The Ultimate Challenge

the ultimate challenge Q Ihave aquestion that relates very much to everything we’ve been discussing with regard to purity in spiritual teachers and also to the trials you have described on your own journey. My question is, how can we know when someone is fully enlightened or, in terms of the metaphor that you used, how can we know when the mirror is completely clean? A Well, if we really want to know the truth about others, we have to look very deeply into our own self. That means that with aruthless integrity we must scrutinize our own notives and make the honest effort to find out what our rela¬ tionship to life is really based on. Because in the end, our ability to determine another’s purity of motivation and depth of spiritual attainment depends upon the purity of our own motives and the depth of our own attainment. Why? Because, simply put, spiritual evolution is amovement from agross state of consciousness to one that is progressively more subtle and refined. And the gross cannot perceive the the ultimate challenge 47 s u b t l e . T h a t m e a n s t h a t w e c o u l d fin d o u r s e l v e s i n t h e presence of an individual who was abiding in astate of con¬ sciousness that was infinitely more refined than our own hut, because of the state of consciousness we were lost in, we would be unable to recognize their attainment. If we really want to know the truth about enlightenment and find out where those who claim to be illumined actually stand in relationship to it, we need to find the strength of character to persistently scrutinize our own experience in light of their living example. Also, we need to spend as much time as possible in the company of those who seem to be abid¬ ing in that condition. And if we can do this, the answer to the important question you raised will slowly but surely begin to reveal itself. But—and this is the most challenging part of it— you have to be ready for the answer. What does that mean? It means that, one way or the other, it’s probably going to be too much for you. Why do you say that? Well, if you find out that the teacher is authentic, you are in really big trouble—because then what are you going to do? Will you be able to handle the fact that living, breathing, enlightened consciousness is staring you right in the face, beckoning you to lose yourself forever in its majesty? Will you have the courage to surrender the fears and desires of 48 living enlightenment your own ego in light of the blazing glory of the teacher’s a t t a i n m e n t ? Or if you discover, for one reason or another, that they’re not authentic, that there is some impurity within them, what are you going to do then? Are you going to use their imper¬ fection as an excuse to avoid facing the impure motives that are still very much alive within you? Will their failure empower your own devious ego and make it easy for you to turn your back on the call of your own Self and escape into cynicism? Idon’t think Iquite understand your point. My point is that no matter where the teacher is at, in the end, it’s always up to you to make sure that you don’t compromise your own highest potential. So are you saying it really doesn’t matter where the teacher is at? That it’s completely up to us? Of course it matters where the teacher is at and it’s completely up to you. This whole issue is more complicated than it may initially appear to be. You see, not all seekers are seeking for the same thing. In the name of “freedom” or “enlighten¬ ment,” what many are looking for is not the challenge of a truly radical transformation but an easy escape from the tur¬ moil and complexity of human life. They are looking for a powerful and charismatic person to save them, to relieve them of the burden of existence. They are definitely not look¬ ing for someone who will relentlessly face them with the the ultimate challenge 49 ultimate challenge, never letting them compromise their own highest potential. They’re not looking for someone to kill their ego! But ego death is the only true prize of the spiritual path and its pursuit is definitely not agame. In fact, it’s the most all-demanding endeavor that ahuman being embark on. You know, alot of people say they want to be free but when they begin to find out what it really takes they usually change their minds pretty quickly, exclaiming, “But I didn’t know how big this was!” Like the great J. Krishnamurti said, “If you knew what it was, you wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.” c a n Imust admit, ego death doesn’t sound very attractive to me. That’s my whole point. When most people find out how big this really is, they discover to their surprise that they’re just not interested. And that’s the most trying part of the task I’m endeavoring to accomplish—the fact that more often than not, when those who consider themselves to be sincere seek¬ ers come face to face with the demand to wholeheartedly embrace an absolute relationship to life here and which means to stop playing games and surrender the ego’s agenda for real—they feel it’s just too much. n o w As ateacher, that must put you in adifficult position. Most definitely, it’s very challenging. But the power in this teaching is that 1am calling people to go all the way, to rise up to their own highest potential for the sake of 50 living enlightenment something much greater than themselves. And as I’ve said, most people don’t want to go that far. But Ihave no choice. You see, if aspiritual teacher is ever going to be able to effect atruly radical transformation in the lives of many others, they have to be bold, they have to be courageous, they have to have the audacity to follow the spiritual experience to its ultimate end. Because nothing will ever really change in this sleeping world, ever seduced and intoxicated by the fears and desires of the ego, unless someone is willing to say, “Yes, Iam THAT and Iam willing to he responsible for it."’ And when someone is willing to be responsible for it, they become an idealist, an impassioned idealist, and their very being forces a confrontation with the individual and collective ego. And if a spiritual teacher is actually embodying that kind of awakened inspiration, without their own ego usurping the inconceiv¬ ably sacred nature of the endeavor, then they have become apowerful manifestation of enlightened consciousness unleashed in this world. As asurrendered soul, their only obligation is to ceaselessly, come what may, beckon any and all who have the eyes to see and the ears to hear to give them¬ selves unconditionally to the call of their own spiritual heart. Why? For everyone else’s sake, so that real revolutionary transformation can occur here and now in this world. the ultimate challenge 51