Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism - Wikipedia
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
Author Chögyam Trungpa
Country United States
Language English
Genre Tibetan Buddhism
Publisher Shambhala Publications
Publication date 1973 (1st ed.)
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, by Chögyam Trungpa is a book addressing many common pitfalls of self-deception in seeking spirituality, which the author coins as Spiritual materialism. It is the transcript of two series of lectures given by Trungpa Rinpoche in 1970–71.[1]
In Psychology Today Michael J. Formica writes,
As soon as we cast something into a role, as soon as we put a label on it, as soon as we name it and give it life by virtue of our investment (read: ego), we take away all its power and it is nothing more than an event – it is no longer a spiritual revelation, but simply a material experience. That is spiritual materialism at its peak.[2]
References[edit]
^ Book Corner - Shambhala Archived 2011-12-10 at the Wayback Machine
^ Cutting through Spiritual Materialism | Psychology Today
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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2002
by Chögyam Trungpa (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 583 ratings
256 pages
==
This modern spiritual classic highlights a trick we play on ourselves and offers a brighter reality: liberation by letting go of the self rather than working to improve it
The Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa calls attention to the commonest pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism. "The problem is that ego can convert anything to its own use," he says, "even spirituality." The universal tendency is to see spirituality as a process of self-improvement—the impulse to develop and refine the ego when the ego is, by nature, essentially empty.
Trungpa's incisive, compassionate teachings serve to wake us up from these false comforts. Featuring a new foreward by his son and lineage holder, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism has resonated with students for nearly thirty years—and remains as fresh as ever today.
The Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa calls attention to the commonest pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism. "The problem is that ego can convert anything to its own use," he says, "even spirituality." The universal tendency is to see spirituality as a process of self-improvement—the impulse to develop and refine the ego when the ego is, by nature, essentially empty.
Trungpa's incisive, compassionate teachings serve to wake us up from these false comforts. Featuring a new foreward by his son and lineage holder, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism has resonated with students for nearly thirty years—and remains as fresh as ever today.
==
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The usefulness of this book lies in Trungpa's uncanny ability to cut right to the heart of the matter and presents his understanding of Buddhism and the way of life it teaches in a manner that is applicable to his students' living situation."— Journal of the American Academy of Religion
From the Inside Flap
Examines the self-deceptions, distortions, and sidetracks that imperil the spiritual journey as well as awareness and fearlessness of the true path
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From the Back Cover
Examines the self-deceptions, distortions, and sidetracks that imperil the spiritual journey as well as awareness and fearlessness of the true path.
About the Author
Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987)—meditation master, teacher, and artist—founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.
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Product details
Publisher : Shambhala; Revised ed. edition (August 1, 2002)
Language : English
Paperback : 256 pages
Read reviews that mention
spiritual materialism spiritual path chogyam trungpa reading this book must read cutting through spiritual tibetan buddhism pema chodron myth of freedom ever read crazy wisdom meditation practice new age spiritual teacher buddhist practice highly recommend spiritual classic spiritual practice recommend it to anyone essential for anyone
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Top reviews from the United States
Bird Maxine Trungma
5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism: A Book That Teaches You How Not to Cheat Yourself or Get Cheated
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2016
Verified Purchase
Spiritual materialism means making use of spirituality to gratify the desires of ego. On the grossest level, it can be like in the old song, "So Long It's Been Good to Know You," where the preacher talks to his flock about the coming of the end of this world, and then takes up a big collection and disappears with it. It can be traveling around the world, collecting the statues and icons of all the different spiritual traditions, and then displaying them in one's home to show off to the neighbors how culturally sophisticated and religiously open-minded we are. Or it can be even more subtle in the sense that we do not gain any overt benefit from our spiritual practice at all, but we merely collect spiritual credentials in order to demonstrate to ourselves, "See, I am a good person" or "See, I am a wise person." "I have helped so many people! I am always on the giving end of things, and I am proud to realize it!" .
The problem with spiritual materialism is that we cheat ourselves with it; we try to profit from it, but we lose as a result. Maybe we feel wonderful about having earned an important sounding credential within our church; we have now become one of those people who walk around with a VIP button on their lapel. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the button, but if we mistake it for genuine spiritual accomplishment and stop working on our own hearts and minds as a result, then we have truly done ourselves a disservice.
Although spiritual materialism is rampant nowadays, Chogyam Trungpa made its dangers very clear in his original teachings, many of which are contained in this book. I would say that Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is a must read for everyone who may be considering embarking upon a spiritual journey, or even for those people who have already begun and wish to stop, catch their breath, and take a second look at where they are going.
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66 people found this helpful
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Nigeru Mono
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and transformative
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is, by all measures, the most magical and powerful book on spirituality in general and Buddhism in particular, I have ever read. This is nothing like the usual New Age "positive thinking" garbage, which otherwise tends to pollute the spiritual book department. This is living, breathing wisdom in book form.
It manages to strike the head of the nail of a cancerous issue in modern Western spirituality: The desire to wear your spiritual "achievements" as a crown and a proof of your superiority. Trungpa disassembles this notion, in a very direct and easy-to-understand way, and leaves you naked and (hopefully) with a little less ego. Back in the human realm.
This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It is a book for people who would like to expand their understanding of the human condition and the traps and dead-ends of spiritual communities.
46 people found this helpful
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michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Significant
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2018
Verified Purchase
In a nutshell, worth reading over and over. I keep coming back to it. I also decided to buy the Audible version to listen to while commuting. I won't attempt to explain in detail why it supersedes many other books of this genre. I will say it is very direct and relevant. I am older in age, but I believe the original audience was relatively young. In this and other respects I believe you will find it unbiased and universally applicable. But it is especially for those who feel drawn to a life path characterized by an exceptionally deep wish to help all living beings.
24 people found this helpful
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Sokuzan
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best introductions to the Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist path
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a collection of talks given in the early 1970s at Karme Choling in Barnet, VT. by my root teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. I first read this book in 1973. Now, my students at Sokukoji Buddhist Monastery are still studying this book as a group every Tuesday evening. Probably, one of the best introductions in the west to training the mind and to understanding the Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist path.
