The Ken Wilber blog re-posted this Integral Naked interview with David Deida, whom I quite like. [Includes free audio.] But in this case, I suspect he will have pissed off quite a few Buddhists.See, being all integral and such, he thinks of the Three Vehicles as corresponding to developmental stages. More to the point, however, he refers to the Theravada school as the Hinayana (meaning "the inferior vehicle"), which is seen as derogatory.
I'm not sure that he is wrong, but I suspect there are many Buddhists who would take issue with this approach. However, I do like the notion that we can choose how we respond to specific situations in the way he describes.Historically, the Buddhist tradition has developed through three major schools or "turnings" of thought and practice.
- The first school was the Hinayana tradition, with it's emphasis upon escaping the cycle of suffering altogether, achieved in large part through disciplined renunciation of thought, emotion, pleasure, desire, etc.- The second school of Buddhism, known as the Mahayana tradition, seeks to more fully engage the world of form. Rather than avoiding or simply observing negative thoughts and emotions, the Mahayana tradition places more emphasis upon using spiritual practice to transform negative into positive.
- The third school of Buddhist thought, the Vajrayana tradition, also strives to engage the world of form in a much more direct way—but rather than using the mind to transform things like fear, pain, hatred, and desire into their more positive counterparts, they are experienced and worked with exactly as they are, allowing "the poison to become the wisdom." When we allow ourselves to experience the darkest corners of our souls openly and honestly, precisely as they are, they can become powerful sources of energy—leading us to the eternal stillness at the center of our hearts.
Anyway, here is the whole post, which is interesting.
Exploring Sexual Stages with Buddhists
In this provocative clip, David Deida explains how the three major schools of Buddhist thought reflect the stages of psycho-sexual maturity, and how these stages play themselves out in our spiritual practices and in our relationships. What does conflict look like from each of these stages? How can we use this understanding to help us respond to the world from our highest possible selves, moment by moment? Listen to this free clip to find out!"So the real question is: are you in a Hinayana moment, a Mahayana moment, or a Vajrayana moment when your woman is throwing something at you?" - David Deida
click here for free audio! (right-click to download)
Who: Acknowledged as one of the world's most insightful and provocative spiritual teachers of our time, best-selling author David Deida continues to revolutionize the way that men and women grow spiritually and sexually. His teachings and writings on a radically practical spirituality for our time have been hailed as among the most original and authentic contributions to personal and spiritual growth currently available.
Summary: In this provocative clip, David Deida explains how the three major schools of Buddhist thought reflect the stages of psycho-sexual maturity, and how these stages play themselves out in our spiritual practices and in our relationships.
Historically, the Buddhist tradition has developed through three major schools or "turnings" of thought and practice.
- The first school was the Hinayana tradition, with it's emphasis upon escaping the cycle of suffering altogether, achieved in large part through disciplined renunciation of thought, emotion, pleasure, desire, etc.
- The second school of Buddhism, known as the Mahayana tradition, seeks to more fully engage the world of form. Rather than avoiding or simply observing negative thoughts and emotions, the Mahayana tradition places more emphasis upon using spiritual practice to transform negative into positive.
- The third school of Buddhist thought, the Vajrayana tradition, also strives to engage the world of form in a much more direct way—but rather than using the mind to transform things like fear, pain, hatred, and desire into their more positive counterparts, they are experienced and worked with exactly as they are, allowing "the poison to become the wisdom." When we allow ourselves to experience the darkest corners of our souls openly and honestly, precisely as they are, they can become powerful sources of energy—leading us to the eternal stillness at the center of our hearts.
What does conflict look like from each of these stages, and how can we use this understanding in order to help us respond to the world from our highest possible selves, moment by moment? As an example, David describes three possible reactions to anger in a relationship: avoiding the conflict until emotions can settle (the "Hinayana response"), discussing and transmuting the anger for the sake of mutual growth (the "Mahayana response"), and meeting the anger head-on—erotically, perhaps—allowing it to be fully expressed without avoiding it or altering it in any way (the "Vajrayana response").
While none of these responses can be said to be the "correct" response for all occasions, as any one could very possibly be the most appropriate for any given situation, these do indeed reflect three very different stages of psychological, spiritual, and sexual maturity. As such, each stage is essentially "more correct" than the last, requiring a considerable amount of practice and understanding to fully embrace and embody—for which we are all indebted to such exemplary teachers as David Deida, who are helping all those with the ears to listen to hear the ubiquitous sounds of God and Goddess in erotic communion, birthing the entire universe into existence, moment by precious moment....
I want to know what you think about this...
ReplyDeleteHey Bri,
ReplyDeleteI like his definition of Vajrayana, which is why I tend toward Tibetan versions of Buddhism. Pema Chodron talks often about using our experiences (good and bad) as the material of practice.
I like the idea that we can choose these different styles of practice in our lives, and as ways of being in our relationships. Certainly they apply to the sexual as well as to the spiritual, since sexuality (in one way or another) is always spiritual.
However, I tend to prefer an integrated use of the three vehicles -- that we can exist in and act from all these states of being at the same time. Easier said than done, but useful in theory and even more so in practice.
Peace,
Bill