What the Buddha Said By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

Historically, little is of absolute certainty regarding the life of the being who has become commonly referred to as, The Buddha. Throughout history, however, his life has been chronicled in legend.

Siddharta Guatama

Siddhartha Guatama, the Sakyamuni Buddha, “Buddha from the Kingdom of Sakya,” is generally agreed to have lived from 563 to 483 B.C.E. Legend states that he was a Prince who lived a very sheltered life. Upon witnessing poverty, illness, and death for the first time, he lost faith in all that was material and left behind his Royal Lifestyle, his wife, and his newborn child in pursuit of the ultimate truth of human existence.

What is historically established is that during the lifetime of The Buddha a revolution was taking place in South Asia. Iron had recently been introduced to the Indian Subcontinent from China. This led to many rapid advancements in society—agriculture was vastly improved and landscapes could be readily cultivated. No longer were the forests the daunting obstacles they had once been. Now, they could be cleared so crops could be harvested within their once impenetrable boundaries. New structures, particularly palaces, were constructed in a much more substantial fashion. And perhaps most definitive of the era, the tool of warfare were vastly improved. So much so that near the end of his life The Buddha’s own kingdom of Sakya fell to the neighboring Kingdom of Kosala. Within a century of his lifetime, the entire region of what is now Northern India and Nepal would be united as the Magadha Empire.

The prominent religion of this historic era was Vedic Brahanism. This religion can trace its roots back a thousand years prior to the life of The Buddha. Its scriptures, known as The Vedas, began to be composed in 1500 B.C.E. This religion is the basis for modern Hinduism.

The highest practitioners of this religion were the Brahmans. They were identified as the highest cast and obviously the wealthiest of this ancient society. From this, they claimed privileges not afforded to the average individual.

As formalized power, secular wealth, and religious privilege rose in this region, dissatisfaction among the populous also escalated. This gave birth to a group of ascetics who were known as Sramana. The Sramana shunned society, renounced material possessions, and became wandering holy men following an undefined path to enlightenment. This group laid the foundation for what has become more commonly known as the Sadhu. The mindset of this group, undoubtedly, influenced the path the young Siddhartha Guatama as he would ultimately follow.

The Buddha’s path to enlightenment is historically unclear. It is believed that he studied with two primary teachers, Arada Kalama, who taught Akimcanya Ayatana, “The experience of nothingness” and, Udraka Ramaputra, who taught Naiva Samjna Asamjna Ayatana, “The experience of conscious unconsciousness.”

The legend persists in China that Lao Tzu, the Great Sage who is credited as the author of The Tao Te Ching, upon becoming disheartened with Chinese society and leaving his royal post, actually entered what is modern day Nepal and also became one of The Buddha’s teachers. As romantic as the pairing of these great souls appears, there is no historic evidence to provide factual substantiation to this claim.

The Enlightenment of the Buddha

Legend states that The Buddha dissatisfied with not obtaining the ultimate understanding of life from his two teachers or following the path of a wandering holy man, sat down under a Bodhi Tree and swore he would not rise until he became enlightened. Though many legends have been written about what The Buddha experienced during this period of intensive meditation, it is known that he did, in fact, emerge an enlightened being.

The Buddha, upon his realization, gave his first enlightened discourse at what is now Bodh Gaya, near Varanasi, India. This talk is known as, “The First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.”

It cannot be established, with absolute certainly, what The Buddha actually said during this discourse, however. All that is written, claiming him as the source, was done so years, and in some cases centuries, after his physical death.

The Pali Canon

The Theravada tradition of Buddhism claims that the language of the Buddha was Pali, and thus, their collections of scriptures, known as, The Pali Canon, is the most accurate. This, however, has proven to be linguistically incorrect, as Pali came into existence after the time of The Buddha—who left his body near the city of Kusinagra, when he was eighty years old.

Thus, his spoken words, though possibly initially recorded in his native dialect, most probably, Magadhi, were handed down from disciple to disciple for an undefined period before they finally found their way into scriptural form.

