Non-Attachment, Even to One's Own Spiritual Path
Non-attachment is liberating, and to the ears it might sound strange to say this perhaps but, one of the greatest gifts is to be non-attached even to one's "own" spiritual path in order to truly be a devotee of it. It's essentially like saying, give up Christianity in order to follow Christ. There is wisdom in remaining aloof from organizational politics, intrigue in the palace court and institutions, in order to be a sincere lover of the Beloved. Good to be on guard about overbearing mental impulses and attachments. No putting on airs -- in simplicity there is genuineness. When he first arrived in Hathras, Tulsi Sahib at night slept in the hollow of a banyan tree that was located about a mile out of town. In that spot he also spent much time in meditation.
The Buddha was once asked: "To what extent can a person be a speaker of the Way?" He answered: "If a person teaches the Way in order to transcend the tyranny of material things and to teach how to transcend feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness -- teaching non-attachment with regard to these -- then that person can be called a speaker of the Way. If he is himself trying to transcend the pull of the material world and to feel non-attachment toward it, then it is fitting to say he is living in accordance with the Way. If he is liberated by this transcendence and non-attachment, then you can say he has found Nirvana here and now. (Samyutta Nikaya)
"Effortlessly" by John Astin, Youtube Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGLCprEizRE
The truth is that happiness
already exists right here,
in all things appearing
each thought and every feeling,
that blow like the wind inside
the vastness that's looking
from no place and everywhere
the vastness is loving each moment
appearing and resolving effortlessly.
Awareness shines, so effortlessly.
No beginning, no end, unceasingly.
Non-attachment is liberating, and to the ears it might sound strange to say this perhaps but, one of the greatest gifts is to be non-attached even to one's "own" spiritual path in order to truly be a devotee of it. It's essentially like saying, give up Christianity in order to follow Christ. There is wisdom in remaining aloof from organizational politics, intrigue in the palace court and institutions, in order to be a sincere lover of the Beloved. Good to be on guard about overbearing mental impulses and attachments. No putting on airs -- in simplicity there is genuineness. When he first arrived in Hathras, Tulsi Sahib at night slept in the hollow of a banyan tree that was located about a mile out of town. In that spot he also spent much time in meditation.
The Buddha was once asked: "To what extent can a person be a speaker of the Way?" He answered: "If a person teaches the Way in order to transcend the tyranny of material things and to teach how to transcend feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness -- teaching non-attachment with regard to these -- then that person can be called a speaker of the Way. If he is himself trying to transcend the pull of the material world and to feel non-attachment toward it, then it is fitting to say he is living in accordance with the Way. If he is liberated by this transcendence and non-attachment, then you can say he has found Nirvana here and now. (Samyutta Nikaya)
"Effortlessly" by John Astin, Youtube Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGLCprEizRE
The truth is that happiness
already exists right here,
in all things appearing
each thought and every feeling,
that blow like the wind inside
the vastness that's looking
from no place and everywhere
the vastness is loving each moment
appearing and resolving effortlessly.
Awareness shines, so effortlessly.
No beginning, no end, unceasingly.
