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

Retreat Centres
1
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 #en
and 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 they
would 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&
1
.hether we prefer $o##unal lfe or soltary lfe s not the essen$e of the #atter" for
both 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& 3or 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&
4
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 must lea!e the world f we want sprtual fulfl#ent&
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<s a$t!tes: those who retreat and
wthdraw fro# su$h a$t!tes are $o#parat!ely few& =enerally $r$u#stan$es render t
#possble to do so" nor s the desre to abandon the# suff$ently strong to #ateral9e
n a$ton&
14
-onast$ lfe )uells sensual a$t!ty" redu$es the area of sensual te#ptaton&
1,
;n$e there are not #any who are ftted for the lfe of renun$aton" t would be !an and
#prudent for #any to enter upon su$h a lfe&
1/
+t s not a refuge for es$apsts" although su$h refuges ha!e a proper ttle to exst& +t s a
deepenng of the nner lfe&
11
The grdled robe re#ans a $onstant re#nder to the #onk of two thngs: the aspraton
to wh$h he s ded$ated and of the self%ds$plne needed to real9e t&
12
-an $an fnd sprtual lfe nsde an ashra#" f he prefers su$h a pla$e" or nsde a $ty" f
he wants to re#an there& =od does not only dwell n ashra#s but also n busy towns&
14
>n balan$e there are lkely to be #ore good #en n #onasteres and ashra#s" than n
the large $tes& But ths s the !ery reason why the good #en should $o#e out fro#
t#e to t#e and help the others&
*5
To renoun$e the world s #erely to ex$hange one knd of resden$e and one for# of
a$t!ty for another& .e l!e n the $ons$ousness" experen$e all happenngs n t" and
$annot renoun$e t whate!er for# or appearan$e t takes& There s n fa$t a herar$hy of
worlds to be passed through&
*1
The deal ashra# or $entre should be a san$tuary fa!ourng #ental )uet and e#otonal
har#ony" goodwll and tran)ul study&
**
The great relgons" wth the ex$epton of +sla# and ?udas#" ha!e found ther support
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 $o#e there seekng
repose and sprtual knowledge& 3or the sake of those who fnd t dff$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$k<s" f there s a #easure of nd!dual freedo#" t wll be possble to get
away fro# the harshly as$et$" prsonlke at#osphere wh$h has too often been
asso$ated n the past wth su$h nsttutons& -u$h also depends on the #anage#ent"
whether t be tyrann$al or hu#ane" $ultured or llterate&
*3
8et t not be thought that we would deny all pla$e to #onast$ retreats n #odern
exsten$e& >n the $ontrary" we regard the#%%f well #anaged and $o#petently
nstru$ted" wh$h s seldo#%%as ex$ellent nsttutons wh$h are needed n the rush and
tu#ult of su$h exsten$e& >ur ob(e$ton s only when they $la# to afford the sole path
to sal!aton and when they degenerate nto per#anent es$ape%#e$hans#s to a!od
fa$ng the realtes of hu#an lfe today&
*4
0e s ndeed a strong #an who $an wllngly" at the heght of hs worldly a$he!e#ent"
reln)ush t&
*,
The sadhu who has to l!e by the tradtonal rule of keepng only what he needs to l!e
fro# day to day #ay be en!ed for hs freedo# or pted for hs po!erty" but he $annot
pro!de us wth a #odel& @et he #ay pro!de a #ental atttude%%deta$h#ent&
*/
.hat they do not see" what they $annot see" s that the ashra# s only a means to
a$he!e a $ertan end& +t s not the end tself& 3or that s entrely an nward affar" lea!ng
the #an entrely free to l!e n or out of ashra#s& +f a #onk says that the sprtual
attan#ent s possble only n a #onastery" ths pro!es that%%howe!er reputed or re!ered
he #ay be%%hs own attan#ent s a l#ted one&
*1
The true #eanng of su$h a pla$e s hdden n the )uet se$luson t affords&
*2
+ #entoned n The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga #y ad#raton for the ?apanese
#ethod of returnng so#e #onks ba$k to the .orld<s lfe& Those who do not want to go
ba$k" who fal to a$$ept the tranng perod as a preparatory one and the #onastery as a
s$hool for life" are regarded as stu$k n a $a!e and unwllng" or unable" to get out of t
and progress further&
What is needed today?