The Buddhist Religion

With the end of Buddha’s life came the Buddhist religion. But, The Buddha did not invent the concept of enlightenment, nor was he the first or the last, being to reach this highest level of conscious evolution. Throughout the centuries, the followers of Buddhism have come to idealize his life and his teachings to the degree that it was impossible for them to reach their own Buddhahood, due to the extensive set of parameters they have assigned to the advancement of human consciousness.

There is an elemental problem with this mindset, however. Was the Buddha a Buddhist? No, he was not. He was a Hindu. Did the Buddha ask for worship? No, he did not. In fact, legend states that when he was asked, “Are you an Avatar,” he answered, “No, just a man.” When asked, “Then, are you a Guru?” He answered, “No, just a man.”

This is the portrait of the true, perfectly enlightened teacher, who achieved the highest level of human consciousness. Yet, he did not seek admiration due to his realization.

It is the unenlightened mind of humanity that has forgotten this simple truth and chosen to make him a deity of worship and his teachings the basis for a religion. From this mindset has come centuries of Buddhist that have been unable to encounter the realms of Nirvana—solely due to the fact that they project such an orchestrated, idealized image of what enlightenment is supposed to be. This problem is amplified by the fact that many Buddhists hold fast to the belief that the teachings of their sect of Buddhism or their individual teachers hold the only great truth and the purest pathway to higher consciousness. They miss the point...

The teaching laid down by The Buddha are absent from formalized religion. Formalized religion employs ritual. Ritual, though beautiful to watch, is based in physical actions. Physical actions only leads to physical reactions. Thus, Karma is set in motion—not enlightenment.

If enlightenment is the core teaching of The Buddha and it is understood that it is possible for each individual to achieve this level of consciousness, then why do anything other than become enlightened? Arguing that my school or my teacher is the best and yours is wrong does not produce enlightenment. Only enlightenment produces enlightenment.

Be enlightened.

Copyright 2006—All Rights Reserved

 

What the Buddha Said on Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness 

Higher Consciousness: A Study in Fiction By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

Since the dawning of advancing consciousness, people have put forth the idea that you can advance your consciousness, you can become more, superior, and/or enlightened. At the core of all of these teachings is separation. By seeking higher consciousness, you are becoming more than the person next to you. They are of a lower mind because all they think about is their desires, their car, their house, their family, their whatever… But you, the seeker, you are more! You are something different—someone more holy because you are on the path to higher consciousness.

         This trend, this definition, has been taught a thousand different way throughout the various religious traditions and spiritual schools across the centuries. There have been a few teachers who have stepped to the forefront of the pack and have expounded new and somewhat different teachings. And, for whatever karmic reasoning, they have been remembered throughout history. Schools and religions have been created around their name. Siddhartha Guataman, the Sakyamuni Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Sri Shankaracharya, and the list goes on. Then, there have been the teachers who reference these individuals as supreme beings. Many of these teachers devote their entire lives to, The Becoming, of what these teachers propagated and the higher consciousness they were believed to have possessed.

         But. Let’s step back for a moment. “What is higher consciousness?” What do you define it as?  What do your teachers tell you it is?

         The first step in understanding higher consciousness is defining what it is to you. Because what it is to you, may not be what it is to me.

         The next question you must ask yourself is, does pursuing higher consciousness actually make you something more, something better as has been laid down throughout time.

         No one can tell you the answer to those questions. I can say, that if we look at the masses of humanity, we can see that most people pursue nothing more than the fulfillment of their own momentary desires. They want what they want. But, I want what I want to. You want what you want to. And, the person seeking higher consciousness wants what they want; namely, higher consciousness.

         Ask yourself, “Is the pursuit of higher consciousness any different from wanting a new car, a new girlfriend, a new boyfriend, a new watch, or a new whatever?”

         Certainly, there is the belief that a person on the Spiritual Path is not so much seeking things only for themselves but are more set upon a course which is designed to aid in the betterment of all of humanity. For example, there is the, Bodhisattve Vow, where a person makes a vow to gain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings and once they have achieved enlightenment they will continue to reincarnating, (continue to come back to this place we call life), until all of humanity is fully enlightenment. That sounds selfless. But, is it?

If we take a more refined look at this concept, it brings us back to the primary point, “What is the key concept in the Bodhisattve Vow?”  It is that one person will do one thing. They have heard of it. They desire it. So, they pursuit it. Thus, it is nothing more than a desire.