23 people found this helpful
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gnostic student
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Deep
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
Of all the Buddhist discourses I have read, those of Chogyam Trungpa strike me as cutting deeper and having a fresher quality of fearlessness. I say fearless because I have a sense that the author often borders on irreverence, but this turns out to be the right way to approach these topics. It seems like the sense of reverence I get from many other authors has an aspect of caution to it, like they have to be careful not to speak too clearly or too specifically for fear that they may say the wrong thing or explain incorrectly. Probably this is a false kind of reverence that is rooted in lack of understanding.
6 people found this helpful
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Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read for serious practitioners!
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
A must read for anyone on the spiritual path. Though Trungpa's writing can go all over the place and sometimes not follow any kind of linear path or thinking, the subject matter is very important for any serious practitioner to study. The last thing to go before complete enlightenment is the ego! Sometimes we create an ego from spiritual practice rather than dissolving it!
8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Following this book would kill my passion for life
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
Perhaps this book works well for those who have inflated ego's, think highly of themselves, and use achievement as a means of escape from life. As a person whose tendencies are to think less of themselves and lay in bed all day, this book feels like poison. "Identify with the lowest of the low", "Disappointment" is the highest ideal, etc.
Perhaps you can see more clearly than myself, but I do not feel healthy after reading this book. Can't recommend it.
2 people found this helpful
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rally_squirrel_west
5.0 out of 5 stars On the Way
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book is best understood in reading it in a group setting or with the guidance of someone who has spent time along the Way. With this, or perhaps strong individual capacity it can be a be a quite helpful text that deserves many revisits to continue assimmulation of the material, which attempts to describe the non-conceptual experience of liberation, a daunting task; more for the reader than the writer.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
originalisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritually absorbing, begs to be read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
Absorbing and deeply interesting. The problem is that too many people, most in fact, cannot get beyond ego, the mind created concept of who they believe they are. Once this is understood and they are able to find the stillness of the present moment (often achieved through meditation) and live in the now, they can overcome many of life's ills such as many types of depression and loneliness. . .
I know, I did it and haven't looked back.
18 people found this helpful
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Surjit Dhami
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2020
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book one of the best I read. I don’t agree with all his thoughts and conclusions but I agree with 90% of them. The best parts of the book at the early chapters. He is able to explain the subject better than any I read. For any yogi, religious, spiritual learner this is a must if you want to g far on your journey. Otherwise you will trip over your shoelaces.
One person found this helpful
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JB-) aka Jonathon Blakeley
5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer Genius
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
Fabulous book, the best description of the ego I have ever read. Packed with sublime wisdom.
5 people found this helpful
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Sergiu
5.0 out of 5 stars One of Steve Jobs' favourite books. I had to reread it a few ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
One of Steve Jobs' favourite books. I had to reread it a few times and refer back to it as I go. I wouldn't recommend to read it as a first book or introduction to spirituality. I think if you've already read one or two spirituality related books, you'd be able to understand it better. Very easy to read. Have't touched it in a while, hope I'll find some time to reread it soon.
9 people found this helpful
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Eduardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Materialism
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
Great work on the pitfalls of an egocentric handling of spirituality
===
The only way we’re going to cut through our spiritual materialism is by cutting right through our souls - to their other, hidden side.
How would you define Spiritual Materialism? Probably as nothing more and nothing less than a day when everything seems to be going right for you. You’re having things YOUR way.
The way you’re USED to having them.
Our hope springs eternal. Even when it’s too unbearably much for our neighbours!
I first read this powerful gem of a book 35 years ago. Want to know a secret? It doesn’t work. At least it didn’t for me.
At first.
The late Head of the Montréal Zen Centre, Albert Low, put it to me like this: if you meditate, either as a practice or as an everyday way of thinking about things and people, and let these things or people penetrate your meditation and the deeper levels of your mind - well, you’re BOUND to feel a sympathetic bond or connection with these things or people.
And a feeling of peace?
Warm sympathy. High empathy. Isn’t that what ALL true deep thought should produce?
But, Low tells us, if you continue, eventually your subconscious will be TEEMING with images of the people or things you know.
You’ll be like a traffic cop holding up your gloved hand against oncoming traffic at Times Square, whistling and gesticulating wildly.
High anxiety!
This is what Trungpa called Mahamudra - a startling holistic mandala made up of your, and the world’s, projections upon it.
A nightmarish glimpse of Tantra.
And the magic carpet ride of Mahamudra can open up a veritable Pandora’s Box.
Yikes.
Saint Teresa of Avila knew that period in our spiritual life well.
In her books she masterfully charts the changing phases of spirituality - right through to its conclusion in common, everyday, lasting Peace and the Simple Experience of Real and Ordinary Life - as Natural as Breathing!
Isn’t that what we ALL want?
It’s what we just can’t seem to get, or most of the time can’t even bother trying to get.
Why? Cause we have to turn life into something Solid and Lapidary.
We need to hang on to it, TOO much.
So Trungpa says through meditation we WILL eventually loosen our grip, cut through our materialistic fantasies and find rest. But on the way we have to survive Mahamudra.
Like James Joyce tried to do.
Joyce, author of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, was a High Empath. His autobiographical Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man tells us that.
Stephen Dedalus, who’s the hero, reveals more and more of his - and by extension, Joyce’s - own abnormally (and thus Proustian) acute sensitivity.
Well, at the end of that book Stephen applies the fix Trungpa was referring to, in Thomistic aesthetic meditation. And it works. He finally seems to have Arrived in life.
His fix?
Ordinary Logic.
That skewers High Empathy.
For a while.
Joyce nicknamed the next phase by its symptom: the panicky feeling, usually in your dreams (or for Joyce, in his baroquely complex final writings) - of “Here Comes Everybody.”
That’s reality bouncing back, with a Vengeance.
Mahamudra.
Ever feel like that?
Like the nightmarish mind of Joyce, in his last work, Finnegans Wake.
And the words Here Comes Everybody are only using the initials of H.C. Earwicker, one of the many faces of the legendary Finn, or mythical progenitor of Ireland - and the main character of that hieroglyphically difficult novel.
So here you are, in a nutshell:
The reasons why so many of us, including James Joyce - and Dostoevsky’s Prince Myshkin, for all that - are spiritually or competitively materialistic...
Is because the everyday world so incessantly disappoints - and is unlikely to ever change - and so we need escape. In our lapidary dreams.
Which never works for long.
Mahamudra is not our destination. Whether we’re a writer or a monk, it’s a tantric means to an end. And it’s booby-trapped.
