4-Retreat Centres.odt

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Notebooks of Paul Brunton> Category 3: Relax and Retreat> Chapter 4: Retreat Centres

Retreat Centres1

Those who l!e n ths world" #ust a$$ept ts pans wth ts gans%%they $annot ha!e one

wthout the other& 'nd ths apples (ust as #u$h to those who l!e n the )uet of

#onasteres or ashra#s as to those who l!e n the tur#ol of large $tes& But the #enand wo#en who ha!e wthdrawn do ha!e ths ad!antage: that they g!e the#sel!es

so#e t#e to look at the spe$ta$le and study the words of prophets or tea$hers who

understand t" and refle$t on how they ought to a$t n t& Conse)uently" they are n a

better poston to forestall a!odable sufferng and self%$aused trouble& Ne!ertheless" f

ther pans are less" ther gans n a worldly sense are less too& The nward gan of

#ental pea$e wll $o#pensate for that" f they fnd t&

*

The d!ne power s not less present n the ho#e or the off$e than n the $hur$h or the

#onastery& +f we do not fnd ths so" t s be$ause we are #ore ready and #ore wllng to

g!e attenton to t n the one than n the other&

3

+f a sprtual $entre%%be t ashra#" $hur$h" or te#ple%%be establshed" ts purpose should

be to re$e!e plgr#s dong re!eren$e and students seekng knowledge&

4

The noton that sprtual lfe #ust be sought only n the $losters s a wrong one&

,

-onasteres and ashra#s really exst for the sake of sprtual no!$es who are strugglng

to attan the lfe of #edtaton& .hen" howe!er" they be$o#e sprtually #ature theywould do well to lea!e these pla$es of gregarous retreat wh$h ha!e now be$o#e

hndran$es rather than helps (ust as they left the busy world tself when the latter

be$a#e a hndran$e&

/

The #onk has the ad!antage of l!ng n an external at#osphere wh$h does not draw

out hs lower nature by ts e#phass on lower thngs& 0e has the benefts of an

en!ron#ent wh$h s frendly to hs hgher aspratons&

.hether we prefer $o##unal lfe or soltary lfe s not the essen$e of the #atter" forboth be$o#e expressons of what we feel at the t#e&

2

+t s not by renoun$ng the world lke a #onk that he fulfls h#self but by refndng the

world lke a phlosopher& or the new #eanngs that he sees n t and the new lght by

wh$h he looks at t" render flght fro# t )ute unne$essary&

The world #ust be fully understood before t $an be fully deserted& .hoe!er #akes a

pre#ature renun$aton wll be sub(e$t to tor#entng nner $onfl$t&

15

-ost #yst$al $reeds say that we mustlea!e the world f we want sprtual fulfl#ent&
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Phlosophy says we #ay l!e n t or lea!e t%%that s not the pont" not the ssue&

6nderstand what you are and what the world s7 then only wll fulfl#ent $o#e&

11

Nearly sxty years ago Perre 8ot9 pred$ted that the $onte#plat!e lfe would !ansh

before long& +t al#ost dd%%n the onrush of #odern progress%%but the wars and other

a$t!tes" espe$ally the personal efforts of seers" sa!ed t&

1*

;o#e enlghtened souls are to be found nsde the walls of $lostered #onasteres but

others are to be found outsde the#&

13

-ost #en and wo#en are engaged n the world


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and drawn ther strength fro# #onast$ and $on!entual nsttutons& They should be

pla$ed n the )uet $ountrysde not too far fro# a $ty" so that a$$ess to the# for !sts

by those $o#pelled to l!e n the $tes should be possble& They should ha!e pleasant

walks n old%world gardens and stone%flagged paths wth ben$hes here and there& They

should ha!e lbrares" #edtaton halls" and le$ture roo#s& They need not be bare and

ugly" t s good f they are pleasantly as$et$& +nstru$ton should be a!alable there" not

only for the few per#anent resdents" but for the #any !stors who $o#e there seekngrepose and sprtual knowledge& or the sake of those who fnd t dff$ult or #possble

to get away fro# $ty lfe" so#e should be bult wthn a $ty" preferably on a sde street"

away fro# traff$ wth hgh th$k walls around&

+f the roo#s are kept spotlessly $lean" f the de$oratons are $heerful and not gloo#y" f

there s so#e s#ple $o#fort there" f the ds$plne s gentle and not lke that of an

ar#y barra$k


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What is needed today?

*

The #odern sprt does not fa!our #onast$s#" does not appro!e the reln)ush#ent of

outward o$$upatons for $onstant $onte#platon& 'nd #odern #yst$s# endorses ths

atttude& +t says stay n the world" but preser!e a half hour daly as a refuge fro# the

world& 0old on to worldly relatons but regard the# n a new and nobler lght& nly thefoolsh as$et$ wll despse the senses& They are natural and ne$essary& ' wser #an wll

despse ther beng allowed to run away wth reason& The as$et$ wll ral as he has

raled sn$e hstory began at $o#fort" ease" and luxury& The wser #an wll a$$ept the#

all and ral only at the weakness wh$h would #ake the# essental to hs exsten$e&

35

The #odern age has less use for the nsttuton of #onast$s# than the #ede!al age"

and n ths #atter the #odern age s rght& 8et t not be led astray by those who ha!e

