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Chogyam Trungpa

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism Paperback – Illustrated, August 1, 2002

by Chogyam Trungpa (Author)

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This modern spiritual classic highlights a trick we play on ourselves and offers a brighter reality: liberation by letting go of the self rather than working to improve it

The Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa calls attention to the commonest pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism. "The problem is that ego can convert anything to its own use," he says, "even spirituality." The universal tendency 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.

Trungpa's incisive, compassionate teachings serve to wake us up from these false comforts. Featuring a new foreward by his son and lineage holder, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism has resonated with students for nearly thirty years—and remains as fresh as ever today.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Shambhala Classics
Publication date

August 1, 2002
Dimensions

5.96 x 0.7 x 8.97 inches
ISBN-10

1570629579
ISBN-13

978-1570629570
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Based on the highest view of the Vajrayana school, it defines basic principles not only of Buddhism but of spiritual practice altogether. Always contemporary and relevant, a profound influence on how Buddhism is understood today.”—Lion’s Roar

"The usefulness of this book lies in Trungpa's uncanny ability to cut right to the heart of the matter and presents his understanding of Buddhism and the way of life it teaches in a manner that is applicable to his students' living situation."—Journal of the American Academy of Religion

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Examines the self-deceptions, distortions, and sidetracks that imperil the spiritual journey as well as awareness and fearlessness of the true path.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shambhala Classics; Revised ed. edition (August 1, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1570629579
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1570629570
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.96 x 0.7 x 8.97 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #66,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #16,050 in Religion & Spirituality (Books)

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947 ratings

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Chogyam Trungpa

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Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987)—meditation master, teacher, and artist—founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

947 global ratings

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4 star		11%
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Nic Daniel

This book has the real deal

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

If you want resl Dharma this is the book. This is a book to dive deep into an study. It is a treasure.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 13, 2022

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In reading this book, I have come to so much more of a clear understanding of “ the way.” I never realized just how much materialism gets in the way of such simple truth.
In the beginning “ chop wood, carry water.” And in enlightenment; then” chop wood, carry water.” I can finally “SEE!” And now I return to “chop wood, carry water.”

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Bird Maxine Trungma

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism: A Book That Teaches You How Not to Cheat Yourself or Get Cheated

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 22, 2016

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Spiritual materialism means making use of spirituality to gratify the desires of ego. On the grossest level, it can be like in the old song, "So Long It's Been Good to Know You," where the preacher talks to his flock about the coming of the end of this world, and then takes up a big collection and disappears with it. It can be traveling around the world, collecting the statues and icons of all the different spiritual traditions, and then displaying them in one's home to show off to the neighbors how culturally sophisticated and religiously open-minded we are. Or it can be even more subtle in the sense that we do not gain any overt benefit from our spiritual practice at all, but we merely collect spiritual credentials in order to demonstrate to ourselves, "See, I am a good person" or "See, I am a wise person." "I have helped so many people! I am always on the giving end of things, and I am proud to realize it!" .

The problem with spiritual materialism is that we cheat ourselves with it; we try to profit from it, but we lose as a result. Maybe we feel wonderful about having earned an important sounding credential within our church; we have now become one of those people who walk around with a VIP button on their lapel. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the button, but if we mistake it for genuine spiritual accomplishment and stop working on our own hearts and minds as a result, then we have truly done ourselves a disservice.

Although spiritual materialism is rampant nowadays, Chogyam Trungpa made its dangers very clear in his original teachings, many of which are contained in this book. I would say that Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is a must read for everyone who may be considering embarking upon a spiritual journey, or even for those people who have already begun and wish to stop, catch their breath, and take a second look at where they are going.

81 people found this helpful

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G

A important classic

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 3, 2022

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Very important read in today’s world of social media where many are adopting the “spiritual image” as a way to get clout. The author warned us decades ago that the ego loves spirituality as a way to reinforce itself. A timeless classic, highly recommended.