*4
The #odern sprt does not fa!our #onast$s#" does not appro!e the reln)ush#ent of
outward o$$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 the
foolsh 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$$ept the#
all and ral only at the weakness wh$h would #ake the# essental to hs exsten$e&
35
The #odern age has less use for the nsttuton of #onast$s# than the #ede!al age"
and n ths #atter the #odern age s rght& 8et t not be led astray by those who ha!e
$o##tted the#sel!es to an an$ent tradton #erely be$ause t s an$ent& 8et the# set
up the #onk as the perfe$t type f they wsh& 8et the# adopt the holer%than%thou
atttude& But the generalty of #odern #en should not #tate the#& .ho ad#nstered
and $arred out the work of the +n)ustonA +t was a #onast$ order" the Bo#n$ans&
They pra$tsed fero$ty and dened $harty" all n the na#e of =od& 'nd they dd t wth
a terrble earnestness& -er$y was unknown to ther shr!elled hearts& Today<s need s not
a narrow%#nded and unfeelng #onast$s#" but a broad%headed and large%hearted
pra$t$al sprtualty&
31
+t s useless to gnore the fa$t that so#ethng separates #ost of us fro# these #onks and
nuns of today" whether they are found n the exot$ >rent or n the prosa$ >$$dent&
But t would be (ust as useless to gnore the fa$t that they ha!e found #ore $ontent#ent"
#ore pea$e" and #ore fath n lfe than we ha!e& Can we not brng together%%nayC ought
we not to do soA%%the two dsse!ered hal!es of nward sprtual seekng and outward
pra$t$al $o#fortA Then only would we be able to use both of our eyes and see exsten$e
as t really s&
3*
The an$ent #ede!al and tradtonal her#t<s lfe" #onk<s lfe" $onte#plat!e<s lfe" or
as$et$<s lfe $annot be usefully offered as a un!ersal exa#ple to twenteth%$entury
#en" nor regarded as tolerable to ther te#pera#ent" nor ad!o$ated as pra$t$able for
#ore than one person n a thousand& The #odern outlook s too broad to fnd su$h
l#ted" one%sded exsten$e a$$eptable&
33
The #odern so$ety<s general atttude s hostle to renun$aton%%whether t be
renun$aton of poston or possesson" the world or the ego& Therefore t does not
pro!de as #any re$ruts for #onast$ lfe as the #ede!al so$ety dd&
34
The +ndan yog $an beg hs food or fnd support fro# a patron but here n Dura#er$a
beggng and !agran$y are offenses aganst the law& The hgher lfe n these .estern
$!l9ed lands" t see#s" s open only to those who ha!e a$$u#ulated so#e wealth" f
su$h a lfe re)ures wthdrawal fro# the world wthout atta$hng oneself to a #onast$
nsttuton& 3or #oney alone wll g!e a seeker the freedo# and #oblty re)ured for
the nner lfe& Ths s why young #en wth sprtual aspratons ought to be a#btous
enough to #ake enough of t as )u$kly as they $an and then retre to l!e on ther
sa!ngs" de!otng the rest of ther lfe to the study and #edtaton needed&
3,
.here s the #odern Duro%'#er$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&
31
The old #ethods of segregatng a spe$al $lass nto ashra#s and #onasteres s unsuted
to twenteth%$entury $ondtons&
32
The need today s for Chrst #ltant" for the sprtual9aton of lfe n the world and not
for flght fro# the world&
34
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$C
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$h
exsten$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
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 ths
proble# 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&
41
+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 who
wsh 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 a
person $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&
44
.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
fro# distractions" interferences" and oppositions&
,*
' #yst$al !ory tower nto wh$h one $an retreat when the world<s burdens be$o#e too
ner!e%wra$kng s not a luxury n these t#es but a ne$essty&
Motives for entering
,3
.hat #ot!es draw #en to bury the#sel!es n retreats" $a!es" and her#tagesA The
longng for a pea$eful at#osphere after the world<s tur#ol and #aterals# #ust be a
fre)uent $ause& The aspraton to #ake so#ethng of the#sel!es sprtually and #orally
#ust be another #ot!e& The state of surfet followng pleasures" passons" and desres
#ay turn the# toward as$et$s#& The death of wfe" $hld" a belo!ed" $reates real
lonelness for others and the old fa#lar so$al $r$les be$o#e un$ongenal n the need
of a new s$ene& 'nd then there are those who look at the nternatonal s$ene darkly"
gloo#ly" wth forebodngs" and wthdraw fro# t n hopelessness& There are the #sfts
who s#ply $annot $ope wth the dff$ultes of l!ng n organ9ed so$ety as t s
outsde the #onasteres and so retre nsde the#& 8astly" #any a flght arses fro# a
gult $o#plex&
,4
+f the hardshps and dff$ultes of exsten$e dr!e so#e nto renoun$ng the world" true