$o##tted the#sel!es to an an$ent tradton #erely be$ause t s an$ent& 8et the# set

up the #onk as the perfe$t type f they wsh& 8et the# adopt the holer%than%thou

atttude& But the generalty of #odern #en should not #tate the#& .ho ad#nsteredand $arred out the work of the +n)ustonA +t was a #onast$ order" the o#n$ans&

They pra$tsed fero$ty and dened $harty" all n the na#e of =od& 'nd they dd t wth

a terrble earnestness& -er$y was unknown to ther shr!elled hearts& Today


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sa!ngs" de!otng the rest of ther lfe to the study and #edtaton needed&

3,

.here s the #odern Duro%'#er$an who s lu$ky enough to be able to wthdraw fro#

the ga#e" unless he wthdraws nto a #onasteryA 'n expedent lke ths #ay be

pra$t$al enough for an +ndan" but not so for h#&

3/

+t see#ngly would be futle and rrele!ant to ndulge n $ontro!ersy aganst the

upholders of #yst$s# and as$et$s#& These are not l!e proble#s for #odern #an&

But the spread of 0ndu $ults n the .est ad!o$atng the# #ay #ake the# so before

long&

3

The old #ethods of segregatng a spe$al $lass nto ashra#s and #onasteres s unsuted

to twenteth%$entury $ondtons&

32The need today s for Chrst #ltant" for the sprtual9aton of lfe n the world and not

for flght fro# the world&

3

Those who serously suggest that we should return to the ways of the desert fathers of

ant)uty and $opy the outer l!es of #ede!al as$et$s are not dong what s best for us&

45

The #onast$ soluton s not $ongenal to the #odern te#pera#ent" wh$h s unwllng

to endure the asso$ated hardshp and ds$o#fort& Then why s t that #ore new

#onasteres and $on!ents are beng bult n the 6nted ;tates and Dngland to

a$$o##odate appl$ants whereas exstng ones n -ount 'thos and the =reek #anland

are be$o#ng e#pter and e#pter as new re$ruts fal to appearA

41

The new age de#ands new #ethods& The day of #onasteres s o!er but the tranng

wh$h #en re$e!ed n the# s not o!er& +nsttutons #ust arse where #en $an re$e!e a

#onast$ ds$plne" a sprtual tranng wh$h #ay last three weeks at a stret$h or e!en

three years but wh$h wll end& Then they wll return to the world" but they wll work

wth $lear eyes" lofty deals" and $lean hands&

4*

+f" n those $entures when lfe was s#pler and en!ron#ents #ore relgous" #en

found t ne$essary to desert the world" how #u$h #ore are they lkely to do so n ths

$entury" when lfe s $o#pl$ated and en!ron#ents #ore #ateralst$

43

.hat s needed n the .est today are houses of retreat" )uet pla$es n the $ountry" free

fro# the noses of a $ty" where persons who are #entally and te#pera#entally ready

and who are prepared to l!e wth so#e #easure of as$et$ restrant #ay pass a short or

long t#e n study and #edtaton wthout enterng a #onast$ order and wthout

sub#ttng to old dog#at$ relgons& +n these retreats #en $an work at $leansng

the#sel!es fro# the stans" and healng the#sel!es fro# the wounds" wth wh$hexsten$e n the world has #arked the#& +n these prote$t!e nests they $an nurture deals

whose heght and etherealty would see# #possble to the #ana$led den9ens of that

world& 'ny wealthy person who de!otes so#e part of hs fortune to foundng su$h
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establsh#ents wll $ertanly #ake so#e fa!ourable destny for h#self&

44

These houses of retreat ought to be of a se#%#onast$ $hara$ter" and used only for

sprtual purposes&

4,Retreats should exst as pla$es of te#porary refuge for the #entally dstressed seekng

pea$e" as pla$es of te#porary refresh#ent for the sprtually asprng n need of

fellowshp" and as pla$es of te#porary nstru$ton for the students of #yst$s# n need

of a #aster&

4/

-odern $!l9aton renders t harder and harder to fnd a )uet lo$ale n any $ty& 'nd"

now" the n!ason of $ountrysde regons s brngng about the sa#e $ondton there& The

nose%lo!ers are well%ser!ed: the slen$e%seekers are gnored& .hoe!er wants $onta$t

wth nner stllness #ust be ether a #llonare" who $an surround h#self wth plenty

of spa$e" or a #onk" who $an hde h#self n a #onastery& +s there no soluton to thsproble# for the non%#llonare and non%#onkA + know of none that s $o#plete7 but a

partal one s offered by the Retreat%Plan& +f ths s to be ndependent" n!ol!ed n no