It is a methodology for killing our irrational EGOS - by exploding them.
So we end up terminating the ego and its mahamudric nightmares with a simple, nondual, kitchen-sink Faith - if you can kill that ego.
That faith sees THROUGH ourselves and yields a wonderful, practical Peace of Mind - and ends in the experience of the Living Suchness of Life.
Far from all those Joycean Storms of Life.
It’s the termination of all our own manic (but necessary) Stages on Life’s Way, in the sanity of Shared Space -
The Infinite Space beyond ourselves, in ordinary, real love. (less)
How would you define Spiritual Materialism? Probably as nothing more and nothing less than a day when everything seems to be going right for you. You’re having things YOUR way.
The way you’re USED to having them.
Our hope springs eternal. Even when it’s too unbearably much for our neighbours!
I first read this powerful gem of a book 35 years ago. Want to know a secret? It doesn’t work. At least it didn’t for me.
At first.
The late Head of the Montréal Zen Centre, Albert Low, put it to me like this: if you meditate, either as a practice or as an everyday way of thinking about things and people, and let these things or people penetrate your meditation and the deeper levels of your mind - well, you’re BOUND to feel a sympathetic bond or connection with these things or people.
And a feeling of peace?
Warm sympathy. High empathy. Isn’t that what ALL true deep thought should produce?
But, Low tells us, if you continue, eventually your subconscious will be TEEMING with images of the people or things you know.
You’ll be like a traffic cop holding up your gloved hand against oncoming traffic at Times Square, whistling and gesticulating wildly.
High anxiety!
This is what Trungpa called Mahamudra - a startling holistic mandala made up of your, and the world’s, projections upon it.
A nightmarish glimpse of Tantra.
And the magic carpet ride of Mahamudra can open up a veritable Pandora’s Box.
Yikes.
Saint Teresa of Avila knew that period in our spiritual life well.
In her books she masterfully charts the changing phases of spirituality - right through to its conclusion in common, everyday, lasting Peace and the Simple Experience of Real and Ordinary Life - as Natural as Breathing!
Isn’t that what we ALL want?
It’s what we just can’t seem to get, or most of the time can’t even bother trying to get.
Why? Cause we have to turn life into something Solid and Lapidary.
We need to hang on to it, TOO much.
So Trungpa says through meditation we WILL eventually loosen our grip, cut through our materialistic fantasies and find rest. But on the way we have to survive Mahamudra.
Like James Joyce tried to do.
Joyce, author of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, was a High Empath. His autobiographical Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man tells us that.
Stephen Dedalus, who’s the hero, reveals more and more of his - and by extension, Joyce’s - own abnormally (and thus Proustian) acute sensitivity.
Well, at the end of that book Stephen applies the fix Trungpa was referring to, in Thomistic aesthetic meditation. And it works. He finally seems to have Arrived in life.
His fix?
Ordinary Logic.
That skewers High Empathy.
For a while.
Joyce nicknamed the next phase by its symptom: the panicky feeling, usually in your dreams (or for Joyce, in his baroquely complex final writings) - of “Here Comes Everybody.”
That’s reality bouncing back, with a Vengeance.
Mahamudra.
Ever feel like that?
Like the nightmarish mind of Joyce, in his last work, Finnegans Wake.
And the words Here Comes Everybody are only using the initials of H.C. Earwicker, one of the many faces of the legendary Finn, or mythical progenitor of Ireland - and the main character of that hieroglyphically difficult novel.
So here you are, in a nutshell:
The reasons why so many of us, including James Joyce - and Dostoevsky’s Prince Myshkin, for all that - are spiritually or competitively materialistic...
Is because the everyday world so incessantly disappoints - and is unlikely to ever change - and so we need escape. In our lapidary dreams.
Which never works for long.
Mahamudra is not our destination. Whether we’re a writer or a monk, it’s a tantric means to an end. And it’s booby-trapped.
It is a methodology for killing our irrational EGOS - by exploding them.
So we end up terminating the ego and its mahamudric nightmares with a simple, nondual, kitchen-sink Faith - if you can kill that ego.
That faith sees THROUGH ourselves and yields a wonderful, practical Peace of Mind - and ends in the experience of the Living Suchness of Life.
Far from all those Joycean Storms of Life.
It’s the termination of all our own manic (but necessary) Stages on Life’s Way, in the sanity of Shared Space -
The Infinite Space beyond ourselves, in ordinary, real love. (less)
I'd flipped through this many times before and read parts over the years, and it seems like there's always something new that stands out. This time, it's a reminder of what I love most about the Buddhist approach to the awakened state: that it's something that always exists, not something we need to try to create. Over the last year or so, I've seen (and been part of) so much striving and so much reaching, working, studying intensely, and taking Oh So Seriously the spiritual life ~ an approach that, of course, only confuses matters. When in reality, the awakened state is an act of just being. Just being sane. Just letting be.
I see it happen with my yoga students and peers all the time: they practice yoga for some period of time, then start getting really excited about the spiritual side of yoga, and then start doing all this reading and doing all these other practices and making all these rules that they believe they must follow in order to "stay on this spiritual path." And it's like as soon as they start adding all this other stuff, they lose the spiritual high that they got in the first place, so instead of going back to the simple method, they add more stuff and more stuff and they must meditate and practice every single day and avoid certain foods and beat themselves up if they have certain thoughts or emotions and it's all So Serious and Heavy and a Big Deal, when in reality, it's self-defeating.
This book is a great reminder of the quite simple experience of just now. Of not identifying with our spiritual highs and then seeking to always be in that exact moment (adding on all these things to do and these rules of living in order to always "stay high"), but of allowing and understanding moments as moments and continuing to observe and be in the flow no matter the moment.
Also, the talks were given in 1970-71, so some of the audience questions have a great hippie vibe. I particularly love the one about what happens if the monkey (mind) takes LSD? The answer, of course, is that it already has. (less)
I see it happen with my yoga students and peers all the time: they practice yoga for some period of time, then start getting really excited about the spiritual side of yoga, and then start doing all this reading and doing all these other practices and making all these rules that they believe they must follow in order to "stay on this spiritual path." And it's like as soon as they start adding all this other stuff, they lose the spiritual high that they got in the first place, so instead of going back to the simple method, they add more stuff and more stuff and they must meditate and practice every single day and avoid certain foods and beat themselves up if they have certain thoughts or emotions and it's all So Serious and Heavy and a Big Deal, when in reality, it's self-defeating.
