030 Yoga Vasistha Interlude: Self-development v Spirituality

Self-effort, liberation and spirituality. Does self-effort move us towards Enlightenment? If so, then it presupposes a path, a path of more and more refined states of consciousness until we enter a state of liberated bliss. Hui Neng in China is the sixth patriarch of Ch'an Buddhism (which evolved in Japan into Zen. Hui Neng is sometimes regarded as the first patriarch of Zen). He was an illiterate cook. He didn't do any practices. He heard a monk reciting from a Buddhist scripture in the market place and got enlightened. Where did self-effort come into it? The argument would be that he did the self-effort in a previous life. Right.... Well, if this is the case then it indicates that self-effort in this life is not always necessary which undermines Vasistha's point somewhat. The notion of a path to Enlightenment is actually a hindrance to Enlighenment. It means you have a belief in Enlightenment. Talk of Enlightenment and spirituality can by its very nature bring an anti-spiritual result. Notions of mental/emotional training, or self-improvement, are often confused with spirituality.

Channel: Entertainment
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: Gurugillies

Length: 07:36
Rating: N/A
Views: 169

Tags: disciple  guru  Hinayana  Hui  Mahayana  Neng  self-improvement  spirituality  Zen  

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