$reed" $ult" dog#a" or organ9aton" e!en ths would need fnan$al support for ts

$reaton" but $ould keep tself thereafter by $harges to those who use t&

4

+n ths wde $ultural approa$h wh$h phlosophy re$o##ends" there s no roo# for

pre(ud$e" bas" fanat$s#& Pla$es of sprtual retreat are begnnng to appear n ordnary

lay so$ety" and they are !ery #u$h needed and $an perfor# a useful ser!$e7 but the

less they are lnked wth tradtonal or untradtonal relgons" organ9atons" or

#o!e#ents" the #ore useful wll be that ser!$e& There are enough pla$es for those whowsh to atta$h the#sel!es to organ9atons& 8et there be pla$es for those who wsh to

re#an un$o##tted but who seek slen$e n a nosy world" hgh knowledge n an

gnorant world" and nner pea$e n a tense world&

42

The #odern world rushes on wth ts work and pleasure" wth ts #ere exsten$e& .here

s the t#e n all ths tenson for nner stllnessA +t suffers fro# sprtual #alnutrton:

and t s l!ng only half a lfe& But an e)ually bad result of ths s the spread of #ental

s$kness" wh$h s fllng hosptals and nsttutons wth patents and $reatng ntra$table

so$al proble#s& ' begnnng #ust be #ade wth pro!dng )uet pla$es where a $hange

of at#osphere $an be had" where the world $an be let go for a few #nutes" where aperson $an #edtate on hgher $on$erns& Chur$hes ought" of $ourse" be the frst to offer

su$h retreats" but other pla$es" non%deno#natonal n $hara$ter" wll stll be needed&

4

.hat s needed by the .est s an nsttuton to supple#ent" $o%operate wth" $hur$hes"

$hapels" synagogues" where people $ould go nto $reat!e retreat" nto stllness" for short

perods&

,5

.e need su$h santaru#s to restore us to true santy&

,1

Pla$es are needed where asprants $an !st for perods of study and #edtaton" free
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fro# distractions" interferences" and oppositions&

,*

' #yst$al !ory tower nto wh$h one $an retreat when the world


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/5

.hether a #an renoun$es the world for a #onast$ lfe s so#et#es a #atter of

expeden$y" of what s #ost $on!enent to h# at the t#e& +f he has spent #any years

already n busy a$t!ty" he wll naturally fnd t #ore helpful to wthdraw fro# t for

study and #edtaton& But f hs oblgatons and responsbltes are su$h that he $annot

desert the# wthout the )ueston of rght and wrong arsng" then t s not a #atter of

expeden$y& 0e #ust then $onsder well the eth$al !ew of hs stuaton&

/1

The #ede!al Chnese syste# dd not allow anyone and e!eryone who felt so n$lned to

enter and dwell n Buddhst #onasteres& That was a pr!lege granted only to learned

s$holars" who were frst exa#ned and $ertf$ated to show ther $o#peten$e& ;u$h

eager seekers after knowledge $ould be trusted to use soltude and )uetude for ther

proper purposes of study and #edtaton" whereas others were lkely to use the# for

#proper purposes" for ndolen$e and parasts#& .hen the syste# lapsed" the general

deteroraton of the #onks pro!ed the need of su$h pre$autonary #easures&

/*The #an who has ne!er been te#pted to rse abo!e h#self" ne!er yearned for #ore

rays of lght to penetrate the dark roo# of hs lfe" wll not be able to understand why

other #en and wo#en ha!e forsaken the#sel!es or fled the world n sear$h of =od&

/3

+f the purpose of shuttng h#self n a #onast$ !ory tower s self%tranng n

#edtatng" self%#pro!e#ent n $hara$ter" study" and refle$ton" only that he #ght

e#erge later to apply and test and g!e what he has ganed to the world" then t s a rght

purpose& +f he takes to retre#ent not only for ts own sake" but also that he #ay exhbt

ts results n a$t!ty" then none $an bla#e h#&

/4

The retreat nto the personal soltude of desert or #ountan and the retre#ent nto the

fraternal #onastery of a holy order are outstandng so$al features of an as$et$s#

wh$h frowns upon the world as ;atan


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pea$e wh$h led h# nto the ashra# #ay one day lead h# out of t agan& That #an

alone $an su$$essfully g!e up the world who no longer wants the world" not he who s

dsapponted n what he wants fro# t&

/

+t s possble to perfor# the sa#e a$t for two !ery dfferent reasons& ne #ay wthdraw

fro# the world be$ause he fnds ts stuatons unendurable and ts goals unreal9able%%nshort" be$ause he s a falure& +f he then takes an es$apst path" he has the rght to do so&

The retreat wll $ertanly $o#fort h# and #ay refresh hs energes for a further and

later atte#pt& But t stll lea!es hs $entral proble# unsol!ed& The def$en$es or

weaknesses wthn h#self wh$h led to hs defeat are stll there& 'nother #an #ay

retre be$ause he s well on the way to fulfllng a#btons and satsfyng desres%%n

short" be$ause he s a su$$ess& But he s not de$e!ed by all ths& 0e has taken a proper

#easure of earthly !alues" and found the# wantng& Both #en had the rght to wthdraw

nto a lfe of #edtaton& But the frst one dd so pre#aturely&

/2

They $o#e to these ashra#s and $on!ents ether n e#bttered $onte#pt as refugeesfro# the world" or else n naE!e expe$taton as asprants desrng #yst$al e$stases&