This book is a great reminder of the quite simple experience of just now. Of not identifying with our spiritual highs and then seeking to always be in that exact moment (adding on all these things to do and these rules of living in order to always "stay high"), but of allowing and understanding moments as moments and continuing to observe and be in the flow no matter the moment.
Also, the talks were given in 1970-71, so some of the audience questions have a great hippie vibe. I particularly love the one about what happens if the monkey (mind) takes LSD? The answer, of course, is that it already has. (less)
We do not consider how we are going to vomit; we just vomit.
Chögyam Trungpa was a charismatic and controversial figure in the Western popularization of Buddhism. As a teenager in Tibet, Trungpa fled the Chinese in an escape that involved swimming across a river under gunfire, climbing the Himalayas, and running so short of food that he had to eat his leather belt and bag. Eventually he emigrated to the United States, where he founded several schools, and pioneered a secular interpretation of Buddhism, Shambhala Training. You may be surprised to learn that Trungpa, far from being an ascetic monk, also had notorious penchants for bedding his female students and for going on drunken debauches.
My interest in Trungpa was sparked by reading a book on meditation by his disciple, Pema Chödrön, which I thought was excellent. Spiritual Materialism, Trungpa’s most famous book, contains two series of lectures Trungpa gave, in 1970-71, about the pitfalls of the spiritual path and how to overcome them. As such, this series of lectures is largely theoretical rather than practical—how to think about the spiritual path rather than what to do once you’re on it—even if there are practical ramifications.
‘Spiritual materialism’ is Trungpa’s term for the ways that the ego co-opts spirituality for its own benefit. ‘Ego’ is our sense of self. In Buddhist thought, this sense of self is illusory; the self is a process, not a thing. Ego is the mind’s attempt to create an illusion of solidity where none exists. Put another way, ‘ego’ is the mind’s attempt to reject impermanence.
This attempt takes many forms. We modify our environment, manipulating the material world and bringing it under our control, in order to create a perfectly comfortable world that never challenges or disappoints us. We create intellectual systems—positivism, nationalism, Buddhism—that rationalize and explain the world, that define our place in the world and dictate to us rules of action. We also attempt to analyze ourselves: we use literature, psychology, drugs, prayer, and meditation to achieve a sense of self-consciousness, an awareness of who we are. All of these are the ego’s attempts to solidify both itself and its world, to see the universe as a series of defined shapes rather than an endless flux.
This project of solidification can even use spiritual techniques in its own benefit. The goal of meditation is the dissolution of the ego and the absence of struggle. And yet many who embark on the spiritual path see meditation as a battle with the ego, an attempt to break certain habits, to overcome certain mentalities, to free themselves from illusions. If spirituality is seen in such a way—as 'you' against 'something else'—then you will hit a wall; and this wall will only get stronger the harder you push against it. Only when you give up trying to destroy this wall, when you stop struggling, does the wall disappear; for the wall was the product of your own ‘dualistic’ thinking—once again, 'you' against 'something else'—and ceases to exist when you stop trying to destroy it:
“There is no need to struggle to be free; the absence of struggle is in itself freedom. This egoless state is the attainment of buddhahood.”
It is no use, therefore, to practice acts of extreme asceticism, forceful acts of self-denial. It is no use to try to overcome your own negative qualities—to strive to be good, kind, caring, loving. It is no use to accumulate vast amounts of religious knowledge; nor is it beneficial to accumulate religious titles or honorifics. True spirituality is not a battle, not a quality, not an ultimate analysis, and it is not an accomplishment. All of those things belong to a person, whereas enlightenment contains no sense of me and not-me.
This is my best attempt to summarize the core message of this book. (And please excuse the ponderous style; I've been reading Hegel.) Yet I’m not exactly sure how to go about analyzing or evaluating it. Indeed, such criticism seems totally antithetical to the ethos of this book. But I’ll try, nevertheless.
There is an obvious contradiction between Trungpa’s stance on intellectual analysis—as the ego’s vain attempt to solidify its world through intellectual work—and the analysis that he himself undertakes in this book. If all analysis is vain, what makes his any different? To this, I think he would respond that analysis is fine if we take the right attitude towards it—namely, as long as we keep in mind that our analysis is not identical with the reality it attempts to describe, that we can never describe reality perfectly, and that there’s always a chance we are wrong. More succinctly, I think he’d say analysis is fine as long as we don’t take it too seriously. By his own admission, there is no ‘final analysis’ of the human condition; and enlightenment is characterized by the absence of any need to analyze.
Still, there does seem to be the idea in Trungpa’s system that, in attaining this ego-less state, we are experiencing the ‘truth’ of reality, whereas before we were mired in the 'illusions' of the ego. In this, you might say that the system is esoteric: true knowledge is the purview of only the truly enlightened. True knowledge, in other words, is not transmissible through speech, but is the result of privileged state which only a few achieve. Bodhisattvas become authorities through their enlightened states, beings who must be listened to because of their special, higher perspectives. Again, I think Trungpa would respond that even the ideas of ‘knowledge’ and 'truth' are dualistic (they involves the sense of ‘me’ knowing 'something else'), and thus this idea is not applicable to the enlightened.
Putting all this aside, it’s worth asking whether this ego-less state is even desirable. Could we have science, technology, literature, or love without a sense of self? An ego-less world might involve less suffering; but isn’t there something to be said for suffering? Trungpa describes the ego as a monkey creating various worlds—creating for itself its own heaven and hell, a world of animal desire and human intellect—and moving through these self-created worlds in a vain search for perfect happiness, only to have each of its own worlds collapse in turn. And yet, even if I accepted Trungpa’s premise that this struggle is vain, I still think it’s an open question whether perfect tranquility is preferable to vain struggle.
All reservations notwithstanding, I still thought that this book was an enlightening read. While I may be skeptical about the prospect of enlightenment and ego-death, I do think that meditation, as a method of slowing down, of savoring one’s own mental life, and of learning to accept the world around you, is an extremely useful technique. And as a technique, its end is an experience—or perhaps, better yet, an attitude—and the theory that goes along with meditation does not constitute its substance; rather, theory is just a pedagogical tool to help guide less experienced practitioners. It is in this light, I think, that these lectures should be read. (less)
"Ego is able to convert everything to its own use, even spirituality."
