Do You Know the Way to Light? A sermon about enlightenment for Divali

Do You Know the Way to Light?

A sermon about Enlightenment for Divali 

Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh

October 28, 2012

Some time back, I clipped a cartoon from the New Yorker magazine for my fridge showing two bald, robed yogis sitting lotus-style in an ashram (or spiritual retreat) under the watchful eyes of a Shiva statue. One is turned to the other, saying: “I’d read so much about it beforehand that I couldn’t help being disappointed when I actually became enlightened!” 

Of course, the ironic humor of the cartoon resides in the unlikely notion that anyone who had genuinely achieved enlightenment would remain so earthbound and cerebral as to be disappointed about anything!

For the most part, religions do hold out some possibility of enlightenment, and you needn’t don robes, and sit on a cushion in a mountain cave to get a taste of it. To “enlighten”  or “to shed spiritual light upon”  represents the central purpose of religion in the first place. And Hinduism, the religion we are exploring together this morning, is no exception. In fact, the pursuit of light, the immersion in one’s inner light, and the Hindu festival Divali, the annual celebration signifying the journey away from spiritual darkness, typify this illuminating religion – colorful, wise, peaceful, mythic, and accessible, especially for us religiously open-minded, mystically-inclined Unitarian Universalists.

Hinduism is an ancient religion, with its roots in India. Scripture includes the sacred wisdom texts known as the Vedas; the Hindu devotional classic, the Bhagavad Gita, and a collection of spiritual dialogues known as The Upanishads.  As my Harvard professor Diana Eck explains, “Hinduism embodies a rich sense of plurality saturated by a Oneness in the one Supreme Being, Brahmin.” 

It is a polytheistic faith, in which adherents can worship or undertake a devotion practice (or puja) to more than 330 million Gods and Goddesses, each embodying different legends and a particular desirable attribute. Some of these deities are more prominent than others (and we find several of them on our special Divali altar this morning).  For instance, Lakshmi, the primary focus of the Divali celebration, represents prosperity. Ganesha, the elephant God, represents wisdom, Kali signifies strength, and Saraswathi is the goddess of knowledge.

During Divali, celebrants offer puja (or prayer) in honor of a favored Deity. Houses all over India twinkle, as families eat special foods, exchange gifts, and set off fireworks.  Rows of wicks within diye, clay lamps filled with mustard oil, light the way to welcome the Hindu god Rama, who returned thousands of years ago to reclaim his kingdom after 14 years in exile.

            It’s been said of Unitarian Universalists, not inaccurately  – “if you’ve met one…well, you’ve met one!”  The same can be claimed, even more emphatically, of Hindus.  They are not all like Mahatma Gandhi, or Deepak Chopra, or a Bollywood movie star; nor do they all resemble TV’s Apu, the Hindu Quik-e-Mart owner on The Simpsons, and devotee of the elephant Diety Ganesha, who admonishes the irreverent Homer Simpson to “stop feeding peanuts to my God!”

If you were to ask a Hindu the central question of this sermon: “Do you know the way to light,”  she would explain that the answer will be given in two parts.

First, she may suggest you alter the question to make it plural. Do you know the ways to light? Hinduism contends that there are many paths to the summit; “many strings in the lute,” as the poet Tagore tells us.

The great Hindu swami, Vivekananda, who helped introduce his relatively exotic tradition to America at the 1883 World Parliament of Religions, once remarked that “truth is a pathless land. ”  This suggests  (at least from my perspective) that truth itself exists beyond or outside of a single chosen path, while the paths themselves, practiced faithfully, also represent vehicles of truth leading to greater spiritual depth, self understanding, perhaps,  even enlightenment, as known as liberation (or moksha).

The Transcendentalist movement in the mid 19^th c within Unitarian Universalism was strongly influenced by the spiritual foundations of Hinduism.  In Henry David Thoreau’s classic, Walden, the author writes: “In the morning, I bathed my intellect in the stupendous and cosmo-gonal philosophy of the Bhagvat-Geeta..in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial.” He notes quite poetically that “The pure Walden water is mingled with the sacred water of the Ganges.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson learned about Hinduism from his formidable aunt, Mary Moody Emerson, and by the 1820’s, he was writing about India in his journals.  He  obtained copies of the Bhagavad Gita in the 1830’s and began publishing excerpts from the “Ethical Scriptures” in The Dial, the journal of the transcendentalist circle.

“Unitarians were increasingly drawn to India’s religious ideas: its insistence on the oneness of the divine, the presence of the sacred in all existence, and Hinduism’s capacity to point to the transcendent unity of diverse paths and ways.” (Diana Eck) We hear the resonant strum of Hinduism’s lute strings in Emerson’s definitive transcendentalist essay entitled, “The Over-Soul.” He writes: “Meantime within man is the soul of the whole [Hinduism’s Atman]; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE. “ [Hinduism’s Brahman].

Ralph Waldo and Henry David understood that the second part of the answer to our central question: Do you know the way to light? is a brief two-word response: Inquire Within.