/

There see#s" n the eyes of a $ertan #entalty" both ntelle$tual safety and e#otonal

se$urty n wthdrawng to an ashra# or #onastery&

5

There are two knds of pass!ty and es$aps#& The wrong one arses fro# a la$k of the

energy" knowledge" or $ourage wherewth to $ope wth lfe or fro# a sense of defeats#

after a seres of falures or fro# the nerta of a drea#y te#pera#ent&

1

+t s ron$ that the e#oton of pess#s# and dslluson#ent wh$h dr!es so #any

persons nto #onasteres dr!es others out of #onasteres

*

The $orrupton and n)uty of the world #ay lead a #an by rea$ton to phlosophy" but

the latter need not re#o!e h# fro# the world&

3

The #edtat!e lfe #ay en$ourage la9ness and ds$ourage ser!$e n so#e

te#pera#ents" but t $annot do so n those who ha!e understood" a$$epted" and gudedthe#sel!es by the prn$ples of Phlosophy&

4

bser!atons n these #onasteres and ashra#s showed that although #ost of the

#e#bers $a#e there out of ther sprtual need" so#e $a#e hopng to fnd a knd of

nsuran$e and se$urty for the rest of ther l!es" whle a few $a#e to fnd an easer way

of lfe than strugglng n and wth the world&

,

n$e a young #an leapt on the tran wh$h was $arryng #e out of ;ngapore and

nssted on tra!ellng wth #e all the way to Penang& 0e was so#ewhat ex$ted andde$lared that he felt a strong urge to renoun$e the world and that he wanted to atta$h

h#self to #y ser!$e forthwth as the nauguraton of su$h a new lfe of retreat and

#edtaton& + ga!e h# what good $ounsel + $ould but" beng defeated n hs purpose


10/24

wth #e" he gnored t and e#grated to ;outh +nda where he (oned a $ertan #onast$

'shra#& ' year later he was ho#e agan n ;ngapore" dsapponted n hs expe$tatons

of t and stll far fro# the pea$e he sought& +n $hastened #ood" he wrote #e a letter

belatedly pro#sng to follow the $ounsel + had orgnally g!en h#%%to do so#e

ne$essary preparatory work on h#self whle n the world before he tred to lea!e the

world&

/

Non%$ooperat!e es$aps# s e#pty" a refuge for the ndolent&

.hat s a hard way for one #an" retrng fro# the world to seek =od" and n$urrng

greater sufferng than re#anng n t" s an easer way for another #an& ;o#e fnd the

world


11/24

earnng a l!elhood" to spend ther whole lfe n #ateralst$ surroundngs" to fall n

wth the ex$ess!ely extro!erted atttudes of today" wll naturally desre to take

ad!antage of the frst opportunty to re!erse ths trend and g!e the#sel!es up to an

nterlude of soltude" #edtaton" study" and sprtual $o#panonshp& or su$h" the

#onast$ retreat has a (ustfed exsten$e and a defnte !alue&

2,;o#e wthdraw fro# so$ety as the only way to preser!e ther nd!dualty and prote$t

ther ndependen$e n a sear$h for truth&

2/

The deeply berea!ed" the sorely affl$ted" and the e#otonally exhausted need ths

#onast$ es$ape fro# the world as #u$h as the relgously asprng and the nnately

as$et$& 'nd f they $hoose to re#an n after the orgnal pressure has faded out of #nd

or heart" rather than return to the world" that s ther freedo# of $ho$e& +f only as a

sy#bol" as a re#nder" there s a defnte pla$e for the #onastery" $on!ent" and ashra#&

2To wthdraw fro# the $o##unty of worldly so$ety nto the $o##unty of #onast$

so$ety" or nto the soltude of one


12/24

3

'ny $rt$s# + ha!e #ade n the past of #onast$ nsttutons and ashra#s s not to be

taken as a refusal to see ther post!e !alue& f $ourse they fll a needed pla$e n the

relgous s$he#e& They sut those who need to be guded and led n all detals of thought

and deed%%who appre$ate rules and regulatons to wh$h they $an g!e un)uestonng

obeden$e& + a# by te#pera#ent unsuted or unable to ad(ust to su$h nsttutons" an

ndependent needng freedo#" unftted for $o##unty lfe" unwllng to stop thnkngfor #yself& But #ost persons are not lke that and should $ertanly follow ther way&

4

.thout nner strength the te#ptatons of the world #ay pro!e too #u$h for h#" or at

least for hs thoughts& .thout outer kndness hs lfe n the world #ay pro!e too

abras!e& The wthdrawn way #ay see# #ore pra$t$al and prudent& But t s so only for

a t#e&

,

+f the world


13/24

that takng #onast$ !ows or renoun$ng the world to be$o#e a $elbate re$luse" a

prayng and #edtatng #onk isa$tually to apply the hgher phase and do$trne of the

relgon& +t s regarded as the next step for anyone who s really serous about hs )uest

for =od" and deeply earnest about hs fath& +t s pra$tsed relgon on the hghest le!el&

15*

0as he not the rght to g!e up the endless struggle aganst the world" wh$h keepse!eryone down to hs lowest le!elsA

153

+t s not lkely to be easy n ths harsh yet te#ptng world" so they #ay be ex$used for