Spiritual materialism can be defined as a self-delusion that some people have, when what they believe to be spiritual development is in fact strengthening their ego. It's a very common trapping for students of Buddhism (but not exclusively; it actually occurs in all spiritual disciplines), and by publishing the notes from his talks, Chogyam Trungpa wished to help his students understand how they could avoid falling into it.
Shallow spirituality can seem paradoxical, but it's more common than we might imagine. Many people are drawn to the esthetics of Eastern traditions (it is beautiful and exotic) and because they feel glamorous integrating parts of that in their lives (it does make one sound special and worldly, doesn't it?), but in those cases there's rarely any depth or honesty to the practice. Sometimes the delusion is more subtle, like believing that following a teacher absolves the student of any kind of responsibility and power, that once there's been an enlightenment experience one doesn't need to work on themselves anymore, or simply the arrogance that having encountered insight makes one better than other people.
Trungpa was a Tibetan monk, and while he loved the tradition he was initiated in, he also understood that some aspects of it could be distracting traps, especially for Western students (who live in a society where physical materialism is incredibly sophisticated), and he wanted to give them a strong understanding of the core of Buddhism - which really isn't about pretty flags, bells and other shiny things. He had an immense respect for Japanese Zen, and it shows in those lectures, and he emphasizes a lot of elements of Zen philosophy.
Since this book deals with pitfalls of the spiritual path and how to avoid them, it is much more a theoretical book than a practical manual. This book feels to me like the warning leaflet that comes with a new medication: watch out for these side-effects, if you experience them, call your doctor! I'll be honest: I think everyone studying Buddhism (though maybe newbies would find it a bit tough), regardless of tradition or school, should read this - and then re-read it occasionally. It is one of those books that will only get better as it is revisited, and I'm pretty sure I'll catch things on my next read that went 6 feet over my head on this one. I also think it is a necessary and thought-provoking read, because figuring out one's motivation to be on this path is important if one is to avoid self-delusion and lose the plot completely. (less)
Spiritual materialism can be defined as a self-delusion that some people have, when what they believe to be spiritual development is in fact strengthening their ego. It's a very common trapping for students of Buddhism (but not exclusively; it actually occurs in all spiritual disciplines), and by publishing the notes from his talks, Chogyam Trungpa wished to help his students understand how they could avoid falling into it.
Shallow spirituality can seem paradoxical, but it's more common than we might imagine. Many people are drawn to the esthetics of Eastern traditions (it is beautiful and exotic) and because they feel glamorous integrating parts of that in their lives (it does make one sound special and worldly, doesn't it?), but in those cases there's rarely any depth or honesty to the practice. Sometimes the delusion is more subtle, like believing that following a teacher absolves the student of any kind of responsibility and power, that once there's been an enlightenment experience one doesn't need to work on themselves anymore, or simply the arrogance that having encountered insight makes one better than other people.
Trungpa was a Tibetan monk, and while he loved the tradition he was initiated in, he also understood that some aspects of it could be distracting traps, especially for Western students (who live in a society where physical materialism is incredibly sophisticated), and he wanted to give them a strong understanding of the core of Buddhism - which really isn't about pretty flags, bells and other shiny things. He had an immense respect for Japanese Zen, and it shows in those lectures, and he emphasizes a lot of elements of Zen philosophy.
Since this book deals with pitfalls of the spiritual path and how to avoid them, it is much more a theoretical book than a practical manual. This book feels to me like the warning leaflet that comes with a new medication: watch out for these side-effects, if you experience them, call your doctor! I'll be honest: I think everyone studying Buddhism (though maybe newbies would find it a bit tough), regardless of tradition or school, should read this - and then re-read it occasionally. It is one of those books that will only get better as it is revisited, and I'm pretty sure I'll catch things on my next read that went 6 feet over my head on this one. I also think it is a necessary and thought-provoking read, because figuring out one's motivation to be on this path is important if one is to avoid self-delusion and lose the plot completely. (less)
The spiritual path is lonely. There is nothing to fall back on.
"It could be a terrifying experience to have no one to relate to, nothing to relate with."
Yep.
I love this book. I first read it in the context of a reading group, and the collective feeling of discomfort in our discussions was palatable. As it moves along, the book becomes a little more complex. Trungpa goes further into Buddhism, to its psychology and understanding of mind, to the four noble truths, techniques of meditation, shunyata (nothingness), Buddhist ontology and epistemology (a philosophical turn), to compassion and even a brief bit on the tantra. This book is rich, and introduces a great deal. Any ideas of spirituality as something out there to attain, or as some kind of "self improvement" will be quickly struck down. This is definitely not a book for the new-agey, feel-good crowd.
But on second thought, maybe it is.
"Disappointment is the best chariot to use on the path of the dharma."
This book is a record of a series of talks Trungpa gave to students in the early 70's. At the end of each of his talks, there is a Q&A with students, which produces some interesting questions and illuminating answers. Occasionally, readers are reminded of the times. At one point, a student asks Trungpa what would happen if the monkey - the metaphor he uses in explaining the 5 skandhas and the development of ego - took lsd. Overall though, the student dialogues bring a greater clarity to the topics at hand.
It's hard not to walk away from an initial reading feeling paranoid and deeply questioning one's motives in spiritual practice. I would say that looking into oneself is a good thing, but too much self awareness can be paralyzing and counterproductive. The use of the word "cutting" in the title is apt for this reason. It could be thought of as an example of Trungpa's ruthless compassion or "crazy wisdom." Reading this book is certainly a jarring experience - the reader is severed from the comfort of previous ideas and hopes. Pre-conceptions and motives are exposed. This is not done to be cruel, though - it is a matter of being open and aware, and of using humor and wisdom in relating to the world as it is.
Once again, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Buddhism, meditation, or matters of spirituality - it is an excellent and refreshing introduction that begs multiple readings. It's certainly one of my favorites.
(less)
"It could be a terrifying experience to have no one to relate to, nothing to relate with."
Yep.
I love this book. I first read it in the context of a reading group, and the collective feeling of discomfort in our discussions was palatable. As it moves along, the book becomes a little more complex. Trungpa goes further into Buddhism, to its psychology and understanding of mind, to the four noble truths, techniques of meditation, shunyata (nothingness), Buddhist ontology and epistemology (a philosophical turn), to compassion and even a brief bit on the tantra. This book is rich, and introduces a great deal. Any ideas of spirituality as something out there to attain, or as some kind of "self improvement" will be quickly struck down. This is definitely not a book for the new-agey, feel-good crowd.
