If we become involved in preaching to others or teaching religion before experiencing Ultimate Truth first hand for ourselves, we teach from ego and not true compassion. Only when we personally touch Ultimate Truth with all its subtleties does universal love replace ambition. Then, our only concern is the residue of hatred and competitiveness that still may remain within ourselves, and the suffering of our fellow human beings that is now so clear to us.
One who teaches, yet has not experienced Ultimate Truth, is in effect faking it. They know that they are faking it. They pretend otherwise, however, so that support will be provided by the faithful. This is grand deception at the cruelest level.
The fakers lifestyle usually gives them away. They simply do not have the restraint that an experience of Ultimate Truth imparts upon a teacher, an attitude of humility and humbleness as a result of touching this great, Ultimate Truth. The pretender, alas, still believes that they are the center of the universe. They can't keep the pretending up for long, however, because their underlying desires will give them away every time.
Touching Ultimate truth does a number on the true teacher. Desires fade away and lifestyles becomes very simplified and ordinary. This is not because of some meaningless austerity, i.e. trying to prove that they are holy or some such nonsense, but because of something much deeper. They simply lose interest in the playthings of the world just as a little girl puts away her dolls or a little boy his toy trucks. They grow up, and their attitudes change.
This restraint is also reflected in the true teacher's words, which are always truthful and insightful and never straying from the central theme of spirituality by helping people find their own ultimate truth. They might talk about politics or business but only from the viewpoint of politics' and business' hypnotic effects that keeps one from ever experiencing Ultimate Truth for themselves.
So the restraint exhibited by a true teacher is not some kind of grandstanding, but a reflection of the peace and gentleness of mind that was instilled by touching Ultimate Truth.
Conversely, the pretender's speech will consist of second hand information and quotes from other sources other than from their hearts. This is because, not yet having touched Ultimate Truth, their hearts are still caught in the world of forms and excitement. It can even get to the point of losing interest in spirituality all together and jumping into politics or business related discussions in order to attract more supporters. That is a certain give away that the teacher is faking it. Without restraint caused by an authentic religious experience, the true colors eventually come out because pretenders cannot duck their karma forever. They can only pretend for so long.
These kinds of teachers can be quite dangerous. Many people who can't see through these people blindly follow them. They are usually people not equipped to think for themselves, resulting in a quintessential predicament of the blind leading the blind. This is where the danger comes in because blind people may drink the Cool Aid, or go off the deep end politically. Thus we have the extremist groups of religion and ideology that creates so much hatred and suffering in the world today.
We usually develop our particular religious and idealistic beliefs based upon our heritage, our own experiences, our level of awareness, and on our particular ideas of spirituality based on what we hear and read in church or through the media. As these beliefs become personalized and solidified, we dig in our heels and it becomes increasingly difficult to change our conclusions. If we have formed these conclusions before we have had that consciousness shifting epiphany that changes our perspective from one of ambition to love, then we set out to spread the word as pretenders. This is the basis of the vast majority of teachers and preachers.
The problem is that although proselytizing is effective in uneducated, poverty stricken third-world countries or among the very young, it is not so successful with mature adults in educated, discerning societies. Discerning individuals have enough confidence to think for themselves. Are Christians open to becoming Muslim? Are Buddhists tripping over each other to convert to Catholicism? Not really. We are mostly satisfied and comfortable with our own particular beliefs.
If we are secure within those beliefs and find that loving kindness and virtue result from practicing our religion, we tend to be happy and quietly live our own religion, leaving others alone. We don‘t worry about converting them, confident that they will find their own way depending on their inclinations and level of consciousness. But if we, who quietly practice our own religion without fanfare or notoriety, are disrespected, then there is a backlash.
What we are seeing in the world today is sectarian, fundamentalist aggressiveness in many religions. This is troubling. We are seeing more and more of it; from sects such as the Taliban, to the proponents of a 6,000 year old earth. Religions, per se, which are perceived to be based on gentleness and peace, seem to be moving toward political, aggressive agendas, all fueled by teachers and preachers who are pretenders of the Ultimate Truth.
Please. This is not in any way a disparagement of true spirituality or many religious followers, but simply a reflection, an observation, and a chance for overzealous proponents of various movements to perhaps take a long look at themselves. Not only at themselves, but perhaps at other religions as well from an attitude of respect rather than judgment; a respect for the peaceful and truthful ideals of all religions. Then, maybe we can find a gentler, more respectful, more peaceful way to spread our particular, sectarian doctrines by example instead of causing self-inflicted animosity. Religious beliefs shouldn't spin out of control into war. War is not love; war reflects fear.
There are good, wholesome, and harmonious qualities in all religions where a common ground can be found. It begins by accepting different beliefs that foster peace and harmony and finding that peace among ourselves instead of competing with each other, even spiritual, idealistic competition which is of the most dangerous kind. This is the beginning of living together in harmony.
Be sure that you can trust your teacher. Look them over carefully; their lifestyle, their attitudes, and especially their compassion. Are they caring and relaxed; or are they restless and ambitious? Choose them as carefully as you would choose a mate, because their influence might affect your every relationship.
And if you are not sure about them, better to strike out on your own.
anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary (www.dhammarocksprings.org), and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.
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