#o!ng nto #onasteres f they are #en" nto $on!ents f they are wo#en" or nto

$o##unes f they prefer to #x the sexes&

154

n the post!e sde a #onastery wll not only shelter h# aganst the #ateralst$

world but also support h# n hs endea!ours& Ths s the theory& .hat happens n

pra$t$e s another #atter so#et#es&

15,

espte all the theor9ng n Fen Buddhs# about ts resent#ent of regulatons #posed

fro# outsde and ts rebellon aganst for#s wh$h ha#per freedo#" n the pra$t$al

needs of e!eryday l!ng e!ery nhabtant of a Fen #onastery has to sub#t to

ds$plnary regulatons to $onfor# hs $ondu$t to set patterns and to shape hs a$t!tes

to spe$fed patterns&

15/

Co##unal lfe attra$ts begnners but to say that t s ne$essary s to re(e$t the lessons

re$orded n hstory and bography& ' $o##unty s good or helpful to those who lke t"who feel helped by ts useful features" but t s not so good for the #ore ad!an$ed

persons& 'fter spendng se!en years n #onast$ lfe Tho#as -erton $alled out slently

but !ehe#ently to =od for soltude&

15

+f the return to nature and the s#ple lfe #eans nothng better than l!ng as sa!ages

l!e%%a pr#t!e an#al exsten$e" un$!l9ed" un$ultured" unaesthet$%%then ts denal

of ntelle$t" art" and $o#fort s #ere retrogresson& .hen the sprtual for$es

o!erwhel#ed the young lad of se!enteen who later be$a#e Ra#ana -aharsh of ;outh

+nda" he fled hs !llage and e!entually fnshed up n a $a!e on a #ountansde& People

today ad#re ths sprtualty& But he h#self on$e re#arked to #e: 0ad + then knownwhat + knew n later years + would not ha!e left ho#e

152

+n the Tbetan re$ords of the Buddha" t s expressly #entoned that he sent out apostles

to spread the do$trne that would help all $reaton& Thus" e!en =auta#a" the founder

of #onasteres" dd not ntend the# to be$o#e pla$es wholly g!en o!er to self%$entered

sprtual de!elop#ent alone& 0e knew that the truth s really for all" be$ause t $an

beneft all7 t s not #erely for her#ts and #onks& D!en where he turned nu#bers of

#en nto #onks" he dd not wholly wthdraw the# fro# so$ety but lad down a rule

that they should ser!e the useful purpose of beng sprtual tea$hers&

15

ather Theo$letos" se$retary of the -onastery of onysou on -ount 'thos" shrewdly


14/24

obser!ed that the $o##unal #onasteres are suted to sprtual $hldren" where the

prel#nary work of nstru$ton and purf$aton enabled no!$es to get rd of bad

thoughts and passons to an extent suff$ent to enable the# to pass on to the hgher

stage of re$luses l!ng alone or n pars n $ottages or huts and en(oyng #yst$al

experen$es&

115Terese" the ;ant of 8seux" $onfessed on her deathbed: .hat + ha!e #ost suffered

fro# n #y relgous lfe" phys$ally" s the $old& + suffered fro# t tll + thought + should

de& .hat need dd ths poor grl ha!e of su$h tor#ents" when her sole longng was for

the d!ne" non%phys$al" unonA 0ow unne$essary and how $ruel the reg#e to wh$h

she was sub(e$ted&

111

+ re$ently !sted a $on!ent n ;pan where the stru$ture was #u$h the sa#e as t had

been when bult n the #ede!al perod" ex$ept perhaps for the addton of ele$tr$ lght"

where the nuns stll wore the sa#e hea!y" $oarse" and ugly dress wh$h was pres$rbed

at the t#e" and where the daly progra# of ser!$es" prayers" $onte#platon" and workwas stll #u$h the sa#e as then& They were a !ery poor rder" and l!ed n str$t

se$luson" so that + had to speak to the# through a spe$al grlle& .hen + asked" 're

you happyA all thrty%sx of the# ex$la#ed as wth one !o$e" @D; and laughed

and gggled a#ong the#sel!es&

11*

0o#age to the greatness of the Conte#plat!e rders" espe$ally the Dn$losed rders

wthn the Cathol$ Chur$h" n$ludng nuns and #onks& Ths s not to be $onfused wth

apprasal of the Cathol$ fath and dog#a& + fnd that n #edtaton pra$t$e and n

personal holness so#e of ther #e#bers ha!e tou$hed le!els not less hgh than those

tou$hed by 0ndu and Buddhst #onks" nuns" and her#ts&

113

;hankara$harya lad down a three%day #ax#u# perod for !sts to hs ashra#&

114

.hen one re#e#bers the long stret$hes of pra$t$e n the Car#elte #onastery at

Ro)uebrun or the 8endo hall at Ga#adura" where hour slps nto hour but the #onks

re#an persstent n ther #edtaton" the few #nutes that #ost .estern begnners

#anage to fnd for ther own endea!ours see# rd$ulous&

11,+t s true that there are #any es$apsts who l!e n a drea# world of ther own who ha!e

taken refuge n #yst$s#" but t s also true that there are so#e sprtual realsts who

ha!e found n #yst$s# nspraton and en$ourage#ent for ther strugglng a$t!tes n

the world& The $elebrated ;pansh #yst$" ;ant Theresa" was one exa#ple of ths& ;he

understood ths te$hn)ue of d!n9ed work thoroughly& ;he dd not be$o#e a futle

drea#er or a pous #be$le& n the $ontrary" she establshed foundatons n a #anner

that testfed to her pra$t$al ablty and exe$ut!e $apa$ty&

11/

-xng two $astes together #ay put both ll at ease& ather -aurus told the story of a

