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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

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About this listen

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.

©1973 Chögyam Trungpa (P)2015 Audible, Inc. Buddhism Meditation Inspiring
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good to have obsticals and traps described in detail. narrator was excellent very listenable. technical words hard to follow. would be so much easier if just English words were used

very helpful book enjoyed it a lot.

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Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
A book I will gratefully return to again and again.... Clear and precise wisdom

A blessing for those on the spiritual path

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I recommend this book if you're interested in Buddhism. Trungpa really knew what he was talking about, and he explained complicated Buddhist concepts in a lucid way. The performance was great too.

Don't let the title or the author put you off

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This book is really good for beginners on the path. Will recommend it unreservedly. Will read it again and again for sure.

One more great book from a great teacher

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Fascinating man with many deep insights. I enjoyed listening to this book, but if anything it confirmed to me that my path is not a Buddhist path. There is great wisdom and depth to this lineage of spiritual mastery and it has many tools that are of use to those on the path, yet the beauty, love and colourful exuberance of the yogic path finds more resonance within me. Trungpa very matter of factly lays out many of the mistakes that those on the path make. The confusions that may cloud their perception of where they are and the constant need to surrender to the process. Detachment lies at the root of his teachings.

The pitfalls of the spiritual journey

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