Cutting Through The Chaff

A brief metaphysical musing on the nature of enlightenment, being and reality

There are indeed many paths up the mountain. Sectarianism is juvenile and problematic at best; and dogmatism is confirmed blindness, confirmed delusion.

Being is non-dual, all-pervasive, infinite, stainless, primordially awake; yet, there remain many viable paths to realizing what we already and always, eternally are.

Know thyself. To do that, one must focus – and choose a path up the mountain. There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but surveying the paths from below will not take you to the top.

You can be broad-minded, and study widely, and that is good, but a path must still be chosen. Focus is imperative.

Furthermore, false messiahs, fads, and pop culture celebrity gurus abound. The distractions and dead-ends are limitless. Don’t waste your time. Cut carefully through the noise and the chaff, to find the real treasures.

A video inspired this musing, one I will link below. The gist of what I want to say here is contained in my response or comment on the talk, which I present here.

Blessings and peace to all.

Travel well, my friends.

And enjoy the journey!

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Excellent talk, but there are some errors. One is, a too negative view of spiritual traditions. For example, if you want a sure and swift path to liberation and enlightenment, the profound depth and precision of Nyingma – the ancient school of Tibetan Buddism, founded by Padmasambhava, the second Buddha of our time – in its blending and union of wisdom and method, uniting Mahayana, Vajrayana and atiyoga, is seldom and rarely matched.

There is no “upgrade” needed or required. The nature of being and mind is unchanging, though its manifestations are a dance of continual flux. Wisdom and skillful means, therefore, remain timeless, as well. And improving upon perfection is an impossibility. Separate culture from essence, and the ancient teachings remain as relevant and alive as ever. Old or new has no bearing on truth. Truth is reality, once seen, ever clear. The delusions of modern hubris must die if wisdom is to be born. First empty your cup, if you want it to be filled.

Further, you don’t invite neophytes to invent their own spiritual practices or path. That is a road to madness, destruction, or simply wasting eons of time. When you are fully enlightened, then you can invent practices. Until then, follow the guidance of the enlightened ones.

And no, once again, wisdom is not temporally, culturally or historically conditioned, but is timeless. So too, refined skillful means, bequeathed and taught by enlightened beings, does not ever lose its relevance or need to be “updated”! Such a foolish, ignorant thought. Preschoolers wanting to set the university course curiculum for the professors. Such infantile and egocentric non-sense. Start with humility, or wander aimlessly forever.

Cut out the chaff, plumb the depths, and realize the infinite, which is the heart of all things, here and now, always and forever.

Blake is a good starting point. Read Blake, the mystic poet and key holder, and the doors of perception and wisdom will begin to open.

J. Todd Ring,

Villa Samadhi,

Uruguay,

January 7, 2023