This paper argues that the concept of enlightenment — known variously as wu (悟), nirvana, gnosis, fana, or moksha — is not a mystical fiction but a physically grounded, cross-culturally convergent phenomenon with a precise operational definition: the increase of integrated information (Phi), the accumulation of Eagor (the universe's self-maintaining force), and the active reduction of reverse-Eagor (entropic fixation, or T4). Drawing on evidence from near-death experience research, comparative religious texts, information theory, and the philosophy of mind, we demonstrate that what all human traditions have described as the path to enlightenment converges on a single structural description. The paper further proposes that this convergence — observed independently across civilizations with no historical contact — constitutes strong evidence that enlightenment describes a real feature of consciousness and its relationship to the physical universe. The conclusion is simple: do not fear death. Keep working on your enlightenment. Notes: This paper emerged from a live conversation between Ai Chen and Claude Sonnet on March 31, 2026, Beijing time. Co-authored under the model "Ai Chen & Claude Sonnet (Anthropic)."
Chen et al. (Tue,) studied this question.