In this modern spiritual classic, the Tibetan meditation master Ch�gyam Trungpa highlights the commonest pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism . The universal tendency, he shows, 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. "The problem is that ego can convert anything to its own use," he said, "even spirituality." His incisive, compassionate teachings serve ...
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In this modern spiritual classic, the Tibetan meditation master Ch�gyam Trungpa highlights the commonest pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism . The universal tendency, he shows, 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. "The problem is that ego can convert anything to its own use," he said, "even spirituality." His incisive, compassionate teachings serve to wake us up from this trick we all play on ourselves, and to offer us a far brighter reality: the true and joyous liberation that inevitably involves letting go of the self rather than working to improve it. It is a message that has resonated with students for nearly thirty years, and remains fresh as ever today. This new edition includes a foreword by Ch�gyam Trungpa's son and lineage holder, Sakyong Mipham.
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Add this copy of Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism to cart. $15.55, very good condition, Sold by Jenson Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Logan, UT, UNITED STATES, published 2015 by Audible Studios on Brilliance.
Add this copy of Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism (Shambhala to cart. $39.42, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2015 by Audible Studios on Brilliance.
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this book directly addresses some of the biggest hindrances to realizing the benefits of meditation.
Jangchen
Apr 27, 2007
Guiding light
First - a friend told me about this book. Then - my dear teacher, Lama Shenphen Rinpoche, told us about this book. But even so, until I read it, I did not know the value of this book for integrating spiritual knoledge in everyday life. Reading this book you will know about some of "the sidetracks which lead to a distorted, ego-centered version of spirituality."
jigme
Apr 12, 2007
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, sometimes controversial but almost universally regarded as a great master of Tibetan Buddhism, was the founder of the Shambhala lineage in the US (now a worldwide movement). This record of two dharma talks Trungpa Rinpoche gave in 1970 and 1971 have since become classic, required reading for Buddhists of any stripe and spiritual seekers in general. The premise of the book is that our spirituality can, and often does, become one more form of attachment that is detrimental to our practice. Addiction to spiritual paraphenalia, our obsessive impulse to collect spiritual goodies such as empowements, dysfunctional relationships with our teachers, and pride in our own perceived progress only serve to further entrench the ego, while in a state of self-deception, we believe we are rooting it out. Trungpa Rinpoche expands on these concepts with a more general discussion of Tibetan Buddhism and how the practices of that tradition can help us break free from our attachments and find the reality that lies behind ego. His writing is powerful, and he pulls no punches. Direct and hard-hitting, this book blasts away at our conceptualizations like a howitzer. Trungpa Rinpoche's concept of "crazy wisdom," which is complicated and a potential pitfall for beginners should be noted, but this book nonetheless serves a great guide to "waking up."