de!oton toward the sprtual goal dr!es others& +f so#e seek a $arefree $al#" others
seek #ore t#e for #edtaton" prayer" and study&
,,
+f so#e shut the#sel!es up n a #onastery out of dsgust wth the world" a few do so out
of dsgust wth the#sel!es& They hope a new way of lfe related to =od #ay $hange
the#" #ay brng the# farther fro# the#sel!es and nearer to =od&
,/
There are two $lasses of #en who wthdraw fro# the world: those who seek to es$ape
personal proble#s and those who seek to $onfront the#sel!es& 'nd the latter know that
they $an do ths better n the soltude or pr!a$y of retre#ent& They are well (ustfed&
But the frst $lass are not" for they do not want to fa$e the#sel!es&
,1
Those who regard the struggle of $!l9ed lfe as not worthwhle" sound the bugle of
retreat and go ba$kwards to the $o#fort of nerta&
,2
-onasteres offer an easy es$ape fro# the harshness of lfe<s dff$ultes for fragle
personaltes" ashra#s a $on!enent alb for those who $an fnd nether pla$e nor
pleasure n t&
,4
0e wll be $alled an egost who runs away fro# proble#s and hdes fro# the world& But
s he any #ore egost$ than those who stay n the world ether be$ause they are $haned
to t" powerless to es$ape" or be$ause they ha!e personal a#btons to satsfyA
/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<s haunt& +nda has not had a #onopoly of the#
nor was she needed to tea$h other $ountres how to pra$tse the#& The frst years of
Chrstanty wtnessed the arsal of hundreds of thousands of her#ts or #onks n the
land of the Nle" on the ro$ks of the Thebad" and a#ong the deserts of 8bya& +n the
ffth $entury" the so$al dssoluton and e$ono#$ #seres wh$h pre$eded"
a$$o#paned" and followed the break%up of the Ro#an D#pre spread #llons of
Chrstan #onks and nuns throughout Durope" North 'fr$a" and 'sa -nor& 3or t s
pre%e#nently durng t#es of earthly despar that #en turn #ost away to $elestal hope"
as t s durng perods of so$al dsntegraton that they seek sola$e n as$et$ pea$e&
They feel the futlty of hu#an undertakngs or dsgust wth hu#an sns& The rea$ton s
natural and pardonable& But t #ay also be an atte#pt to re(e$t the hea!y proble#s of
lfe by runnng away fro# the# altogether&
/,
Renoun$ng the world n an endea!our to rule the self" forgettng the world n a sear$h
for #e#oryless pea$e" ths s the $orre$t bass for her#t or #onksh lfe&
//
.here!er he goes" he wll fnd that he $annot really lea!e hs old self behnd& +t
nsstently pursues" or a$$o#panes h#& +f he goes nto an ashra# to es$ape fro#
personal proble#s" he s enttled to do so& But he wll fnd that the sa#e sear$h for
pea$e wh$h led h# nto the ashra# #ay one day lead h# out of t agan& That #an
alone $an su$$essfully g!e up the world who no longer wants the world" not he who s
dsapponted n what he wants fro# t&
/1
+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%%n
short" 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$$ess& But he s not de$e!ed by all ths& 0e has taken a proper
#easure of earthly !alues" and found the# wantng& Both #en had the rght to wthdraw
nto a lfe of #edtaton& But the frst one dd so pre#aturely&
/2
They $o#e to these ashra#s and $on!ents ether n e#bttered $onte#pt as refugees
fro# the world" or else n naE!e expe$taton as asprants desrng #yst$al e$stases&
/4
There see#s" n the eyes of a $ertan #entalty" both ntelle$tual safety and e#otonal
se$urty n wthdrawng to an ashra# or #onastery&
15
There are two knds of pass!ty and es$aps#& The wrong one arses fro# a la$k of the
energy" knowledge" or $ourage wherewth to $ope wth lfe or fro# a sense of defeats#
after a seres of falures or fro# the nerta of a drea#y te#pera#ent&
11
+t s ron$ that the e#oton of pess#s# and dslluson#ent wh$h dr!es so #any
persons nto #onasteres dr!es others out of #onasteresC
1*
The $orrupton and n)uty of the world #ay lead a #an by rea$ton to phlosophy" but
the latter need not re#o!e h# fro# the world&
13
The #edtat!e lfe #ay en$ourage la9ness and ds$ourage ser!$e n so#e
te#pera#ents" but t $annot do so n those who ha!e understood" a$$epted" and guded
the#sel!es by the prn$ples of Phlosophy&
14
>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 $a#e to fnd an easer way
of lfe than strugglng n and wth the world&
1,
>n$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 and
de$lared that he felt a strong urge to renoun$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
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&
1/
Non%$ooperat!e es$aps# s e#pty" a refuge for the ndolent&
11
.hat s a hard way for one #an" retrng fro# the world to seek =od" and n$urrng
greater sufferng than re#anng n t" s an easer way for another #an& ;o#e fnd the
world<s troubles and struggles too #u$h to $ope wth" others fnd the #onast$ reg#es
too harsh to endure& But whether an nd!dual stays n the world" rghtly perfor#ng hs