Though the spiritual practitioner may make it sound like they are doing something for the good of humanity, we still come back to the central focal point of, “I.” “I will do this. I will get that. Then, I will do this for you to make all things better.” Me, me, me…

Can there be any concept of, “Me,” and, “I,” in true higher consciousness?

Some spiritual traditions teach that their techniques cause a person to loose all sense of, “I.” But, this is also one of the main selling points that has been used in the propagation of the use of hallucinogenic drugs, “You will lose yourself. You will become one with all” But, this is all mumbo-jumbo. It is simply a means and a method of convincing people that there is some strange and illusive cosmic thing out there that they cannot encounter naturally.

To the matter of fact; yes, some hallucinogenic drugs will cause you to lose your sense of self. But, then the drug wears off and you are back where you started. The only problem is, the drug has altered the chemistry of your brain forever and you are never the same. And, that, “Never the same,” is not a good thing. Or, the drug has altered your brain to the degree that you become mentally ill. In this modern time they have developed some pharmacological drugs that can help reverse this pattern. But, nonetheless, you will be left with, “Never the same.”

If we look at this ideology a bit deeper, “What do you become if you have no sense of self?”

Again, here we are taken into the rhetoric of higher consciousness. It is often stated that, “This person’s consciousness is so high that they are completely removed from self and are completely removed from this world.” Well, so is a person who is insane. Are they enlightened? Have the achieved higher consciousness? Immediately the argument will be made that they did not choose their condition but a holy man did.

Choice is a condition of life. We all choose what we choose. And, for the most part, people who want to be something, oftentimes pretend that they are just that; whether they are or not. They fake it till they make it.

“Oh no, my guru isn’t like that!” How do you know?

Most people never have the opportunity to spend enough one-on-one time with their teacher to truly see that they have human flaws. They are simply allowed to see a presented image. Moreover, if one follows a, “Supreme teachers,” who has passed away then all ability to see who they truly were is long lost, as they died a long-long time ago.

All if this is not to say that there is not true spirituality. And, this is not to say that there are not those who truly possess higher consciousness. But, how many times have you found yourself thinking, “Oh that teacher is a fraud. He or she is not truly holy.” How many people have said that about your teacher or about you?

As there is no one definition, there can be no one higher consciousness. Since there is no one higher consciousness, like all things it life, its pursuit is left to the definition and the belief system of the individual mind. What you believe may be completely disavowed by the person sitting next to you. And, in fact, a few years down the road, you too may completely believe something different than you do today.

Belief is only that; belief. It is a perception individually held by each person. It is not universal. As it is not universal, there is no one way to attainment. There is only YOU and what YOU believe.

What do you believe and why?

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

 

Higher Consciousness: A Study in Fiction @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness  

Reality and the Spiritual Path By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

         Just as in the concept of enlightenment, many people believe that by walking the Spiritual Path they will somehow be removed from the trials and the tribulations of life. Certainly, with a spiritual mindset, most will possess a better set of tools to deal with reality than the average person who fights their way through life dominate only be desire and the fulfillment of those momentary desires.

         This being stated, the reality of life is, you will encounter obstacles, even if your feet are firmly planted on the Spiritual Path. This is the reality of life.

         Some people choose to believe that when they encounter some form of reality, that they are not particularly happy with, they are being tested. But, this is just mental nonsense—justification for the reality of reality.

         Why would anybody be testing you?

         The simply fact of the matter is, life is life. There are so many people doing so many things—all based in their won desires, that is factually inevitable that you will encountered someone or something that will cross your path and challenge your peace.

         I often detail evens that have taken place in my own life to illustrate this fact. The fact, that we all encounter Life-Things that we do not like. No one is immune.

         And, the more you are out there in life, the stronger the chance of these events occurring we be. This is why some of those walking on the Spiritual Path choose to retreat to monasteries and live a life sheltered from the world. For within those walls, the chances of being forced to deal with the reality of reality are far less possible.

         Personally, I too have spent time in a monastery, locked deeply within the walls of a religious group. One of the first things that shocked me was that I quickly came to realize that there were personality conflicts within these groups, as well.

