Faune,
How is it you expect to find enlightenment without teachings? Are you going to find them on your own by stumbling across them by accident? if one has already attained enlightenment then the teachings would be meaningless to them as their whole point is to steer you in the direction of that goal and show you what is keeping you from getting there. I disagree that effort cannot get you there. While you cannot force it, it is not just going to happen for no reason. Everything is an exchange of energy in the universe and you are not going to get somethign as profound as enlightenment given to you free of charge. You have to earn it.
Most of the so called "avatars" all seem to make similar claims about being these god type beings who came to earth and were enlightened from birth or from materialization to the physical plane. I find their claims rather questionable.