hu#an sprtual dutes whle learnng nward deta$h#ent" or whether he renoun$es t
altogether" ea$h path $an $ontrbute to hs de!elop#ent and lead h# farther on the road
to the =oal&
12
+f the $loster be$o#es a seedng%ground wh$h yelds ts fruts later n the produ$t!e
lfe of the world" t (ustfes tself&
14
+t s easy to turn to as$et$s# when one la$ks the #eans of satsfyng the senses and has
lttle prospe$t of e!er obtanng the#& +t s natural to renoun$e the world<s struggles and
enter a #onast$ retreat when one has faled to $ope wth those struggles& +f neffe$t!e
persons prefer the $o#parat!e pea$e of an ashra# to the #seres and frustratons of
so$ety" why should they not do soA
25
Those who are unable to #eet the responsbltes" afrad to ta$kle the dff$ultes of
ordnary l!ng #ay fnd a transent pea$e n retreatng fro# t&
21
Those who pra$tse $onte#platon for ts own sake are enttled to do so" but those who
pra$tse t for the nsprng and enr$hng of ther outsde a$t!e lfe are e)ually (ustfed&
2*
+s t ne$essary to forsake the world" wthdraw fro# ts struggles" $ease to grapple wth
ts proble#s and abstan fro# ts affarsA 3or #ost #en n the .est the answer s
already preordaned by $o#puls!e $r$u#stan$es: they $annot e!en f they want to& But
for a few #en" who #ay well ha!e endured ther share n earler l!es on earth" the way
#ay open out to be$o#e #onks or her#ts&
23
The begnnngs of ths nner lfe re)ure h# to be alone and to keep the# se$ret& +t s
best to ha!e only a sprtual gude who s understandng and sy#pathet$ around& 0e
needs prote$ton aganst those whose !olen$e" #aterals#" or s$ept$s# would thwart"
obstru$t" or stfle the tender growth& +t s be$ause su$h $ondtons are hard to se$ure n
the world<s ordnary lfe that $on!ents" ashra#s" and #onasteres were establshed&
24
Those who ha!e been for$ed by $r$u#stan$es" and espe$ally by the ne$essty of
earnng a l!elhood" to spend ther whole lfe n #ateralst$ 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 $o#panonshp& 3or su$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#&
21
To wthdraw fro# the $o##unty of worldly so$ety nto the $o##unty of #onast$
so$ety" or nto the soltude of one<s own so$ety" #ay be an a$t of progress or an a$t of
retrogresson& But to #ost #en at so#e t#e t s" for a l#ted perod" an a$t of
ne$essty f they are to fnd the#sel!es&
22
There are so#e who" by reason of $r$u#stan$es" by ther nablty to endure the harsh
$o#petton or n$apa$ty to $ope wth the great stresses of #odern exsten$e would fnd
relef" hope" and ho#e n a #onastery& They belong nsde su$h a sheltered $o##unty
and nothng sad here should deter the# for t does not apply to the#&
24
+t s rght" natural" and pardonable for a young #an to be a#btous" to #ake a
su$$essful $areer for h#self n hs $hosen feld& But t s e)ually rght and pardonable"
f he fnds h#self to be one of the few who feel a $all to hgher thngs" who are #ore
attra$ted to and ad#re the lfe of #edtaton" study" and self%#astery" to wthdraw fro#
the struggle of worldly lfe&
45
The $all for total wthdrawal fro# the world nto #onastery or ashra#" $on!ent or
nunnery $o#es !ery defntely to so#e persons and they #ust respe$t t to the pont of
full obeden$e& But let the# not seek to #pose ther own response upon others who
ha!e not heard ths $all&
41
+t s true that personal $onta$t wth the world brngs salutary nstru$ton and enfor$ed
fa$ng of fa$ts& +t s also true that delberately to ens$on$e oneself n an ashra# or
#onastery brngs another knd of e)ually needed nstru$ton and other knds of fa$ts to
be regarded&
4*
The !alues of a #onk<s robe n$lude the one wh$h announ$es to others that here s a
#an who s seekng fro# the# no proft%#akng trade" no pad poston or honoured
off$e" no sex: n short" no personal ad!antage& +t s also a prote$t!e e#ble# for
h#self&
43
'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 thnkng
for #yself& But #ost persons are not lke that and should $ertanly follow ther way&
44
.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&
4,
+f the world<s a$t!ty s too strenuous for the#" f they are not $apable of part$patng
n ts fer$e $o#pett!eness wthout sufferng the sha#e of nferorty or the #sery of
defeat" why should they not wthdraw fro# t nto the shelterng walls of a $lostral
retreatA Those who say ths s a ba$kward #o!e#ent #ust frst pro!e whether the
assu#ed gong%forward of the world<s a$t!ty s a realty: t #ay e)ually be an lluson&
4/
Darnest #onks and brown%robed as$et$s should not be$o#e angry wth our $andd
exa#naton of ther $la#" but rather should try to understand another pont of !ew
wh$h does not a$$ept unreal ant#ones& .e honour and respe$t those who" through
deep sn$erty" are fathful to ther renun$atory deals" but we ask the# not to be