At the time I came to realize this, I was sixteen years old and full of all of the youthful exuberance of someone newly walking the Spiritual Path. Though it shocked me at the time, it also caused me to realize that this is the reality of life and particularly life on the Spiritual Path. No matter how much you attempt to run and hide to be spiritual, the reality of life, ego, desire, and the definitions of humanity will come to find you.

It is important to understand that this is not bad or good. It is simply life. And, in life we are all destine to deal with Life-Stuff. So, running and/or hiding is never the answer. Sure, it can be nice to get a break from the daily grind. But, it will never free you from the Human Condition.

This being said, the ultimate truth is that all you can do is live your life as spiritually and as consciously as possible. When Life-Stuff comes at you, do what you can do to keep your focus on the spirituality—keep your gaze focused on enlightenment and try to gain new realization while learning from the experience(s). Perhaps you will learn a method to keep you from dealing with that same type of experience ever again.

The reality of life on the Spiritual Path is that we all must realize that we are no different, certainly no better than anyone else. All we are is someone who embraces the seeking of higher consciousness and attempts to make sense of the actions that take place in this place we call, “Life.”

So, when something comes that you don’t like… …And, it will come. Stay conscious, step back from the emotions that surround it, (especially if they are negative emotions), and embrace the essence of who you are—a spiritual being.

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness 

 

The Sanga By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

         In the Buddhist tradition it is taught that the Sanga or Spiritual Community is one of the primary elements that one should take into consideration as they walk upon the Spiritual Path. To put this understanding  into a more usable definition, the Sanga refers to the fact that, “You can know a person by the company that they keep.” Worldly people associate with worldly people and spiritual people associate with spiritual people.

         Throughout all spiritual traditions a person is told that they should let go of worldly friends and only associate with spiritually, like-minded people. On the surface, this sounds like a pretty good idea.

         Think about it… For the most part a spiritually inclined person is probably not going to get you into too much trouble as they probably don’t drink, do drugs, womanize (or manize), don’t party, and don’t do worldly activities that may have the tendency to lead you down the road to demise. Thus, you will probably remain fairly safe.

         But, at this juncture, the questions have to be raised, “What exactly is spiritual?” And, “Who is truly a spiritual person?” 

         This is the point where the novice on the Spiritual Path oftentimes becomes confused. For what appears to be spiritual is not always the truest representation of spirituality. And, those who appear to be holy are not necessarily that.

         Here in the west, the obvious examples of this are the priests who mess with young children. On all levels that is just wrong. There is no excuse and no justification for that type of action.

         Though these inappropriate actions have been at the forefront of the news over the past couple of decades, these actions have gone on literally forever. And, they have spanned all cultures and religious traditions.

         In fact, it is so common that a person in a position of religious authority takes advantage of a person, that is it almost universally unfathomable. But, it happens everyday.

         Add to this that these people are supposed representatives of god (or what ever figure a particular religions places as its most holy). From this, these people are provided with a license to do pretty much whatever they want and claim it as an act of god. Here lies one of the primary problems with the concept of Sanga.

At its heart, the Sanga ideology if fine. But, then add to it, the desirous mind of the human personality, and the concept and all of the good it may provide is completely lost.

         Watch the news when a priest or other religious figure is accused of inappropriate behavior and you will always see people stepping up to their defense. Then, when the accusations are proven to be true, the statements arrive, “I can’t believe it. He seemed like such a good man.” And so on…

         On the other side of the issue, as this type of behavior has become so prevalent, there are people who falsely claim that a person did something inappropriate to them, when, in fact, they did not. An individual does this simply to either take control over a person’s life or to make that person seem less to the masses. This may be based in anger, jealously, or an untold number of other emotions. But, at the end of the day it creates the same Life-Problem attributed to that of the wayward priest; namely, the actions of another destroy and forever alter the life of a person.

         Is this true spirituality?

At the heart of the Sanga is people. People by their very nature, their very design, are flawed.

The human race is based upon desire. People desire THINGS. These things may be physical; they may be spiritual. But, desire is the root cause of all things both good and bad in this place we call life.

         Some people desire objects. Some people desire love. Some people desire lust. Some people desire fulfillment. Some people desire enlightenment. But, no matter what the title, desire is desire.

