Now, thanks to the ease of transmitting information, various statements have begun to circulate, which people grasp and begin to apply them in their lives, without analyzing them just because they were said by some famous Teacher or spiritual mentor. But in the world of Dharma, everything is far from so clear-cut, there are many directions, and there are different people with different inclinations of mind.
For example, now you can often hear that in no case should you share your achievements in spiritual practice, you should not talk about the difficulties that you were able to overcome, about experiences and vows, because this cripples pride and from this all achievements disappear …
And now let’s look at what stage and in what situation this statement is acceptable, and in which situation it is not.
It should be noted right away that often the authors of such statements belong to traditions where the basis of practice is personal liberation and therefore all concentration is concentrated only within oneself. And, of course, it is very important to monitor your state of mind and not succumb to the machinations of your selfishness and pride.
But even here there are options: Any teaching is good for a certain person and a certain situation, but sometimes it can change dramatically. That’s why we need Teachers who can help us apply one medicine or another, depending on our “disease.” For example, for a proud person, it will be recommended not to brag about their achievements, but for an insecure person, on the contrary, it will be possible to talk about their achievements in order to believe in their abilities.
Also, in the times of decline in which we now live, very few people have become able to really keep vows, austerities, and endure any difficulties in order to achieve realization, and therefore there is a clear tendency in many religions and religious associations to forbid talking about their achievements, but more often it happens not in order not to get proud. because there are different types of pride and sometimes it can even be used for good, but because many mentors themselves have nothing. But in earlier times, before calling oneself a Teacher, a person had to not only learn a lecture course by reading books and reciting them beautifully, but also really confirm their level of achievement and have some experience in order to be able to pass on deeper teachings to others.
If you remember the story, no one forbade Buddha to talk about his austerities, no one forbade Jesus Christ to turn water into wine, no one forbade texts with stories about the practice of Shiva and even Parvati when she wanted to conquer him. And it is thanks to the knowledge of the yogis of the past and their dedication that we strengthen our faith, do daily Sadhana and go on retreats, even when they require some effort from us.
In the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, it is very important not only to practice personally, but also to help others embark on the path leading to Liberation from the shackles of Samsara. Therefore, the motivation in this case may not be bragging about their exploits, but the desire to inspire others with their example. And it is extremely difficult for an outside observer to recognize what is happening inside the consciousness of a person who is talking about what he had to experience while going through certain retreats, discomfort or abstinence. This desire to inspire others gives us the merit of promotion, as an energy without which a light bulb will not light up and there will be no light. We also accumulate benefits when we rejoice in the spiritual exploits of others.
Also, do not forget that it is information that rules the world, and it is in our time that it is very important to give the world an alternative path of development! In our age of all kinds of information, which tends to absorb our attention only to satisfy worldly desires, leading to bad worlds, there is very little information about spiritual practice and asceticism. It’s like a stream that is easily swept away by the waves of the ocean of passions, and there are even fewer examples of people who practice this practice. Therefore, think about what might be more important in this case not to succumb to pride, or maybe to give in a little, but still help others move forward on the path and thereby make someone happier? But when a person embarks on a spiritual path, sooner or later he will surely find a happier life, even if he simply learns the laws of the universe and stops making mistakes that cause suffering. And if there are more people in your environment who are happy and adhere to righteousness, then your life will become more prosperous accordingly.
That is why MOTIVATION is the main thing in Buddhism! With the same action, but with different MOTIVATION, the result will be different!
I have had to face difficulties on the spiritual path many times. But if I hadn’t known about other people’s experience of patience and austerity, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stand much. Therefore, I always sincerely thank these people, who, by their example, were able to inspire me to go through more difficult trials.
/Elena Kshanti/
