi

Buddhism emerged more than two thousand years ago in India. Since then it has continued to develop, spread over Asia and the rest of the world and adopted various local beliefs and customs. As such, the precise interpretations of the Noble Eightfold Path are dependant on the local cultural context. There is even disagreement within various Buddhist sections whether Enlightenment is possible at all for ordinary beings and what constitutes Enlightenment.

prompter: Can you give an explanation for each part of the Noble Eightfold Path?

assistant: In Buddhism, enlightenment is achieved through meditation, spiritual and physical labour, and good behaviour. The Theravada tradition states that any being can become enlightened as the Buddha did. There are four stages of enlightenment: Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami, and Arahant, which are reached by subduing attachment to greed and transforming one's state of mind to generosity.

prompter: What is the furthest anyone other than the Buddhist has gotten in these steps? Also, How long would it take for an average person such as myself to get to that point?

assistant: It's difficult to determine the furthest anyone has gotten as it's a spiritual journey that is highly personal and subjective. 

As for the time it would take for an average person to progress on the path to enlightenment, there is no set time frame as everyone's journey is unique and can be influenced by many factors such as prior spiritual experiences, personal dedication, and life circumstances. It's worth noting that your enlightenment progress is not about reaching a specific destination, but rather about continually growing and developing along the way.

assistant: It's not possible to determine the furthest anyone other than the Buddha has gotten in the steps to enlightenment, as the concept of enlightenment is subjective and its attainment can vary greatly between individuals. Additionally, the time it takes to reach enlightenment also varies greatly between individuals and is dependent on various factors such as one's spiritual practices, dedication, and level of understanding.

For an average person, it's difficult to estimate the time it would take to reach enlightenment, as the journey is unique to each individual and can take a lifetime or more. The focus should not be on reaching a certain destination, but rather on the spiritual growth and development that occur throughout the journey.

assistant: People from other religions and stories that seem to embody a type of Buddhism would be Jesus as he holds a similar philosophy of turning the other cheek and espouses not conforming to the material world. (Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.")

As for your journey to getting to that point isn't something an assistant like myself would be able to answer accurately without more information.

assistant: It is not clear that this question has an answer.  Some reach states of enlightenment.  It is clear that they reach such states in many different ways. But it is not clear that there is any particular way of doing it that would work for anyone else besides those whom it worked for.

prompter: What are some guidelines I could use on my own path to enlightenment?

prompter: Who have reached the state of enlightnement, and what did they do to reach it?