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Spiritual Materialism a balanced perspective?

JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
edited June 2013 in Buddhism Basics
This has come up with people quoting the story of the digging one hole to nirvana rather than multiple shallow.

The flip side is that you can benefit from all different sources sort of soaking up all the goodness.



@zenmyste, this might be of interest in you in particular. I think there is a reasoning in common with what you have said. But not only is being a Buddha honored, but also trust in the path. So it's a synthesis but I would say that Lama Shenpen honored the sense of 'no path' 'no wisdom' and so forth from the heart sutra.

It's really more like embracing you like you are now. With more kindness.

Comments

  • CittaCitta Veteran
    I am not sure that what Lama Shenpen is saying accords with your synopsis Jeffrey.
    I met CTR at the same time that she did, and also became his student. She is saying not to be too harsh with yourself. Not indulge the need for distraction.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    I think she is saying not to be harsh with yourself to worry about if you are a spiritual materialist.

    That's really cool you met her.
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    I joined the University Buddhist Society and she was the Society chairperson...she was then called Sue Rowan. She then went off to India and the next I heard of her she had married Mike Hookham ( Shikpo ), and eventually became a teacher.
    It was a very active society . We had a lot of visiting teachers. Buddhadharma was in its infancy in the UK back then, but we were very fortunate. We had visits from famous Theravada teachers, including the teacher who became known as Dhiravamsa as well as Sangharakshita et al. And......Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche who was then at Oxford became a regular visitor. I became his student, he was still in the robe at that point. Sue/Shenpen was sent by him to India to study with the 16th Karmapa....she came back a fully-fledged Dharma master.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Cool to hear the history, Citta. I'm glad the fertilizer of the dharma took hold of them and let them be dharma beacons.

    Are you located in the UK Citta?
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    Yes. Near London.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    She is starting to post out more youtube videos; I think it's great.
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