         Though it is commonly understood that a Sanga is made up of specified group of people who desire the same thing. But, do they?

         Each person comes to the Sanga with their own unique set of life experiences. Each person comes to the Sanga with his or her own personality. Each person comes to the Sanga with his or her own set of desires. And though they may each be seeking a similar end-goal—though they each may desire a similar communal experience, each person is a unique and different entity. As such, they each add a particular set of variables to the overall equation.

         A Sanga is measured by the overall output of its amassed energy. Add one faulty person to a Sanga and that energy is damaged and altered forever.

         Each and every action we take not only affects ourselves and the overall evolution of our life but it also affects any of those we have interaction with.

What you do today equals the choices you will be presented with tomorrow.

Who you encounter today, leads you to the people you will interact with tomorrow.

As each person is their own unique entity, you can never judge and never assume what actions they will make from moment to moment. As such, though they may present themselves as a spiritual or as a worldly person, that image they present can never truly define who they are because that is simply a projection of how they want to be viewed by the world. It is not necessarily who they truly are.

The Sanga, in its concept, is an idealize image of a perfect community and support group. Though it sounds nice and no doubt can provide a positive learning experience, you must always keep your guard up, as you can never know what actions another person may take.

Ultimately, true spiritually is never defined by how a person appears to the world.  True spiritually is only known internally. It is only defined by the True Inner Self.

Find it in you. Not outside of you.

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

 The Sanga @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

Life is Defined by Availability By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

         I have long discussed the fact that life is defined by availability. What this means is that your life is defined by what you have available to you. Whether this is people, money, culture, language, beauty, size, learning opportunities, friends, family, or whatever, that is what ultimate makes you who and what you are and leads to who and what you will become.

         Some people are very good at pushing their opportunities of availability to the maximum limit. You see this in people who come from literally nothing and rise to the top of their profession. Many times, these are the people who are revered and even commonly referenced in the statement, “If they can do it, so can I.” But, in reality, this is not necessarily the case. Whatever it was that gave them that ability to rise to the top was also set in motion by their set of availability. Meaning, it was a combination of their personality, desire, drive; plus who and what they knew. Plus, what they have or had is not what you have or had.

         This is not to say that taking advantage of your particular set of availabilities is a bad thing. But, you cannot define yourself by what others have achieved. Moreover, you should not judge yourself or be hard on yourself due to what others have achieved and you have not—because if you are behaving in this manner, what you have set up is a mindset of self-deprecation, which only leads to a low opinion of self.  From this, all kinds of negative life events are given birth to.

         This being said, lack of life availability can also be seen as the one factors that holds each of us back from achieving our dreams. Lack of life availability is the ultimate demon of actualization.

         This is because of the fact, we are each a creature that embraces desire. Through our culture, through the time period in which we live, and through all the desires that we are told we are suppose to have, in combination with all of those we develop, desire is the common point for all of human existence.

         Our families tell us what they hope we will become. Our friends guide and share our desires as per our specific socioeconomic and cultural environment. And, we, in the quiet of our minds, focus on the dreams we hope to achieve and hold.

         Now, in terms of spirituality, it is commonly taught to, “Let go of desire.” And, this isn’t a bad ideology. But, it is much harder that the words proclaim.

         Desire is the defining factor of life. With this as a basis, you can either choose to live a life defined by desires—attempting to get everything that you want, which will make you live a life continually defined by gain and loss—leading to a constant state of un-peace. Or, you can choose to desire no desire. Each time a desire arises in your mind, you can beat it down. In both cases, though they arise from differing sides of the spectrum, you are defined by desire.

         Life is lived by availability. You are born, you are educated, and you are surrounded by a specific culture—all framed by a specific point in history. Within that framework you are provided with a very unique and specific set of circumstances. From this, you decide which desires you allow to rise. You can decide what you want to desire. Once you have decided what you want, defined by your family, your friends, and your culture, you will then decide to either pursuit it or decided that you can never have it. So, what is ultimately the point of its pursuit? In either case, what you do next will set the next group of availabilities in motion in your life.