But on second thought, maybe it is.
"Disappointment is the best chariot to use on the path of the dharma."
This book is a record of a series of talks Trungpa gave to students in the early 70's. At the end of each of his talks, there is a Q&A with students, which produces some interesting questions and illuminating answers. Occasionally, readers are reminded of the times. At one point, a student asks Trungpa what would happen if the monkey - the metaphor he uses in explaining the 5 skandhas and the development of ego - took lsd. Overall though, the student dialogues bring a greater clarity to the topics at hand.
It's hard not to walk away from an initial reading feeling paranoid and deeply questioning one's motives in spiritual practice. I would say that looking into oneself is a good thing, but too much self awareness can be paralyzing and counterproductive. The use of the word "cutting" in the title is apt for this reason. It could be thought of as an example of Trungpa's ruthless compassion or "crazy wisdom." Reading this book is certainly a jarring experience - the reader is severed from the comfort of previous ideas and hopes. Pre-conceptions and motives are exposed. This is not done to be cruel, though - it is a matter of being open and aware, and of using humor and wisdom in relating to the world as it is.
Once again, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Buddhism, meditation, or matters of spirituality - it is an excellent and refreshing introduction that begs multiple readings. It's certainly one of my favorites.
(less)
I find that most of my pursuits are spiritual in their ends, but that they are contingent upon material winnings. I took an aura photograph and saw a chakra reader recently, most of my friends having gone and received a "lower" chakra and being a color like orange or red or indigo at best. I got a "white color" aura photo and was told that I have a "crown chakra" (the highest, most enlightened of them all). It seemed fishy to me because I feel just as full of anxieties and self-doubt as any other person, I know just about as much of the truth of the Universe as anybody else. ("Well, maybe more than most people my age," I tell myself). I catch myself, and that is where I feel I am taking a bit of a left turn-- always telling myself that I am more "not of the flesh" than others, even though I use material means to achieve my spiritual goals, and then I re-use these spiritual experiences as if they were gathered like money or something tangible, rather than being mindful, and open, and in-the-present.
This book is a good read for those of us who have hit the spiritual high our whole lives, often using not fraudulent, but just very accumulative, sometimes spiritually arrogant, methods of getting us there.
I just hope I don't read this and unconsciously use it to reinforce my already run-amuck self-deception about how experience can be turned like water into the gold of spiritual gain. (less)
This book is a good read for those of us who have hit the spiritual high our whole lives, often using not fraudulent, but just very accumulative, sometimes spiritually arrogant, methods of getting us there.
I just hope I don't read this and unconsciously use it to reinforce my already run-amuck self-deception about how experience can be turned like water into the gold of spiritual gain. (less)
This is my 100th read of the year! Obviously, boasting about this is a form of spiritual materialism. Sigh.
In a nutshell, spiritual materialism is that which accumulates within ourselves that obscures our ability to see things as they really are and hampers our ability to live within that context, without all the baggage of expectation and stress and judgment and egocentricity and so on.
This is a good, clear, non-jargon-heavy (if repetitive) explanation of the concepts of Zen and how to begin the process of putting them into practice, or, more precisely, how to start on the path of living in the now instead of in the past, the future or in a false and unfulfilling realm marked by our myriad confusions. A lot of this I have already found useful in helping me see things with a more open, forgiving, less possessive perspective.
Now, do I actually buy into *all* of this stuff? Maybe not -- or maybe that's just my ego defenses talking.
I suppose a world of people working hard communally to provide for the basic good and nourishment of the self and one's neighbors while living without tremendous ambition in the now and engaging in frequent meditation has a certain appeal, given how we've fucked over ourselves and everything else. But, I mean, if we took Buddhism to its ultimate extreme, how could language even develop? We can't label things or conceptualize? Hmmm. And I wonder how in a world entirely imbued by Buddhism could the better things of our industrialized society have even developed. Would there be wine, casual sex, electric guitar music and so on? I don't think so, and I kind of like those things, not just because they are possessions or opiates, but because they are beautiful. I'm skeptical that the human mind and body has evolved just to jettison a lot of its intellectual capabilities and other drives as Buddhism seems to want us to do. I just can't help but think that a Zen Buddhist world would be a really, really boring one. (less)
In a nutshell, spiritual materialism is that which accumulates within ourselves that obscures our ability to see things as they really are and hampers our ability to live within that context, without all the baggage of expectation and stress and judgment and egocentricity and so on.
This is a good, clear, non-jargon-heavy (if repetitive) explanation of the concepts of Zen and how to begin the process of putting them into practice, or, more precisely, how to start on the path of living in the now instead of in the past, the future or in a false and unfulfilling realm marked by our myriad confusions. A lot of this I have already found useful in helping me see things with a more open, forgiving, less possessive perspective.
Now, do I actually buy into *all* of this stuff? Maybe not -- or maybe that's just my ego defenses talking.
I suppose a world of people working hard communally to provide for the basic good and nourishment of the self and one's neighbors while living without tremendous ambition in the now and engaging in frequent meditation has a certain appeal, given how we've fucked over ourselves and everything else. But, I mean, if we took Buddhism to its ultimate extreme, how could language even develop? We can't label things or conceptualize? Hmmm. And I wonder how in a world entirely imbued by Buddhism could the better things of our industrialized society have even developed. Would there be wine, casual sex, electric guitar music and so on? I don't think so, and I kind of like those things, not just because they are possessions or opiates, but because they are beautiful. I'm skeptical that the human mind and body has evolved just to jettison a lot of its intellectual capabilities and other drives as Buddhism seems to want us to do. I just can't help but think that a Zen Buddhist world would be a really, really boring one. (less)
This book is the most plain English explanation of the path of spirituality from the Tibetan Buddhist perspective I have ever read. It does not contradict what is taught by theistic religions and it describes all religions to be different methods of attaining the same goal. It has nothing to do with spirits or afterlife. It has everything to do with our subjective reality of the present moment. This book shows a path to a state of mind that allows you to flow like water through space and time rather than violently thrashing and splashing against the current as many of us currently are.
