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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism [Paperback]

Chogyam Trungpa
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Oct 22 2002
In this modern spiritual classic, the Tibetan meditation master Chögyam 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 Chögyam Trungpa's son and lineage holder, Sakyong Mipham.

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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism + Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior + The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
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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

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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Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It does what it says on the tin May 1 2002
Format:Paperback
A no-nonsense, firm, but gentle warning note to those of us committed to the so-called path of self-development. Trungpa patiently brings into fresh air the dangerous and destructive method by which we typically approach the notion of spirituality: i.e. as something to be developed, learnt through discipline or otherwise achieved much as we seek to aquire the prizes in our everyday material life. Trungpa's message was ideally suited to that aspect of ourselves - the Eastern mind as much as the Western - which is constantly looking for something external through which we hope to secure our sense of self and make us happy. Exposing this tendency with great skill and clarity, he outlines a more open, direct and yet infinitely more challenging way to experience Mind beyond the self through correct meditation. Even amongst Buddhist literature this is wonderfully refreshing and at once destroys all hope of bettering oneself and yet points to a far brighter fact: that true liberation inevitably involves letting go of the self rather than working to improve it. The often rather painful process of spiritual awakening is made sense of in this book if we begin to see that our emotions and thoughts cloud our direct experience of reality. An apt message befitting an enlightened being who wore his suits 2 sizes too small as a constant reminder of the irritation and dissatisfaction of the samsaric world.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Like driving into a brick wall Feb 3 2002
Format:Paperback
Do you think you're becoming a better person?

Trungpa's book is a reality check for wide-eyed spiritualists, mystics and "believers" of all kinds. He makes a clever back door assualt on the ego and its overwhelming tendency to hijack the spiritual process. While I found some parts rather arcane, it's generally an economical text. I would especially recommend it to anyone with an interest in self-development who is exploring the spiritual path (is that what it's called?). Read it before committing yourself any further to may be just more BS. For me, this book brought years of self-gratifying meditation practice to a sudden halt. Rather like waking from a warm happy dream, and I have not looked back.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
THIS BOOK IS IDEAL FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS READ A NUMBER OF BUDHIST BOOKS AND BELIEVES HIMSELF TO UNDERSTAND THE INNER MEANING OF THE TEACHINGS. It will cut through your arrogance like butter and will help to keep your mind open and your spirit humble.


The book is a great and well rounded look at spirituality and the problems encountered. It gives a brief view of the proper attitude towards spirituality, then gives detailed account of how our attitudes obscure and constantly attempt to manipulate spirituality for personal gain. Also included are good overall views of the most basic budhist truths..ie. the Four Noble Truths and the Six Realms.

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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book From a Controversial Teacher
Don't worry about where or how other minds meditate, then you already understand "not too loose, not too tight" my friend in Wyckoff, NJ. Read more
Published on Mar 6 2004 by Swing King
5.0 out of 5 stars The Demise of the Lord of Form!
I read the book in college, and then again last year. I just reread the introduction and recieved the answer I've been looking for the last 3 years. Read more
Published on Aug 9 2003 by jondr
5.0 out of 5 stars Cuts through the modern fake-spiritualism
Excellent discourse and scathing on modern day ooey-gooey chocolaty tranquiliser meditation(TM). Discover truly what TRUTH (Guru) is all about.
Published on Feb 28 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars You Will Get Hurt...
Trungpa lets loose with his cannon in this book. Christianity, Islam, and Judiasm are totally false because they are "eternalists". Read more
Published on Sep 4 2000 by Bill Butler
5.0 out of 5 stars The best all-round introduction to Buddhism
The best? Why? First, because Trungpa Tulku was a genius. So he cuts to the heart of things with clarity and precision, and builds up a clear picture of a very complex subject. Read more
Published on May 11 2000 by Peter Shaio
5.0 out of 5 stars A clear and eloquent transmission of how the mind works
Chogyam Trungpa, often referred to as one of the few oriental, Buddhist lamas who truly understood the Western mind, here transcends East and West by addressing simply and... Read more
Published on Mar 10 1999
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