         Most people do nothing. They do not try. They give up before they begin. Or, they try for a moment, decide it is too hard, and quit. This is not bad or good; it is simply a defining factor and a condition of the life of most people.

         Others, try and try. But, the sad truth is, they try for something that is unhavebable. For example, many go after relationships with people who do not want to be in a relationship with them. An, this is just bad. It haunts both of the lives and no good ever comes from it. Ask, receive a, “Yes,” or a “No,” and move on. In other cases, people go after careers that they were just not meant to possess. Many want stardom. They want to be on the silver screen. Or, want to have their music heard across the globe. And, these are just two examples that are common here in the twenties-first century. A few generations ago, these careers would not be a source of desire at all. And, in a few generations forward, they will probably fall by the wayside. These are just a couple of examples but they may provide you with the foundational idea of what is taking place.

         But, people don’t want small things. They want it, “All.” They go to all these lengths to get that, “All.” But, what does that, “All,” mean? You don’t know, because you’re not there. You only think that you know.

         Every life situation is completely different than expected. Every life situation you live, changes you forever.

         Relationships go bad. Then you don’t want them anymore. You’re sorry you ever got involved. Jobs and careers each take their toll on your body, your mind and your spirit—no matter how seemingly great they once appeared from the distance. You never, ever know until you know…

         The problem is, if you spend your life in purist, all you are left with is that pursuit.  If you do not achieve it, you will be sad and unfulfilled. If you do achieve it, and it is not what you thought it was going to be, you will be sad and unfulfilled. But, the reality is, in either case, this is life, what you do is what you do. What you live is ultimately what you lived. Your life is here for only a moment. Then it is gone.

         You are given a specific set of life availabilities. Maybe it is karma, a gift of god, a blessing, or a cure. But, the availabilities you are given are what you are given. Each step you take in life provides you with a new set of availabilities. Within the definition of those availabilities you must choose who you are and what you will do with them.

         You are given availabilities. Your life is lived by availability. What do you choose to do with them?

Copyright © 2012—All Rights Reserved

 

Life is Defined by Availability @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness

Consciousness By Scott Shaw

By Scott Shaw

Zen is a pathway of consciousness. The more consciously your live your life, the more direct your path towards spiritual realization.

Defining Consciousness

            People on the Spiritual Path commonly talk about consciousness. But, what is consciousness?  Many believe it to be some mystical state that can only be achieved by an ancient sage after years of meditation. This type of definition removes consciousness from the realms of the here and now. It makes it something distant and unobtainable and provides the framework for all kinds of justifications why you cannot become conscious, Right Here, Right Now.

As human beings, schooled by this modern world, we have, in fact, been guided away from consciousness. There are an untold number of distractions, self-orientated philosophies, and teachers who guide us towards selfishness, but not consciousness.

Consciousness must, therefore, be redeveloped by each of us.  This is accomplished by transcending the limitations of learned physical existence and evolving to a new level of universal awareness and understanding.

The Bathroom Detail

            When I was sixteen or seventeen I was asked to accompany a fellow disciple and professional electrician, whose spiritual name was Bhagwan, to the Montecito home of our guru, Swami Satchidananda. I was to assist in the installation of our Guru’s jacuzzi. Though I had spent a lot of time in the presence of my Guru, I had not been invited to his home. So, I was obviously filled with an untold amount of youthful exuberance.

Bhagwan and I arrived early in the morning and spent the day working on the jacuzzi. Occasionally Swamiji would come out, check on our progress, correct the logistical mistakes he thought Bhagwan had made, and occasionally make joke with me or pat me on the head. He was obviously amused that I was much younger than the majority of his disciple. I was still in High School...

This personalized interaction was, of course, a higher honor than I could ever have hoped for at that point in my life.

As the day concluded, we were scheduled to travel a few miles up the coast to Yogaville West, were Swamiji was to give a talk to his disciples. As we were a bit dirty, our Guru invited us to use his personal bathroom to clean up. This was a blessing of an unparalleled degree. When I later related this fact to the other disciples, their jaws all dropped in disbelief that we were allowed to use the Guru’s bathroom.