The first talk is all about the common pitfalls of trying to attain realization. These delusions are especially prevalent in the West, where the interest in these teachings is fairly new and we are deeply entrenched in a materialist worldview.
Spiritual materialism is when you have the thought, "I'm working on myself" or "I'm bettering myself". It is when, instead of gaining any insight into the universe as it is, this act of spirituality becomes just another thing you add to the collection of your identity. The goal of spiritual progression is to understand and see the eternal sameness of all things; to give up the notion of duality. Spiritual materialism is ego-reinforcing and becomes itself another form of duality.
In the second half of the book, he broadly describes the path of Bodhisattva. I would say this is a very good book for anyone who has been interested in or practicing mindfulness or Vipassana for a little while and finds themselves thinking, "Well.. what now?" Discovering Vipassana is like the first little glimpse into what's possible through this practice. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is like the intermediate step; the next step being to find a spiritual friend who can teach you how to meditate. That was one thing the book was explicit about. You can't do it by yourself. At best, you will be able to catch momentary glimpses, but you have to learn how to meditate from someone who is very experienced. (less)
The first talk is all about the common pitfalls of trying to attain realization. These delusions are especially prevalent in the West, where the interest in these teachings is fairly new and we are deeply entrenched in a materialist worldview.
Spiritual materialism is when you have the thought, "I'm working on myself" or "I'm bettering myself". It is when, instead of gaining any insight into the universe as it is, this act of spirituality becomes just another thing you add to the collection of your identity. The goal of spiritual progression is to understand and see the eternal sameness of all things; to give up the notion of duality. Spiritual materialism is ego-reinforcing and becomes itself another form of duality.
In the second half of the book, he broadly describes the path of Bodhisattva. I would say this is a very good book for anyone who has been interested in or practicing mindfulness or Vipassana for a little while and finds themselves thinking, "Well.. what now?" Discovering Vipassana is like the first little glimpse into what's possible through this practice. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is like the intermediate step; the next step being to find a spiritual friend who can teach you how to meditate. That was one thing the book was explicit about. You can't do it by yourself. At best, you will be able to catch momentary glimpses, but you have to learn how to meditate from someone who is very experienced. (less)
210325: very insightful. idea of ‘spiritual materialism’ resonates, as i often think of how many buddhist philosophy texts read as if accomplishing something. i have read a lot in the same way i used to study anything: my mind would gradually absorb, understand, grasp. i follow the argument for finding ‘spiritual friend’ (guru) useful but my appreciation of buddhist thought remains philosophical and i do not have interest in Tibetan version...
'spiritual materialism' is the tendency to 'reify' (make concrete) as if spiritual awareness, in this case buddhist, could be a 'thing' that you can 'achieve'. this text is actually more about pitfalls to avoid in the process of enlightenment, starting with mistaken attitude of ego, self-deception, over-reliance on guru etc, than the usual discourses on buddhist thought i have read. i could imagine being at one of these lectures, being with other inquisitive searchers, and moved to ask informed questions, as this is not introductory but requires some familiarity...
there are lists and descriptions of actual buddhist practices/cosmology, from the usual five skandhas, four noble truths (there is suffering, there is cause for suffering, there is cure for suffering, this is the cure), to the Tibetan, six paramitas (discipline, energy, generosity, meditation, patience, knowledge), six realms (gods, jealous gods, human, animal, hell, hungry ghosts), there are interesting q and a sections at the end of each chapter, which were delivered as lectures at buddhist centre in 1973, and have not dated. i recognized many of the themes, as it builds the arguments from first the need to overcome/avoid the urge of ‘ego’ to enter everything including spirituality, through need to ‘surrender’ to guru/what is, to brief on mahayana interpretation and ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’, ending with details of necessary ‘tantra’ beyond ‘shunyata’...
more
Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach
What the Buddha Thought
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis
Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation
Buddhism as Philosophy: An Introduction
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
Ethics Embodied: Rethinking Selfhood Through Continental, Japanese, and Feminist Philosophies
Self, No Self?: Perspectives from Analytical, Phenomenological, and Indian Traditions
After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age (less)
'spiritual materialism' is the tendency to 'reify' (make concrete) as if spiritual awareness, in this case buddhist, could be a 'thing' that you can 'achieve'. this text is actually more about pitfalls to avoid in the process of enlightenment, starting with mistaken attitude of ego, self-deception, over-reliance on guru etc, than the usual discourses on buddhist thought i have read. i could imagine being at one of these lectures, being with other inquisitive searchers, and moved to ask informed questions, as this is not introductory but requires some familiarity...
there are lists and descriptions of actual buddhist practices/cosmology, from the usual five skandhas, four noble truths (there is suffering, there is cause for suffering, there is cure for suffering, this is the cure), to the Tibetan, six paramitas (discipline, energy, generosity, meditation, patience, knowledge), six realms (gods, jealous gods, human, animal, hell, hungry ghosts), there are interesting q and a sections at the end of each chapter, which were delivered as lectures at buddhist centre in 1973, and have not dated. i recognized many of the themes, as it builds the arguments from first the need to overcome/avoid the urge of ‘ego’ to enter everything including spirituality, through need to ‘surrender’ to guru/what is, to brief on mahayana interpretation and ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’, ending with details of necessary ‘tantra’ beyond ‘shunyata’...
more
Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach
What the Buddha Thought
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis
Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation
Buddhism as Philosophy: An Introduction
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
Ethics Embodied: Rethinking Selfhood Through Continental, Japanese, and Feminist Philosophies
Self, No Self?: Perspectives from Analytical, Phenomenological, and Indian Traditions
After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age (less)
When I first began to delve into Buddhism I though, "Ah ha! Here it is! The TRUTH!!!" At first I thought that I would now just be able to read a few words and: "Wham, bam, thank you , Stan," I'm enlightened. I thought that the truth was supposed to be simple, profound and sublime. If we had to talk about it too much then it couldn't be the TRUTH. Well, I was wrong.
Yes, the truth is simple but the way to it is ever unfolding. It takes time, skill and effort to get to it. We must read about it, study it, discuss it, practice it and apply it. Over and over and over again. This is what I have gotten out of Chogyam Trungpa's book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.