ntolerant of a dfferent road to self%ds$plne and not to lose ther sense of proporton
by #akng #onksh pre(ud$e an obsesson&
41
There are other ways of lfe than our own and we ought to be large enough n #nd and
heart to allow for the#& There s" for nstan$e" the #onast$ way& +t s #ore $hartable to
a$$ept t for others as a !o$aton f they want t& But the #onks and nuns should pra$tse
an e)ual toleran$e and not seek to #pose thers on ours& They ha!e good reasons for
not beng wllng to get e#broled n the fa#ly lfe but we lay#en ha!e e)ually !ald
reasons for re#anng what we are& But these state#ents are true only on the
phlosoph$ le!el& 3or those who $annot rse to t" then wthdrawal%%whether nto the
relgous $o##unty or the her#t<s soltude%%s stll the superor way&
42
.hy should he not be free to wthdraw fro# all other preo$$upatons so as to be free to
de!ote hs whole t#e to the nner lfeA
44
+t $an lead n the end only to $haos f rules ntended for those l!ng the wthdrawn lfe
are #posed on those who are not&
155
+f a #an wants to try the #onksh way of lfe there ought to exst the #ateral and so$al
possbltes allowng h# to #ake the exper#ent&
151
The tradtonal !ew n +nda espe$ally" and n se$tons of the Chrstan world" has been
that takng #onast$ !ows or renoun$ng the world to be$o#e a $elbate re$luse" a
prayng and #edtatng #onk is a$tually to apply the hgher phase and do$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 keeps
e!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,
Bespte 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 $alled out slently
but !ehe#ently to =od for soltude&
151
+f the return to nature and the s#ple lfe #eans nothng better than l!ng as sa!ages
l!e%%a pr#t!e an#al exsten$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 known
what + knew n later years + would not ha!e left ho#eC:
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$hers&
154
3ather Theo$letos" se$retary of the -onastery of Bonysou on -ount 'thos" shrewdly
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&
115
Terese" 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" $onte#platon" and work
was stll #u$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$e" :@D;C: and laughed
and gggled a#ong the#sel!es&
11*
0o#age to the greatness of the Conte#plat!e >rders" espe$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 $astes together #ay put both ll at ease& 3ather -aurus told the story of a
#onk at a ;$ottsh #onastery who one suppert#e suddenly rose to hs feet and
s#ashed hs platter o!er the head of the #onk next to h#& :0e<d rea$hed the breakng
pont& 3or twenty years he put up wth the sound hs neghbor #ade by su$kng hs
soup&:
111
-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
114
.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$ted thng& Ths error was dsastrous for those left behnd n the world<s lfe and
a$t!ty& +t $ut #en off fro# ther best sour$e of wsdo# and strength&
1*5
The #ore se$luded" less a$t!e" and abo!e all hghly ntrospe$t!e lfe wh$h the would%
be #yst$ leads n #onastery" ashra#" or pr!ate retreat #ay tend to turn h# nto an ll%
balan$ed drea#er& +t s useful for h# to des$end nto the $tes at t#es and take hs
pla$e a#ong ther !ared dwellers and dongs& 3or hs nner world wll ha!e a $han$e of
beng exa#ned and brought to the test by hard $onta$t wth the outer world& ;u$h
experen$e wll expose futle drea#s and shatter wshful thnkng (ust as t wll endorse
#agnngs that do $orrespond to realtes&
1*1
+t s (ust as #u$h after he returns fro# a retreat to the so$ety of hs own knd that ts
results wll show the#sel!es" as durng the retreat tself& +n hs outward a$ts" deeds" and
spee$h he wll re!eal whether the retreat was only a sprtual nar$ot$ or whether t was
a sprtual st#ulant&
1**
.hen there are te#ptatons to be o!er$o#e by wll and trals to be #et by forttude"
$hara$ter has a $han$e to test tself and thus de!elop tself& The se$luded #onk #sses
ths $han$e&
1*3
+n the sphere of a$ton" he wll fnd tests of hs wll or #ot!e" useful exer$ses wh$h he
$an pra$tse to draw out latent resour$es& 3or ths sphere wll present h# wth proble#s
fro# wh$h he $annot run away or wth te#ptatons wh$h wll show h# as he really s&
The nter!als of retre#ent are good and helpful" but the stret$hes of a$t!e exsten$e are
no less helpful to hs de!elop#ent&
1*4
The world s there7 t $annot be gnored& +t #ay be sde%stepped for a t#e" but n the end
t renserts ts $la# to be not$ed" dealt wth" and understood& 0e #ust $o#e to
re$ogn9e ts pla$e n the B!ne .orld%+dea%%that t must ha!e su$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 do
so 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*1
0e who $an fnd the d!ne presen$e only n a #onastery" an ashra#" or a $a!e" has stll