Bhagwan was the first in. He took seemingly forever. I sat on Gurudev’s bed, anxiously waiting, knowing that Bhagwan was taking way too long. When I finally was allowed in, the bathroom was a mess. Bhagwan had left dirty water all over the sink, the dirty towels he had whipped his hands with were thrown haphazardly on the ground. I couldn’t believe it! I immediately got to work cleaning up his mess. Approximately two minutes into the job, a knock came upon the door and Swamji’s secretary said I really needed to hurry up, as Gurudev needed to get ready. So, I had only a moment or two to finish my clean up of Bhagwan’s mess and to wash my own hands.

I exited none too happy with my spiritual brother. I mean, how could he do that?  Make a mess and leave it for me to clean up. And, he made me look I was the one taking way too long...

I was very young and naive so I keep my opinions to myself, as he was in his early thirties with a family and a job. But even then, I understood conscious verse unconscious actions.

Not to be critical of any individual, but we all possess our own set of foundations. Me, I was taught that you should not make a mess in someone else’s house. Bhagwan, even though he possessed the outward appearance of walking the Spiritual Path, obviously had not learned the same lesson—nor had he opened himself up to the level of consciousness where you take other people into consideration.

The First Step to Consciousness

            You must begin at the beginning. The first step on your path of consciousness begins with your foundations—with what you already know.

You must study yourself and detail how you have learned to act and react to situations. For example, what would you have done if you found yourself in the aforementioned situation? How would you have naturally reacted?

Once you have defined these areas of your personality, you must consciously decide if they are right or if they are wrong.

Each of us will find areas that appear to be fine and other areas where we know we need to change. This is the point where you make your first conscious decision to make the person you are into the more universally conscious person you hope to become.

This is not necessarily easy. For we have all learned how to react certain ways—encounter specific situations with a particular attitude and interact with people in a prescribed manner. For the most part, this education never took place in a formal manner. We, as children and young adults, learn how to treat people and encounter situations from those around us. In many cases, we learned from people whose lifestyles were in complete contrast to consciousness. Thus, you must focus and motivate your own change.

Change does not occur overnight. It must be practiced.

This is where your first formalized steps into consciousness take place. You must decide to alter an area of your own personality and then do it.

If you slip and retreat to your old patterns of behavior, don’t beat yourself up about it. Simply realize that you are on the Spiritual Path. The Spiritual Path is a step-by-step road to realization. You are now taking the initial steps you need to becoming the more conscious individual you know will emerge.

Keep in mind, that this preliminary step to consciousness is essentially important. For without a complete internal assessment, you can never hope to truly know yourself. You will simply pass through life reacting unconsciously to whatever situation you may encounter. This is the most animalistic level of human evolution.

Without knowing self, you can never transcend self. Transcendence requires that you know what you are ascending from and where you are ascending to. Thus, knowing you, is the first step of refined consciousness.

           

R. Buckminster Fuller

            When I was an undergraduate at California State University, Northridge, I observed another interesting occurrence, which delineated varying levels of consciousness. R. Buckminster Fuller, one of the greatest analytical minds of the twentieth century, came to speak at my campus. The hall was stuffed beyond capacity and they were not allowing anyone else to enter. I was not willing to be turned away, however, so I eventually found my way up to the second level mezzanine where the spotlights found their source. From there, I could see and hear him fine.

He began his talk at about 12:30. A little before 1:00, half of the audience began to get up and leave. He asked, “Where are you going?” “To class,” was the answer, which rang from the mobile audience. “Why are you going to class,” Bucky exclaimed. “They have nothing to teach you.  But, I do!”  Unfazed, the exodus continued.

I was standing there in disbelief—nobody even knew what Bucky was about. He was just a name and a lecture to attend during lunch.

For me, this optimized the perfect example of unfocused consciousness. You do something for the doing, with no mental content.

The lecture proceeded with half of the auditorium empty.

The Second Step to Consciousness

            The second step to consciousness is to consciously perform all actions.

To focus your consciousness you must make all of your actions as precise as possible. This is how all of the great spiritual teachers have truly given something to this world.

As long as you do not think or do not care, your acts will forever remain simply unconscious actions. Unconscious actions only cause reactions.

If you wish your acts to transcend the limitations of this material world, you must do whatever it is you do from a perspective of pure one pointed consciousness.

