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Work #679 · Mid

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Chögyam Trungpa
1973 (compiled from 1970-71 lectures) · English
Modern Tibetan Buddhist teaching · Modern Tibetan Vajrayāna Buddhism (Kagyu)

Trungpa's 1973 foundational Tibetan Buddhist text — the trap of "spiritual materialism" in modern practice

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Plural
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

The temporal life of authentic Buddhist practice.

Space

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

The meditative-Buddhist space.

Matter

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

The embodied practitioner.

Observer

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

The ego-deconstructing meditator.

Energy

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Energies of cutting through ego.

Information

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Foundational modern Tibetan-Buddhist teaching framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Trungpa was foundational for Western Tibetan Buddhism; his later behavior remains controversial.