The “Spirituality For Everyone” Course  Multimedia

Chapter Five: Finding Your Spiritual Path

 

 

5   Chapter Five: Finding Your Spiritual Path   (Read the full chapter)

           

 

 

 

          

 

 

 

 

   

5a   Intro

            

 

 

 

   

5b   Searching for Truth in a World of Pretense

            

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

5b1   Being a good editor

              

 

 

 

          

 

 

 

   

 

5b2   Following your intuition

              

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

5c   Spirituality is Not One Path Fits All

            

 

 

Video Adjunct:

This nine-minute video is a live performance I offered at the memorial service for a dear friend and divine singer of Indian bhajans, Prem Trikannad. The powerful message in this song is composed by Tukdoji Maharaj. The words describe the kind of openness that a temple should have toward welcoming guests from all countries and walks of life, who come together to practice and honor the Divine. I begin by reading the English translation, which includes: "Come all, whatever your path, whatever your religion. Our temple is not only for the people of this country, but for people from all countries. One mat is spread on the floor for everyone to sit together. All deities are worshipped equally in our temple. With their pure voices, saints sing mantras and everyone joins them, in our temple. What is the religion of mankind? You will find the answer here. Our temple wishes well for everyone."

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

5d   Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

             

 

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

5e   Benefiting from Teachers, Thinkers, Saints, and Sages

            

 

 

Audio Adjunct:

Listen to Section 2 of The Diamond Sutra Sung in English, titled, "Subhuti Makes a Request," to hear how a Buddhist monk humbly and respectfully asked Buddha to share his wisdom with the group of monks gathered in their monastery: "Tathagata! World Honored One! How wonderful and rare it is that by your compassion we are protected and instructed! You always support and show special confidence in the bodhisattvas. O World Honoured One, when virtuous men and women want to give rise to the mind of enlightenment, how should their minds abide and what should they do to master their thinking?"

                           

 

 

Video Adjunct:

We chanted this text every morning in the Ashram, and it was one of my favorite times of each marvelous day. This video includes my slow rendition, with onscreen text that illumines the deeper esoteric meaning behind "the Guru."

"The Guru’s divine glance creates all the worlds, nourishes all things, and penetrates to the essence of all scriptures. It regards wealth as nothing. It removes failings and defects. It remains focused on the Ultimate, and though giving rise to worldly qualities, is firmly set on the final goal of salvation."

 

 

 

 

Video Adjunct:

This Sanskrit song composed by legendary 8th century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya gives a glimpse into the overwhelming, perhaps extreme devotion some disciples feel upon being blessed by a true Guru who opens the door to unimagined spiritual knowledge. At the feet of such a Guru, all the accomplishments and enjoyments of this world fade into dust. Onscreen translation includes: "One may be constantly extolled, one's presence highly honored by hosts of emperors and rulers of this world. Yet, if the mind is not absorbed in the Guru's feet, So what? So what?"