The first part of the book deals with the fact that "ego can convert anything to its own use, even spirituality." Trungpa Rinpoche explains how this fundamental pitfall along the spiritual path can be avoided by being ever mindful of the trappings of the ego: discursive thoughts, negative emotions, desires and judgements. Paradoxically, we must also embrace our inner strength and cultivate a great confidence that we will be able to see this path to the end. As Trungpa says, "You must allow yourself to trust yourself, to trust in your own intelligence. We are tremendous people, we have tremendous things in us. We simply have to let ourselves be."
The second half of the book dives deep into Buddhist thought and philosophy (which, of course, he shows to be "non-philosophy". Aaarrghhh!!!!) He clearly elucidates the topics of developement of the ego, the six realms of existence (an important aspect of the Buddhist understanding of reality), the Four Noble Truths, and the concept of emptiness. All of the chapters, each of which was transcibed from a lecture series he gave in the early 70's, is followed by a question and answer section which clarify the topics even further.
Great book. Amazing teacher. I recommend this one to anyone who has at least a beginning understanding of Buddhism. (less)
Yes, the truth is simple but the way to it is ever unfolding. It takes time, skill and effort to get to it. We must read about it, study it, discuss it, practice it and apply it. Over and over and over again. This is what I have gotten out of Chogyam Trungpa's book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.
The first part of the book deals with the fact that "ego can convert anything to its own use, even spirituality." Trungpa Rinpoche explains how this fundamental pitfall along the spiritual path can be avoided by being ever mindful of the trappings of the ego: discursive thoughts, negative emotions, desires and judgements. Paradoxically, we must also embrace our inner strength and cultivate a great confidence that we will be able to see this path to the end. As Trungpa says, "You must allow yourself to trust yourself, to trust in your own intelligence. We are tremendous people, we have tremendous things in us. We simply have to let ourselves be."
The second half of the book dives deep into Buddhist thought and philosophy (which, of course, he shows to be "non-philosophy". Aaarrghhh!!!!) He clearly elucidates the topics of developement of the ego, the six realms of existence (an important aspect of the Buddhist understanding of reality), the Four Noble Truths, and the concept of emptiness. All of the chapters, each of which was transcibed from a lecture series he gave in the early 70's, is followed by a question and answer section which clarify the topics even further.
Great book. Amazing teacher. I recommend this one to anyone who has at least a beginning understanding of Buddhism. (less)
This is one of the most important books I've read in my life. I highly recommend it to anyone considering Buddhism. Trungpa asks important questions about the motivation for faith in a materialist culture. For example, are you drawn to Buddhism because it's got a nice aesthetic or because you are ready to commit to some very difficult spritual practice? (less)
This book could have been so much more than it was. I was really excited by the summaries on Amazon from people who had read this book, and so I ordered the book right away when I discovered it. Unfortunately, the structure of the presentation leaves so much to be desired that I almost gave up about halfway through the book.
Based on the reviews I had seen and the title of the book, I was expecting a book with a straightforward premise that it is trying to argue regarding the pitfalls of spiritual approaches that connect the idea of self-improvement with spiritual growth. Instead, this book is a series of lectures given in 1970-1971, so my hopes for a tight argument pretty much had to go out the window.
Even worse, most of the argumentation was presented initially through metaphor. I got lost somewhere in the middle when the monkey decided to live in a house with no exits, all the while ramming himself into the walls that he made real. All the talk of monkey realms, human realms, realms of passion, etc., really detracted from my desire and ability to pay any attention to the lecturer.
I realize that these metaphors probably come from Buddhist traditions that were developed centuries ago, and that in those days metaphor was a powerful teaching tool that compensated for a lack of specialized vocabulary to describe spiritual and psychological phenomena in an straightforward manner. On the other hand, the lecturer could have made his argument much clearer had he just presented the main idea of his argument in each lecture, which he then backed up with metaphors to describe the process he is discussing. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy many parts of the book, but it would be better described as a metaphorical meandering through our dualistic existence, which results from ego, with the goal of arriving at a non-dualistic existence. (less)
Based on the reviews I had seen and the title of the book, I was expecting a book with a straightforward premise that it is trying to argue regarding the pitfalls of spiritual approaches that connect the idea of self-improvement with spiritual growth. Instead, this book is a series of lectures given in 1970-1971, so my hopes for a tight argument pretty much had to go out the window.
Even worse, most of the argumentation was presented initially through metaphor. I got lost somewhere in the middle when the monkey decided to live in a house with no exits, all the while ramming himself into the walls that he made real. All the talk of monkey realms, human realms, realms of passion, etc., really detracted from my desire and ability to pay any attention to the lecturer.
I realize that these metaphors probably come from Buddhist traditions that were developed centuries ago, and that in those days metaphor was a powerful teaching tool that compensated for a lack of specialized vocabulary to describe spiritual and psychological phenomena in an straightforward manner. On the other hand, the lecturer could have made his argument much clearer had he just presented the main idea of his argument in each lecture, which he then backed up with metaphors to describe the process he is discussing. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy many parts of the book, but it would be better described as a metaphorical meandering through our dualistic existence, which results from ego, with the goal of arriving at a non-dualistic existence. (less)
It was not until I moved to Boulder Colorado, Trungpa's last home after his Tibetan exile that understood why he was so insitent on teaching Americans about how shallow we are in our various approachs to the embodying the wisdom of the East. This text is designed as a sort of feedback mechanism for all the smarmy, new age, old school, rightous Americans who might be confusing the soil of India with Nirvana or the black robed Zen Roshi with the definative expression of kindness. Hard reading for the honestly inclined. Materialism in this text is not described so much as a thing but more often an attitude, such as, she GOT enlightened. (less)
The concept of Spiritual materialism is very powerful. Not sure I fully understand it yet. After reading the book I immediately wanted to go back and reread it, because I know I will get a lot more out of it. Seldom do I read a book twice and then it is usually because I have forgotten I've already read it.
This may be a volume I pick up and add to my library so that I can high light passages in it. If I understand it right, Spiritual materialism applies not just to Buddhism, but to all spiritual practices. It is were the Ego gets bound up in the rewards of the practice and then gets in the way of making real advancement.
Recommend this book to spiritual seekers. (less)
This may be a volume I pick up and add to my library so that I can high light passages in it. If I understand it right, Spiritual materialism applies not just to Buddhism, but to all spiritual practices. It is were the Ego gets bound up in the rewards of the practice and then gets in the way of making real advancement.
Recommend this book to spiritual seekers. (less)