#onk at a ;$ottsh #onastery who one suppert#e suddenly rose to hs feet ands#ashed hs platter o!er the head of the #onk next to h#& 0e


15/24

soup&

11

-onasteres began to appear throughout the Duropean and Near Dastern world as a

result of the $ru#blng of $!l9aton" of the dsgust wth $ondtons n the world" and of

the feelng that the only way to a #od$u# of happness was through the nner lfe&

112

The $on!entual lfe" though usually pro!dng only for the bare ne$esstes of nuns" was

so#et#es #anaged wth #ore hu#ane $onsderaton and shrewder understandng& +n

the new se!enteenth $entury $on!ent of 'na$apr the re$ruts $a#e fro# well%born

fa#les so they were thoughtfully pro!ded wth sutes of roo#s ea$h wth ts own

ser!ant&

Problems, limitations

11

.hen #onast$s# $on)uered those who took ther sprtual aspraton serously" t drew

the nner lfe away fro# the outer one" #ade t see# an entrely separate and

un$onne$ted thng& Ths error was dsastrous for those left behnd n the world


16/24

t renserts ts $la# to be not$ed" dealt wth" and understood& 0e #ust $o#e to

re$ogn9e ts pla$e n the !ne .orld%+dea%%that t mustha!e su$h a pla$e& 0e $annot

do otherwse&

1*,

+t s one thng to feel sprtually #nded or e!en sprtually aware only under the spe$al

$ondtons of a #onastery" a retreat" rural )uet" or #ountan top but )ute another to doso under the e!eryday l!ng $ondtons of a $ty" a fa$tory" a hotel" or an nhar#onous

ho#e&

1*/

The world g!es h# a $han$e to apply what he has learnt n retreat& +f the new !alues

wh$h #anfested the#sel!es as the fruts of hs #edtaton $an endure the sear$hng

tests of so$ety and a$t!ty" then they are truly hs& +f not" then he wll know that he has

stll to str!e #ore fully for the#&

1*

0e who $an fnd the d!ne presen$e only n a #onastery" an ashra#" or a $a!e" has stllto fnsh hs )uest& +f he does ths" he wll ds$o!er the #onastery to be no better than

the world" a$t!ty no worse than $onte#platon&

1*2

There s a danger that the at#osphere of goodness e!oked and $ult!ated n #onast$

nsttutons #ay be$o#e artf$al and studed& =oodness be$o#es #ore natural when t

s l!ed out and tested n the busy haunts of #en&

1*

The pea$e wh$h depends on takng refuge n #onastery or $a!e s )uestonable" for t

#ay not be pea$e but es$aps#& The pea$e wh$h re#ans ada#antne n busy townsand unshattered by $onstant work s un)uestonably the true pea$e& +t wll ha!e ths

ad!antage o!er the other knd" that t wll be so strong and stable that t $an nether be

shaken by unexpe$ted atta$k nor o!erthrown by unexpe$ted te#ptaton&

135

+t s open to )ueston as to who gans a better perspe$t!e on lfe and a truer proporton

of ts experen$es%%the #an who takes flght and sur!eys t fro# a dstan$e or the #an

who re#ans a$t!e and breathes wth ts pulsatons&

131

Phlosophy s aganst #onast$s# as a general path" be$ause t s aganst separatngpeople fro# the tests of ths world& +f the #onast$ path #ay g!e pea$e" t #ay also

g!e delusons&

13*

Thus what we de!elop #entally n soltude we #ust work out phys$ally n so$ety&

.hat we a$he!e )uetly n the heart


17/24

part$paton n the worldly lfe" he turns away also fro# the realtes of part$ular

stuatons wthn that lfe&

134

They $annot spend all ther t#e n for#al #edtaton or n prayer be$ause they need to

be re#nded of the hgher exsten$e when they lea!e those sa$red sessons behnd" when

they lea!e ther pre$ous pea$e behnd" to fnd the#sel!es agan a#ong selfshness andgnoran$e" #aterals# and brutshness&

13,

These noble feelngs" these lofty thoughts" these grand ntutons are wel$o#e

test#ones of the $hange that s happenng& But untl they%%and we%%are brought to the

test of e!eryday l!ng" ther $orre$t #easure and ours wll not really be known&

13/

-yst$s# thr!es better n solaton fro# pra$t$al lfe but phlosophy $an stand up to

t& The #yst$ s shelded by $on!entual or ashra# lfe&

13

The #onastery" the nunnery" and the ashra# #ay be helpful to begn sprtual progress

but they wll not pro!e so helpful to ad!an$e or $o#plete t& That $an best be done n the

world outsde" where alone #oral !rtue or #yst$al attan#ent $an be thoroughly tested

down to ther last foundatons&

132

Those who flee the world do not thereby flee fro# the ntelle$t


18/24

so#ethng as a result& .hate!er he a$$o#plshes wll n the end stll be nsde ts

en$losure" howe!er sprtual a for# t assu#es&

144

The petty feuds wh$h #ar #yst$ and ashra# so$ety also re!eal the sad fa$t that egos

are $arred nto these nsttutons" l!e and thr!e there (ust as they do n the outer world&

