In 'Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism,' Chogyam Trungpa challenges the notion that spiritual practice can be commodified or approached with a materialistic mindset. He invites readers to explore the deeper essence of spirituality beyond the desire for personal gain or status. Through profound insights and sharp critiques, Trungpa highlights the dangers of confusion in seeking enlightenment. This transformative guide urges us to abandon attachments to ego and superficiality, leading to genuine insight and liberation. A thought-provoking read that encourages a true awakening to the essence of being.
By Chogyam Trungpa
Published: 2002
"Spiritual materialism is the process of creating a self that is based on ego and attachment, rather than true realization and compassion."
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.
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“Spiritual materialism is the process of creating a self that is based on ego and attachment, rather than true realization and compassion.”
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
By Chogyam Trungpa
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Chogyam Trungpa (1939-2017) was a prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author who played a key role in introducing Buddhism to the West. He founded the Shambhala organization and authored several influential works, including 'Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism', 'The Myth of Freedom', and 'Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior'. Trungpa's writing is known for its clarity and directness, often blending traditional Buddhist teachings with Western psychological insights. His unique perspective emphasizes the interplay of spirituality and the mundane, making profound concepts accessible to a Western audience.
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