Like all religiously authentic people, Hindus are expected to take their religion off the shelf and personalize it through dynamic actual existence, to find keys to their own enlightenment through spiritual practice, devotion, and discipline. One must walk the talk, or find oneself walking and talking and stumbling and learning through as many cycles of incarnations (or samsara) as needed on this earth to work out one’s karma (that is, deeds from past lifetimes).

There is no golden ticket to punch.  Lakshmi  isn’t going to drop prosperity into the lap of any devotee. Through mindfulness and practice, the devotee must discover enlightened ways to bring more prosperity into his or her own life. Perhaps by practicing what Buddhists call enlightened self interest – an act which benefits both the individual and the community.

Yoga, a spiritual practice connected explicitly to Hinduism, and which I practice myself, is anything but newfangled. Evidence of yoga postures were found on artifacts that date back to 3000 B.C. as well as in the oldest-existing sacred Hindu text, the Rig-Veda.

The word, “yoga”  actually means “to yoke with the divine,”  not “to cripple oneself trying to bend in half like one’s far-more-experienced and limber teacher!”

Physical forms of Yoga have gained enormous popularity in the West, and sadly, have been corrupted by some teachers and schools, becoming competitive and hard-edged. I mean, “Boot camp Yoga” - do I detect a disconnect there?

Yet, Yoga is not just physical asanas. Devotees also practice jnana, yoga of the intellect; bhakti, which centers on the heart, karma yoga (the only most closely associated with Gandhi) which motivates right action, or “the way of works,”  and, raja yoga offers a path to God through experimentation on the Self. 

True yoga must be taken off the mat and into the world! Sweat all you want, bend and balance, and practice and breathe…but  by all means, bring some raja and some bhakti to your effort; inquire Within. Otherwise, it’s just a fitness class with an exotic twist.

Through yoga or another chosen dedicated practice of meditation and self-knowledge, we can awaken, by realizing that Atman, the pure soul within each person, and Brahman, the Ultimate cosmic reality, are one.  The light of the Universe shines within us, through us, and around us. We each shimmer like a knot in Indra’s fabled cosmic net.

Do you know the way to light? Inquire Within.

One of the aspects of Hindu teaching  I most savor is the use of wisdom tales and riddles, often with some amusement or a twist, to illustrate concepts as complex as enlightenment.

In the classic Hindu wisdom tale , Tat Tvam Asi, a seeker went to a great master, a renowned yogi.  Bowing reverentially in the traditional manner he said: “O master, I seek enlightenment, please initiate and teach me so that I may attain That!” The master replied in a kindly manner: “Certainly my son, tat tvam asi, which is Sanskrit for You are That.” The master continues: “The divine Self lives within you. Meditate on that Self, know that Self, merge in that Self, realise that Self!” The seeker was disappointed. “O master, I know all that already. Why, that very teaching was featured in this month’s Yoga Journal. Please give me the secret teachings, I want the real stuff!”

The master said: That is all I know. That is my entire teaching I have no secrets. There is nothing that I have not given you. However, if you are not satisfied, you can go down the road to the next swami’s ashram and see if he has something more suitable for you.” The seeker approached the other guru and said: “O master, I seek enlightenment, please give me the initiation and your most secret teaching so that I may attain That!” The guru said: “I do not give my teachings so easily. You must earn them. You must do sadhana, spiritual practice. If you are sincere then you can stay here and work for 12 years. Only in this way will you earn my initiation.”

The seeker was delighted: “That’s just what I wanted. That is real spiritual life, real sadhana. I’ll begin at once.” The guru assigned him the job of shovelling buffalo dung in the back paddock. The years went by. Each day as he shovelled the dung the seeker dreamt of his future enlightenment. He ticked the passing days and months off his calendar.

Finally 12 years were up; the great day arrived. He approached the guru with hands folded palm to palm. “O my guru, I have served you faithfully for 12 years. I request your teachings and initiation as you have promised. Please bestow your grace upon me.” The guru said: “My son, you have served me well. You truly deserve my teaching. Here it is: “Tat tvam asi. You are That, the divine Self lives within you. Meditate on that Self, know that Self, merge in that Self, realise that Self!”

The seeker became enraged. “What! Is that all? The guru up the road gave me that the first time I met him and I didn’t have to shovel buffalo dung for him for 12 years!”
 “Well,” said the guru. “That was your decision, but the truth hasn’t changed in 12 years.”   

Do you know the way to light? Inquire Within.

This tale strikes a particularly resonant chord for me because just about 12 years ago, I purchased tickets to hear a talk given by the Dalai Lama at MIT. He had been there at a symposium on science and religion ( a fascination of his, I understand).

When he came onstage, people went wild –“Elvis is in the house” wild! He sat in a chair and his feet dangled off the ground. He was like a large happy child in orange and red robes in an oversized Lazy-Boy. Gosh – why are these spiritual teachers always so much smaller in stature than the imposing figures we imagine them to be?

