u/GABIBBOPAZZOCINESE

Hi, I’m new to Theravada Buddhism, I learnt about how there are different types of enlightened people:

1. The Arahant: a person who becomes enlightened with the help of a master, for example a Buddha
2. the Paccekabuddha: a person who becomes enlightened alone without the help of a master, they may can teach and offer guidance, but they can’t build a sangha of monks or teach the ultimate way to liberation
3. the Sammāsabuddha: a perfectly and completely enlightened being, a person who reached enlightenment on his own, he can build a sangha of monks, he can teach the ultimate way of liberation, it has universal omniscience and can guide people pur of the cycle of Samsara.

All of this is beautiful, but can someone today become one of these? Can a person in this lifetime become a Arahant, Paccekabuddha or Sammāsabuddha? Because from what I’ve known they only appear in a time where there is no Dharma in the world, and currently the Dharma is really present and it’s actually growing, so can someone gain enlightenment even to this day?

Today is my first birthday where I didn’t get a single “happy birthday” from others, I turn 20 today, I don’t know how to feel because I always knew a day like this would happen; I always knew there would be a day where people will forget my birthday, so I kinda expected it, but at the same time I feel sad about it cause well nobody remembered, so there is this sort of acceptance and conflict, I’m still happy that today is my birthday tho, and I’ll try not to let these feelings make me feel down the entire day