In the realm of Buddhism, there exists a noble pursuit, a quest to perceive the world in its unadulterated form, devoid of any distortions or illusions. This pursuit is known as Yathabhutam, a profound endeavor to truly “see” the essence of Reality as it truly is, stripped of any superficial manifestations. However, it seems that within the contemporary Buddhist landscape, this timeless wisdom has been forgotten, overshadowed by a rampant wave of spiritual materialism. This misguided approach, centered around self-indulgence and human-centered ideologies, has led many astray from the path of true enlightenment. It begs the question, can anyone awaken from this delusion and recognize the inherent absurdity of this paradoxical notion? It is truly foolish to equate the spiritual with the material, and those who do so fail to grasp the essence of Buddhism itself. Yet, this distorted perspective has become the prevailing ideology in modern Buddhism, replacing the profound teachings of the Buddhadharma with shallow and superficial notions of holistic development. In reality, this approach only serves to imprison the spirit within the chains of material desires, constantly bombarding us with the allure of sensual gratification, a constant reminder of our entrapment.
The Buddha’s teachings are full of wisdom, and one of his most important sayings is ehipassiko, which means “come and see.” This phrase encourages us to seek out truth for ourselves, rather than simply accepting what others tell us. We should not blindly believe something just because an authority figure says it is true. Instead, we should look to our own experiences to confirm what is real and what is not.
To truly understand the Absolute Reality, we must awaken to the Noble Realm of Self-Realization. We cannot simply wait for someone else to enlighten us; we must take responsibility for our own spiritual growth. Each of us has a dormant, deathless seed within us that is waiting to be awakened. When we realize our full potential as spiritual beings, we can come and see our rightful inheritance.
This is the Right View that will help us overcome the Wrong View of spiritual materialism. Buddhism is in need of a Spiritual Reformation that will allow us to ascend spiritually, rather than descending into the darkness of body-consciousness. When we can look directly at the Real, AS IT IS, we will be free from the cycle of karma and the coming and going of the mind. We will be able to see the world as it truly is, and find peace and enlightenment.