The format was Q&A and the questions began about how a seeker could achieve enlightenment. The Dalai Lama would listen and smile; a reverent silence  would pervade. Wait for it, he’s going to say something earth-shatteringly wise! “I don’t know, but that is a very good question,” replied the Lama, over and over again,  to more questions than not. In essence, the Lama was teaching us:  Inquire Within. Or as the Buddha himself revealed: I am not the moon. I am just another finger pointing at the moon.

A special form of smugness can pervade assemblies such as this  – one can practically smell the aroma of “I’m already more enlightened than the average Joe because I was wise and spiritual enough to purchase this ticket.”

Let me tell you - I thought there might be a collective meltdown in the room. People were annoyed. I paid 100 plus dollars for this!? Who made you a Lama anyway? I could sense how hard folks were trying to keep the serene “I belong here” expressions on their faces. It was squirmy and awkward, but the memory reminds me to check my projections about gurus, stay in the moment, inquire within.

Earlier this month, I traveled to Washington DC to hear the contemporary spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle speak at the Warner Theater.  I admire him. He is deservedly popular, in my opinion,  and some of you may be familiar with his books. The event was advertised as “an evening of presence with Eckhart Tolle,”  so I suspected he would share his valuable insights about the egoic mind and the pain body and the enlightened moment  somewhat more off-the-cuff than his very smooth and accessible CDs.

When Tolle entered the stage from the wings, I sensed some surprise among the crowd that he was not more debonair. There he was, quite hunched over and diminutive, not especially GQ in his attire; the quintessential philosophy wonk.

His talk was extemporaneous and occasionally even a wee bit rambling, punctuated by an unexpected goofy little laugh. In pockets around the theater, I could feel frustration, impatience, a “get on with it, and tell me the secret” vibe. Tolle kept on. Some folks began checking their text messages, others fell asleep, while others stayed with him, as best they could, in the presence of the moment.

Was it life-changing? No. Was the experience yet another opportunity to seek stillness in the moment, the only reality I’m actually experiencing anyway, the only place I could possibly wake up and find even a shred of enlightenment?  Yes. So, the event delivered as advertised. 

Maybe you feel impatient or even agitated listening to this sermon, right now, in this moment, the only reality you actually experiencing. When is she going to tell us the secret? Maybe you are already wondering if there will be cookies at coffee hour today or if you’ll be able to follow the confusing repeats in the hymn we’ll be singing when I’m finished.

Do I know the way to your light? I have some ideas and resources to share, just like Tolle. But I say, yet again: Inquire Within. Whenever I sense in others a zeal to  line up behind me so they can “follow” me on the path, I tell them clearly: I am just another finger pointing at the moon. I am not your light. However, as your minister, I will stand here on the edge of the path and shine a flashlight down upon it, so that you might not trip quite so much along the way.”

In a nutshell: If a teacher, a minister, a therapist, anybody, tells you they have the secret password to your enlightenment, I suggest you strap on your sandals and head to the next village. Charlatans abound in the world of spiritual growth and even renowned teachers, roshis, yogis, ministers, and gurus have lost their way, been seduced by adoration, and fallen from grace believing they are the moon and not the finger pointing at it. 

When I lose my own way and find myself in a dark corner, when I fall out of the moment, I follow my own counsel, and I inquire within, reminding myself that I am not my self-defeating thoughts or emotions, my “egoic mind” or my “pain body”  -- I am the person aware of them.

Eckhart Tolle would call this a moment of clarity and consciousness. As best I can, illuminated at times by just a sliver of light, I stumble back to the present moment, the only reality I am experiencing anyway, the only place I could possibly wake up to any semblance of enlightenment.

By inquiring within we are reminded, through the richness and beauty of spiritual practices, including those found in Hinduism, how glorious yet limited we humans truly are; how forming some connection to the sacred enriches us; that we are flawed, yet improvable, through the practices of mind, heart, hand, and spirit.

We may awaken to an awareness that enlightenment is found in those moments of Being, the admission that we are not enlightened, and in some devotion to growth. We may find that in the open arms of Hinduism’s plurality,  we’re better able to recognize the arrogant Western preoccupation with exclusivist religions -- the ones which extol bigger, better, best; one-size-fits-all, one way to the Light, or be damned!

We may discover, yet again, that the way to light, be it through Unitarian Universalism or Hinduism, or any other legitimate path, requires intention in both our action and our stillness. 

Hear these words from Hindu sage Krishnamurti:

“When you understand the mind and the mind is completely still, not made still, then that stillness is the act of worship; and in that stillness there comes into being that which is true, and which is beautiful, that which is Light.”

Do you know the way to light? The truth has not changed for 12 years or 1200 years -- Tat tvam Asi. You are That.   

Inquire Within.

Jai Bhagwan (the divine in me recognizes and honors the divine in you.) 

© 2012  Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker. All rights reserved. Material may be quoted with proper attribution.