Spiritual materialism
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Spiritual materialism is a term used by Chögyam Trungpa to describe mistakes spiritual seekers commit which turn that spiritualism into an ego building and confusion creating endeavor. He developed his book, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, from talks given while opening a meditation center in Boulder, CO, explaining Buddhism to North Americans.
However, it is quite often used to describe capitalist or commercial efforts such as "new age" bookstores and wealthy lecturers on spirituality. In contrast, see the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order's Right Livelihood Business.
Spiritual Materialism is one of three errors in which a form of materialistic thinking interferes with insight or enlightenment. Physical materialism is well understood to be the mistaken belief that possessions can bring release from suffering. Or on a deeper level it may cause a misuderstanding like, I am rich because I have ___. Or even further, I am a teacher (or whatever) because I have a diploma (or whatever). Psychological materialism is a bit harder to understand. It is the mistaken belief that I exist outside of my momentary perception of things. The Lojong slogan, "Treat all dharmas as dreams" is an attempt to cut through Psychological Materialism. Spiritual materialism typically occurs when one applies Psychological Materialism to questions in the religious or spiritual realm. Spiritual materialism is the failure to let go of ego clinging in the development of an understanding of spiritual and related areas. For example, it would be an error of Spiritual Materialism to believe that "I" am reincarnated. And this erroneous belief would likely result in a further error that since "I" am reincarnated, I do not have to face the reality of suffering and death.
[edit] Further reading
- Trungpa, Chögyam (1973). Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, Inc. ISBN 1570629579.