14,

.hether he shall separate h#self fro# the world or" re#anng" brng a holer nfluen$e

nto the world" s not really the essen$e of the #atter& 0e #ay solate h#self fro# other

#en


19/24

possble& 0ar#ony $an be found only nsde #an h#self" not n hs relatons wth other

#en" and then only f nsght s de!eloped enough to tra$k the ego down to ts lar"

expose t for what t s" and l!e n the pea$e of the !erself& But other #en wll

$ontnue to l!e n and fro# egos#&

1,1

-onast$ lfe brngs ts #onks nto $ontnual $onta$t wth one another" keeps the#always n one another


20/24

1,

.e fnd n these ashra#s that what should be retreat s a$tually #ere non%$ooperat!e

dleness" (ust as n the world outsde the# we fnd that what should be work s a$tually

sheer neurot$ o!erstran&

1/5

The as$et$ $hara$ter easly be$o#es a self%rghteous one& The #onast$ $hara$ter easlyfalls nto depre$aton of those who l!e n the world whlst prasng tself as followng a

hgher way of lfe& 'll ths s not ne$essarly true&

1/1

No handful of drea#ers hdng the#sel!es n an abode away fro# the world and fearful

of ts $o##on e!eryday exsten$e s lkely to affe$t or ele!ate the world&

1/*

'nother danger of these #onast$ retreats s the danger of fallng nto a pous lethargy

of supposed renun$aton wh$h s as futle for the #yst$ as t s sterle for #anknd&

1/3

+f one $ould buy sprtual self%real9aton for the pr$e of a t$ket fro# any Dura#er$an

$ty to any rental ashra#" t would not be worth ha!ng& The fa$t s that a #an $arres

h#self about where!er he goes" that the real work to be done #ust be done nsde hs

own heart and #nd" not nsde an ashra#" and that no su$h geograph$al transplantaton

has e!en half the !alue ad#rers bele!e t has& =ong to l!e n an ashra# to get nner

pea$e s lke takng drugs to help one sleep& The longer you take the# the harder wll t

be to regan natural sleep& The petty s)uabbles and gnoble (ealouses of ashra# lfe

bore the ntellgent tra!elled #an&

1/4

Dn!ron#ent alone does not g!e sprtual enlghten#ent& @ou #ay s)uat n an ashra#

tll oo#sday and e#erge as #u$h n the dark as when you entered t& 6nless the

proper inner$ondtons ha!e been establshed" unless the #entalty and $hara$ter ha!e

been prepared and purfed" tra!ellng to the Dast or sttng at the feet of the gurus $an

lead only to the hallucinationof enlghten#ent&

1/,

'n ashra# should be a pla$e where one $ould go to get the benefts of a sprtual

at#osphere" #etaphys$al ds$usson" #yst$al #edtaton" and exe#plary l!ng7 but

the gap between what should be and what s" s often unfortunately too wde to be

gnored& Those who look for lttle utopas n lttle ashra#s #ay fnd the#& But t wll beonly at the pr$e of substtutng #agnaton for realty& 6nfortunately" wshful thnkng

fnds ths easy& Co9ly huddled" half%asleep" or fully a%drea# n ther ashra#s" what dd

the war #ean to the#A +t #eant nothng where ts thunder dd not a$tually break n upon

ther $o#pla$ent l!es&

1//

' #nd that s $ontnually turned nward upon tself tends n t#e to exaggerate ts own

#portan$e& Ths s why as$et$s and #onks are often #ldly unbalan$ed or unduly self%

obsessed&

1/

The falure to produ$e #oral uplft n the world outsde ther retreat s paralleled by the

falure of #oral str!ng n the s#aller world nsde the retreats&


21/24

1/2

The law of $o#pensaton s e!erywhere operat!e& +f the ds$ple s#rks $o#pla$ently

about hs resden$e n a holy retreat or hs $onne$ton wth a holy #aster" the danger s

that he #ay fall nto the deluson of rapd progress where n fa$t there s none& or n the

e#otonal st#ulaton pro!ded by su$h retreat or su$h #aster" he #ay naturally feel

that he s now at le!els of $hara$ter" sprtualty" and e!en $ons$ousness wh$h are far

superor to those he for#erly possessed& 'nd n a sense there s so#e truth n hsfeelng& .hat he o!erlooks" howe!er" s that the st#ulaton wll one day be wthdrawn

Ht s not ne$essary to go nto the how or why of ths hereI" that hs $ondton s only a

te#porary one" and that he s really lke a #an baskng n war# sunshne who #agnes

that the war#th and lght are radatng fro# h#self nstead of fro# an outsde sour$e&

1/

The re$luses who segregate ther sy#pathes along wth ther bodes" de!elop a !ew of

hu#an lfe wh$h s as narrow as the door of the ashra#s n wh$h they dwell&

15

+t fulfls a great fun$ton for those who are tred of the world and who need rest: theywould be happy there ndeed& But those who ha!e to press forward on the path to Truth

or those who ha!e to do real ser!$e to #anknd" #ay lose pre$ous years f they settle

per#anently n an ashra#" for they wll be drugged by the relat!e pea$e" wh$h wll be

delus!e be$ause te#porary& Per#anent pea$e #ust be worked for and there s no

$o#plete work possble wthout the $o#plete ds$plne of the Juest&

11

The Duropean re$luses n ther #onasteres" the +ndan #onks n ther ashra#s" easly

lose the#sel!es n the #ost fan$ful or #ost futle belefs" the #ost hallu$natory"

