emptiness and the ground of the spiritual quest

[konchog uma]

"Shunyata, or emptiness, is empty of subject-object relationship. Nonexistent subject, nonexistent object. Perceiver and perceptions do not exist. As far as the groundwork is concerned, there is no definite ground. As long as there is definite ground on the spiritual quest, it becomes a struggle, a deliberate attitude of achievement. And once we begin to be aware of our process of searching as an ambitious struggle, that struggle automatically becomes a formulated struggle, a struggle with ideas, a struggle with theology, conceptwhich is perpetually creating samsaric mind rather than the spiritual path. The spiritual path becomes religion from that point of view, pejoratively speaking."

 

-Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

 

Even though this quote utilizes Buddhist terminology, I think the point it makes transcends ideologies and strikes at something universal. So I have posted it in the general section.

Edited July 19, 2013 by konchog uma

[C T]

Unfortunately its not as universal as you would like it to be. If it was, there would not be so much bickering among the various buddhists (among ourselves even) and also with others from the across the pond.

 

I'd be the first to plead past guilt.

 

Work in progress.

 

`over and out!

[konchog uma]

Lol, guilty here too. But I think the idea of getting beyond struggle and religion is at least universal to Buddhists and Daoists hhahah if nothing else! Actually I think its a defining factor of the mystical paths, like what separates Sufism from Islam and so on.

 

 

[C T]

Lol, guilty here too. But I think the idea of getting beyond struggle and religion is at least universal to Buddhists and Daoists hhahah if nothing else! Actually I think its a defining factor of the mystical paths, like what separates Sufism from Islam and so on.

Great point!