Doing things conscious is not as easy as it may sound. For example, think about the brown rice you prepare. When you wash your rice before you cook it, do you ever allow a few grains to fall into the sink and be swept away?  If so, think about this next time you are hungry. How many of those grains of rice, that you have unconsciously let slip away, would it take to fill your stomach?

This is obviously simply an example. But, if you wish to enter the realms of true consciousness you must do everything you do in a very refined manner.

There will always be mental justifications to forgive yourself for the unconscious actions you take if you allow yourself to accept them. If, on the other hand, you choose to live a life of consciousness, those justifications can never be embraced.

The Third Step to Consciousness

            The next step in ascending consciousness is you must ask yourself, “What are you doing with your life?” If you cannot answer that question, you are not walking the path of consciousness. Thus, you must take the time to sit down and define what is going on around you. Formally designate what has taken place in your life and what has led you to where you are today.

The best way to do this is to actually write it down so it is in front of you in black and white and can be studied. From this, you will gain perspective. From perspective you can conclude how you have ended up where you have ended up.  Thus, you can chart the next step in your life from a place of consciousness.

Once the first question is answered, you must then ask yourself, “Why you are doing what you are doing?” Because without formulated reasoning, what you are doing is simple what you are doing. It is not performed consciously.

Nobody can tell you why you are doing what you are doing. Not religion, not astrology, not your loved ones.  You are you.  Each person is based in a secular consciousness. You have lived what you have live. These factors have defined the person you have become. Before you can transcend the limitations of self, you must know who self is.

So, at this point, acutely detail why you are doing what you are doing. You may like what you find. If so, then nothing needs changing. If not, then you must be the one to consciously make that change.

The biggest mistake that people commonly make at this stage of life analysis is that they decide they hate their job, hate their mate, hate their life and they throw it all to the wind.  This is not consciousness.

From a perspective of consciousness you make changes to your life consciously. You chart out your actions, how they will affect others, and then you move towards a desired end in a slow controlled manner. From this, you do not damage the lives of others, nor do you leave yourself destitute.

The Forth Step to Consciousness

            This is the stage where you begin to formalize your spiritual pathway. Though you have no doubt been walking the Spiritual Path throughout each of the previous stages, at this point you formally make it the defining element to your life.

Many people believe to do this that they must leave the material world behind and move to an Ashram or go to India, Nepal, Thailand, or Japan. This is incorrect.

Going is only going. Though you may have new experiences, you may even have fun, going is not the pathway to consciousness, as going is based in desire.

In Zen we understand that everything you need to find spiritual enlightenment is Right Here, Right Now. Going only takes you away from the here and the now.  Thus, going never leads to Nirvana.

To become consciously spiritual, is to accept.

Life is life and there will be trials and tribulations. Many people falsely believe that they should not happen to a spiritual person. Yet, they do.

Embracing truly conscious spirituality is about accepting the perfection. Knowing that all is as it should be. If you want things to be different you are only embracing a mindset bound by desire.

The consciously spiritual person understands that by letting go of desires, they will be joyous at any life occurrence, as they will see it as a pathway to further refinement of consciousness.

Consciousness Unconsciousness

            There are some people who walk the path of spirituality and place reasoning behind their unconsciousness. They provided seemingly poetic statement to justify their unconscious actions. “I am just doing what I am doing—simply a leave which has enter the stream of life and am flowing as nature guides me.”

Yes, you can place a leave in the stream and, yes, it will flow until it reaches the ocean or is stopped by some obstacle.  But, does it care that it is flowing in the stream? No, it does not. It is simply flowing the path that was laid out before it, with lack of consciousness.

To consciously enter the stream of life is very different from unconsciously ending up in the stream of life and ending up wherever it is you end up. This is why you must take control and refine your consciousness.

The refinement of consciousness can only begin with you. Ultimately, consciousness is how you interact with this place we call life. Consciousness is the thoughts you think, leading to the actions you take. Consciousness is what you do and how your do it. Consciousness is your choice.

           Choose to live consciously and Nirvana becomes obvious.

This article can also be found on Scott Shaw.com at: Consciousness

Scott Shaw Writings on Zen, Yoga, and Human Consciousness