#yst$ experen$es" suggested to the# by the nsttuton& The oppostons of the hard

world and the tests of pra$t$al experen$e are la$kng&

1*

The belef that the #ere $essaton of external a$t!ty s an a!enue to holness s another

of those $urous supersttons wh$h ha!e fastened the#sel!es on the hu#an #nd sn$e

the earlest t#es& 'nd the related belef that f a nu#ber of su$h persons who ha!e

adopted a do%nothng exsten$e segregate the#sel!es fro# the world and l!e together n

a $o##unal nsttuton su$h as an ashra# or a #onastery" they wll be$o#e wser better

and holer than those they ha!e left behnd" s lkewse a superstton&

13

Those who lead outwardly unprodu$t!e l!es be$ause they lead nwardly !gorous onesare wthn ther rghts& .e #ust respe$t ther $ho$e& But they do not represent the

phlosoph$ deal&

14

The antpathes and fr$tons of group" nsttutonal" #onast$" or ashra# lfe are

ne!table& +f one s not to wthdraw fro# the asso$aton" a$$eptan$e and toleran$e are

ne$essary& +f he feels $alled upon to #pro!e the others" t s better to do so n slen$e"

by nter$essory prayer or bened$tory #edtaton&

1,

+t s true that beng re#o!ed fro# worldly te#ptatons does help7 but the battle s ethers#ply transferred to the #agnat!e plane or a tru$e s $alledfor a time" or a new

defe$t" that of hypo$rsy" wll be added&


22/24

1/

Those who l!e n ashra#s or #onasteres" whether outer or nner" and who despse the

ordnary $on$erns of ordnary people as !ulgar" #ateralst$" and worldly" are

extre#sts or fanat$s&

1

The noton that lfe n the world s ne$essarly worse for the asprant than lfe n the#onastery s not a $orre$t one& +t #ght be but t need not be& +f t s beset by dangers" so

s the other& +f t has !$es and struggles" so has the other& '#bton" sensualty" prde"

$o!etousness" en!y" $ruelty" and ntrgue are weeds to be found n both gardens&

12

The #onks who drop the selfshness of worldly desre" adopt the selfshness of worldly

deserton&

1

But the at#osphere of an ashra# s rather a spe$al one" so#ethng lke that of a

hothouse where trop$al plants are reared n a northern $l#e%%(ust slghtly artf$al&

0ow wll an n#ate beha!e f he has to $o#e out and pass the re#ander of hs years n

the ordnary world" n an a$tual stuaton lke earnng hs daly bread" hs l!elhoodA

125

The te#ptatons of #onast$ lfe are dfferent fro# those of the outsde world" but they

are (ust as present and exgent& The weak dsposton wh$h yelds to the one #ay (ust as

easly yeld to the other& The $onstant nner battle aganst oneself $an only $hange ts

for#" not ts ne$essty&

121

These ashra#s and #onasteres are $o##untes where the nd!dual s sub#erged"

where he s supposed to abandon hs own wll n fa!our of =od


23/24


24/24

1

+t s #en who are sufferng and tolng n the world who ha!e a hea!er burden to $arry

than the #onks n the ashra#s& 'nd t s the depth of sufferng wh$h n the end

#easures the extent of aspraton to be lberated fro# t&

12

The #an who keeps hs eyes open wll not fnd any sprtual $o##unty" #onastery"retreat" or ashra# that s absolutely good& Ro#ant$ 6topans#" whether of the #yst$

or the -arxst type" belongs to the world of drea#s" not realtes& + do not bele!e n

perfe$tablty" re#arked Geats" and be$ause he was thnkng of our earthly exsten$e at

the t#e" he was rght& The absolutely good $o##unty does not exst s#ply be$ause

absolute goodness #ust be wrought wthn our own sprt and $an be found only there&

Both the log$ of a true #etaphys$al world%!ew and the experen$e of a wdespread

sear$h wll $onfr# ths&

1

They begn by #akng the #stake of seekng" or of expe$tng to fnd" an deal

$o##unty& +t does not exst here and $onse)uently $annot be found& +t would be betterto l#t ther sear$h" or ther expe$taton" to a $ongenal $o##unty&

*55

The belef that paradse s to be found a#ong the #onast$ retreats of the .est and the

ashra# $o##untes of +nda s a ro#ant$ falla$y that sustaned $onta$t fro# nsde

wll expose& There s as #u$h noblty of $hara$ter to be found outsde the# as a#ong

the nhabtants of these retreats and the #e#bers of these $o##untes& The ex$ess!e

attenton wh$h s too often g!en to the nner $ondton of ther own egos al#ost

a#ounts to an unhealthy and unbalan$ed obsesson& Ths does not tend to paradsa$

$ondtons&

*51

'lways these utopas exst ether n the far past" as wth relgous #yth" or around the

future

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