4 people found this helpful

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Gabriela

A must, but skip if you are new to Buddhism!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 14, 2021

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This book is very interesting. It talks about the "basic" concepts of Buddhism with a very philosophical approach. It is a little hard to follow, but reading about Buddhism requires you to use your brain since you can't fully explain states of consciousness with words, and the explanation requires a lot of paradoxes. However, if you are a beginner, reading this book might not be very helpful for you since it talks about the last stage of the "spiritual path." It would still be insightful, but if you don't have a foundation to analyze this book, you have a higher risk of misinterpreting it and experience disenchantment with your spiritual evolution.

5 people found this helpful

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Susan K. Noel

One of the most important Buddhist books ever.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 3, 2014

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This one-of-a-kind book is already in the process of "going down in history." it was not "written" in any traditional sense, but spoken, as a series of talks to an audience of early 70s countercultural seekers, who were wild, young, and undisciplined. (I know, because i was one of them.) Chogyam Trungpa always knew his audience, so he speaks the language of the times, and for young readers now, it may be helpful to point that out.
This book changed so many lives, mine among them. If you are interested in Buddhism, then come to it with an open mind and heart, and it just may introduce you to yourself.
It was and is definitely intended for beginners, yet the teachings it contains -- if you can receive them -- include everything from the most simple to the most advanced (which are, often, quite near each other if not the very same thing).
There has never been a teacher in the world like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. A few of us were blessed to know him a little.
For everyone else, his great mind and heart can be glimpsed in books like this.
The question and answer sections at the end of each talk are especially "potent," letting the reader get a taste for the way he thought and taught, always extremely funny, kind, and rigorous, all at the same time.
This book is priceless.

11 people found this helpful

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vispurple

Classic Trungpa

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 17, 2010

Verified Purchase

A spiritual classic. Trungpa has a way of distilling the psychology of the Buddhist method right down to a basic, accessible truth. There is really nobody quite like him. Not necessarily an easy read - meant more as a study. There are parts of the book that don't make much sense on the first read, but fall into a meaning later.

Maybe the most important aspect of Trungpa's message is that there really is no enlightenment state, that what we would call boredom is actually the beginning of an unmasking of depths not realized. It isn't a complicated approach, but there are painfully hard lessons in every day life that greet us and we project our importance on every one of them! The proper attitude is to just see each situation as it unfolds and remain practical - there is no special spiritual approach and our wanting there to be is actually our egos involvement, or spiritual materialism.

Trungpa's own life may have been a strange twist, given that he essentially drank himself to death at 47. Only he would know about why that was and the story behind that might actually be interesting given that he was able to reel off such ground-breaking classics like this book, The Myth of Freedom and Shambhala-the sacred path of the warrior. Clearly he wasn't your average drunk.

9 people found this helpful

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Surjit Dhami

Must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 12, 2020

Verified Purchase

Fantastic book one of the best I read. I don’t agree with all his thoughts and conclusions but I agree with 90% of them. The best parts of the book at the early chapters. He is able to explain the subject better than any I read. For any yogi, religious, spiritual learner this is a must if you want to g far on your journey. Otherwise you will trip over your shoelaces.

2 people found this helpful

originalisa

Spiritually absorbing, begs to be read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 21, 2015

Verified Purchase

Absorbing and deeply interesting. The problem is that too many people, most in fact, cannot get beyond ego, the mind created concept of who they believe they are. Once this is understood and they are able to find the stillness of the present moment (often achieved through meditation) and live in the now, they can overcome many of life's ills such as many types of depression and loneliness. . .

I know, I did it and haven't looked back.

19 people found this helpful

Sergiu

One of Steve Jobs' favourite books. I had to reread it a few ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

One of Steve Jobs' favourite books. I had to reread it a few times and refer back to it as I go. I wouldn't recommend to read it as a first book or introduction to spirituality. I think if you've already read one or two spirituality related books, you'd be able to understand it better. Very easy to read. Have't touched it in a while, hope I'll find some time to reread it soon.

10 people found this helpful

Gringo

Sheer Genius

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Fabulous book, the best description of the ego I have ever read. Packed with sublime wisdom.

5 people found this helpful

Maria Lopez

A book to have

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

I first read most of this book for free in internet library. But I got so fascinated by its depth that decided to purchase it. This is the kind of book that one can read over and over.

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