to fnsh hs )uest& +f he does ths" he wll ds$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$o#es #ore natural when t
s l!ed out and tested n the busy haunts of #en&
1*4
The pea$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 towns
and 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 separatng
people 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<s stllness #ust be expressed and tested n external
a$t!tes& .hat we learn n pea$eful rural retreat #ust be apprased for ts soundness by
bustlng $ty work and pleasure& Ths ntegral approa$h #ust be the twenteth%$entury
way" not the per#anent ndulgen$e n es$ape wh$h was the way of ant)ue and
#ede!al #onast$s#&
133
The $onse)uen$e of the #onk<s #snterpretaton of hs own poston as beng the
hghest s a natural but deplorable one& 3or ha!ng turned away on prn$ple fro# a$t!e
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 and
gnoran$e" #aterals# and brutshness&
13,
These noble feelngs" these lofty thoughts" these grand ntutons are wel$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 $on!entual or ashra# lfe&
131
The #onastery" the nunnery" and the ashra# #ay be helpful to begn sprtual progress
but they wll not pro!e so helpful to ad!an$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<s workng& They #erely
$hange ts feld& Thought<s wheel $ontnues to rotate whether they l!e n forest
her#tages or n $tes as $rowded as beeh!es&
134
+n the apparently safe se$luson of Dastern ashra# or .estern #onastery" he #ay
$onsole h#self wth a superorty $o#plex for the nferorty $o#plex wh$h the world
ga!e h#&
145
+t #ght be useful for h# to ask fro# what s he es$apng: $ertanly not fro# hs own
ego& 0e $annot $hange hs nd!dualty or $ut h#self off fro# hs past entrely" nor
solate h#self fro# hs ego&
141
+n these retreats #en are prote$ted fro# outward te#ptaton& Ths has a $ertan !alue&
But they are not prote$ted fro# the nward te#ptatons by #e#ory" #agnaton" and
personal tenden$y&
14*
Dgos thr!e n ashra#s (ust as they do n the world beyond ther borders& Ths s
ne!table be$ause they are hot%houses where ea$h nhabtant s as busy thnkng of hs
own de!elop#ent as the worldlng outsde" who s engrossed n hs #ateral fortunes&
The nsulaton s only phys$al: ;elf s stll the $onstant preo$$upaton of both groups of
hu#an bengs&
143
D!en when he wthdraws fro# the world and g!es up ts work and rewards" ts
a$t!tes and pleasures" t s the ego wh$h lea!es the# and the ego wh$h hopes to gan
so#ethng as a result& .hate!er he a$$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<s affars but that does not solate h# at all fro# hs own ego& >r he #ay #eddle
wth the#" $o#pelled by destny or wlled by $ho$e" and be $apt!e to ths sa#e ego n
e!ery transa$ton&
14/
.hene!er #en and wo#en are brought together n fre)uent $onta$t for a length of t#e"
whether n establshed nsttuton or organ9ed group" fr$tons often appear" en!es are
felt" and $o#plants are #ade& Ths s true e!en of ashra#s and #onasteres& The egos
rear ther heads&
141
There s of $ourse so#e danger of the growth of sprtual prde when a s#all group
solates tself fro# the rest of so$ety for the purpose of sprtual de!elop#ent&
142
+t s not so easy to es$ape fro# oneself by the #ere a$t of be$o#ng a #onk& ;ad
Gasaros Baponte n the eghteenth $entury: :+ $hanged #y $lothes and #y stuaton"
but not #y $hara$ter&: 0e had been a well%edu$ated dplo#at but be$a#e world%weary&
144
The petty fault%fndng" destru$t!e gossp" and btng $rt$s# wh$h so #any worldly
people pra$tse a#ong the#sel!es s also found n professedly sprtual people& +t s also
dre$ted towards those who tea$h or espouse do$trnes una$$eptable to the#& The faults
n $hara$ter wh$h lead to these sns n spee$h are posoned arrows shot at the good and
bad alke&
1,5
-sdre$ted deals# sets traps for the young" the naE!e" the nexperen$ed" and the ll%
nfor#ed n polt$al $r$les as #u$h as for the asprants or the seekers n sprtual
$r$les" takes pleasant soundng" attra$t!ely suggest!e words lke :har#ony: and
:unty: or phrases lke the :brotherhood of #an: and uses the# as f they $ould be$o#e
realtes& Ths s (ust not possble n hu#an relatons" not n any full" ade)uate" or lastng
sense& Not only so" but t has ne!er been possble n the past%%despte the #yth of an
#agned golden age%%nor $learly s t possble n the present& D!erywhere we see that
e!en where su$h deals# see#s to be su$$essfully real9ed" t s only on the surfa$e and
!anshes as soon as we probe beneath the surfa$e& .e see relgons" old and new" well%
known and hardly known" d!ded nto se$ts" groups" or fa$tons wh$h oppose ea$h
other& Nor are the ashra#s and #onasteres !ery #u$h better" as they are supposed to
be& +n the world at large" where lttle wars and rebellons are beng fought wth sa!age
fero$ty" where polt$al su$$ess s a$he!ed by atta$kng" dengratng" or bes#r$hng
others" a se#ant$ analyss of present $ondtons shows up the self%de$epton of the
dealsts and utopans& The lesson has not been learned that be$ause egos# rules #en"
brotherhood s not possble" and that be$ause no two #nds are alke" unty s not
possble& 0ar#ony $an be found only nsde #an h#self" not n hs relatons wth other
#en" and then only f nsght s de!eloped enough to tra$k the ego down to ts lar"
expose t for what t s" and l!e n the pea$e of the >!erself& But other #en wll
$ontnue to l!e n and fro# egos#&
1,1
-onast$ lfe brngs ts #onks nto $ontnual $onta$t wth one another" keeps the#
always n one another<s $o#pany& +t gets on the ner!es of so#e and fosters petty ntrgue
a#ong others&
1,*
;hould he shut h#self up n a #onastery" or n a roo#" or n a $a!e" the proble# of hs
ego%$entered thoughts re#ans the sa#e&
1,3
' $hange of s$ene #ay pro!e helpful" or t #ay #erely pro!e that he has transferred the
ego" wth all ts troubles" fro# one pla$e to another&
1,4
To shft the $entre of nterest fro# worldly to sprtual affars but to #agnfy the ego as
a $onse)uen$e of dong so" s so#ethng that happens (ust as readly to dwellers n
ashra#s as to those outsde the#&
1,,
The #onast$ $loster and the #yst$al ashra# are not ne$essarly the ho#es of
sprtualty& They #ay be the ho#es of a dsgused or un$ons$ous worldlness&
1,/
?ealousy and fault%fndng exst nsde these ashra#s (ust as they exst outsde the#& The
seeker after noble%#ndedness wll be for$ed n the end to look for t a#d the soltudes
of Nature&
1,1
+ re#e#bered the words and #arked the truth of a $on!ersaton + had on$e wth @og
Prana!ananda" h#self an ad!an$ed as$et$" a#d the soltudes of the 0#alaya
#ountans on the +ndo%Tbetan border& 0e sad: :-y #aster does not fa!our ashra#s&
0e has not establshed one and does not want to do so& .e ds$ples !st h# at
nter!als a$$ordng to our degree of de!elop#ent and to our needs" and follow the path
n wh$h he has nstru$ted us& 0e e!en regards ashra#s as lkely to be deleterous both
to hs own work and to our self%relant progress&:
1,2
+f people wsh to pra$tse phlosoph$al eth$s and apply phlosoph$al deals" they need
not and ought not l!e together n lttle $olones or $ongregate n lttle #onasteres to do
so& They $an and should do t (ust where they happen to be& ;u$h $olones always
dsntegrate n the end" su$h #onasteres always deterorate& +t s a $o##on
#s$on$epton a#ongst #any #yst$ally #nded persons that they ha!e externally to
separate the#sel!es fro# so$ety to l!e by the#sel!es n a fen$ed%n $o##unty or n a
$onte#plat!e ashra#& The a$tual experen$e of these pla$es shows how foolsh s the
noton that they really pro#ote the sprtual ad!an$e#ent of ther #e#bers& Ths s
where the !tal dfferen$e between phlosophy and #yst$s# shows tself& Phlosophy
s a tea$hng wh$h $an be appled to any and e!ery stuaton n lfe& +t s not so#ethng
wh$h $an endure only n artf$al hothouses&
1,4
.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 easly
falls 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 Boo#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 $an
lead only to the hallucination of enlghten#ent&
1/,
'n ashra# should be a pla$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 be
only 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$ed or unduly self%
obsessed&
1/1
The falure to produ$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&
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$t there s none& 3or n the
e#otonal st#ulaton pro!ded by su$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$h are far
superor to those he for#erly possessed& 'nd n a sense there s so#e truth n hs
feelng& .hat he o!erlooks" howe!er" s that the st#ulaton wll one day be wthdrawn
Ht s not ne$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&
1/4
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$h they dwell&
115
+t fulfls a great fun$ton for those who are tred of the world and who need rest: they
would 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&
111
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&
11*
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$o#e wser better
and holer than those they ha!e left behnd" s lkewse a superstton&
113
Those who lead outwardly unprodu$t!e l!es be$ause they lead nwardly !gorous ones
are wthn ther rghts& .e #ust respe$t ther $ho$e& But they do not represent the
phlosoph$ deal&
114
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&
11,
+t s true that beng re#o!ed fro# worldly te#ptatons does help7 but the battle s ether
s#ply transferred to the #agnat!e plane or a tru$e s $alled for a time" or a new
defe$t" that of hypo$rsy" wll be added&
11/
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&
111
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&
112
The #onks who drop the selfshness of worldly desre" adopt the selfshness of worldly
deserton&
114
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<s wll" or rather" and
a$tually" n fa!our of =od<s representat!e%%the guru of the ashra#" the abbot of the
#onastery&
12*
+f they #agne that renun$aton of the world and flght to an ashra# wll take the# out
of the world" they wll ha!e to undergo the a$tual experen$e tself before passng nto
the s$ept$s# wh$h s founded on dslluson#ent& 3or n ashra# or #onastery" n Dast
or .est" the preo$$upaton wth fnan$e and the )uest for power enters nto the
ad#nstraton and brngs n a worldlness of a spe$al knd&
123
+t s easy enough fro# the safe dstan$e n spa$e of an ashra# to talk about the !anty of
all thngs" or n t#e fro# the safe dstan$e of old age& But t s unfar to lea!e t at that&
3or #any of the thngs n the a$tual world ha!e been" and are to be" en(oyed&
124
There #ay $o#e a t#e when the ashra#<s usefulness wll be l#ted to supplyng hs
phys$al and" so#et#es" hs ntelle$tual needs" when nstead of leadng h# to the
>!erself<s freedo# t be$o#es a prson&
12,
.e lke to bele!e that >rental ashra#s and .estern #onasteres are ha!ens of refuge
fro# the e!ls and sns of worldly lfe& But we fnd n a$tualty that e!en n su$h sa$red
and ded$ated pre$n$ts" hu#an bengs are stll weak" petty" #ean" selfsh" en!ous" and
hostle& The e#boded noblty and goodness we would lke to #eet are #et only n
sngle o$$asonal nd!duals" who #ay be #et n the world (ust as lkely as n these
pla$es&
12/
:-ay our studes be frutful& -ay we not )uarrel": says the eno !panishad& ;o e!en n
those days" and e!en n the forest ashra#s" the dssensons wh$h #ar #odern
$o##unal retreats also exstedC
121
+t s unlkely that new deas $an penetrate su$h $lostral fortresses as these ashra#s&
122
6nds$plned or ntrgung #e#bers of the ashra# soon #ake trouble appear7 (ealous
or a#btous ones dr!e away the #ore ndependent" less tra$table" #ore ad!an$ed
seekers&
124
' #an should $ontnue hs work n the world and not use hs sprtual aspraton as an
ex$use for dleness that $orrupts& 0e wll fnd pea$e not by (onng the ll%#annered
s)uabblng b$kerng self%$entered n#ates of an ashra# but by keepng out of tC
145
.e hear of those who fnd the world too #u$h for the# and flee to the shelter of ashra#
or #onastery& But what of those%%doubtless a #u$h s#aller nu#ber%%who fnd the
$lostered $o##unal lfe too #u$h for the# and flee to the freedo# of the worldA
141
Those who ha!e so(ourned n ashra# or #onastery" Dastern or .estern" wth open eyes
and hearng ears" wll know that tensons and fr$tons exst here" too" but they wll be
#anly petty ones&
14*
+t s not enough to surround oursel!es wth possessons that hu#an skll" taste" and
n!enton ha!e #ade f we are to be$o#e truly hu#an bengs" and not fra$tonal ones&
But t s e)ually nsuff$ent and $ertanly unhelpful to st n a #onast$ $orner and
de$ry the#&
143
The yog who looks out upon the world fro# hs sheltered retreat often $annot see the
world at all&
144
The surrender of personal freedo# and the sub#ergen$e of personal nd!dualty are
the $ost to the# of whate!er relef and pea$e the ashra# g!es the#&
14,
+ ha!e seen too #u$h t#e dawdled away n #onasteres by ther nhabtants to
o!er!alue these nsttutons& But nether do + want to under!alue the#&
14/
Rabelas held up to rd$ule the nner e#ptness of so #any #onks who were hs
$onte#porares& @et Rabelas was not a lay#an $rt$9ng fro# the outsde: he was
h#self a #onk and knew fro# the nsde what he was wrtng about&
141
+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&
142
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 $onfr# ths&
144
They begn by #akng the #stake of seekng" or of expe$tng to fnd" an deal
$o##unty& +t does not exst here and $onse)uently $annot be found& +t would be better
to l#t ther sear$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<s $orner" as wth #ateralst$ e$ono#$s&
*5*
+f hs experen$es are suff$ently nu#erous and suff$ently !ared" ths rosy%$oloured
opt#s# about hu#an nature wll be draned out of h#& 0e wll slowly lose the naE!e
belef n the possblty of $reatng a social kngdo# of hea!en on earth" n the utlty of
organ9ng an asso$aton of sprtually%#nded people" n the drea# of a$he!ng unty
and har#ony a#ongst the#" let alone a#ongst hu#anty n general& 0e wll see that
nnate psy$h$ attra$tons and repulsons are #planted n us by Nature" that un$rossable
dfferen$es of #entalty and outlook are fashoned n us by de!elop#ent and that
although #sunderstandng" fr$ton" and hostlty #ay be kept out n the begnnng" they
$annot be kept out n the end& 0e wll de$de that hea!en $an only be nternal and that
the )uest $an only be nd!dual&
The "oteboo#s are $opyrght K 1424%1424" The Paul Brunton Phlosoph$ 3oundaton&