Spiritual Masters of the World's Religions

Concluding Remarks

241 Concluding Remarks Arvind Sharma Exotericism The preceding chapters provided an overview of the place of the spiritual master in Judaic, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist traditions. One striking fact emerging from this survey is that the role of the spiritual master tends to involve both esoteric and exoteric dimensions of religion. This conclusion is somewhat counterintuitive because one might, at first blush, be inclined to think that the spiritual master is likely to be concerned with the esoteric dimension alone. However, as Victoria Kennick signaled in the opening chapter, the social impact of the spiritual master cannot be overlooked. Some spiritual masters, with the active participation of the public, founded traditions and institutions that have lasted for centuries. In this respect, it is difficult not to be impressed by the sheer longevity of the Buddhist saṃgha, which has a history of almost two thousand five hundred years behind it. It started as an exoteric ☼ 242 Arvind Sharma movement, although it developed esoteric dimensions in the course of its history. The Buddha famously stated in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta that “there was no esoteric doctrine in his teaching, nothing hidden in the ‘closed-fist of the teacher’ (ācariya-muṭṭhi), or to put it in other words, there never was anything ‘up his sleeve.’”1 This farewell sermon of his is worth citing in some detail: Ānanda, what does the Order of the Sangha expect from me? I have taught the Dhamma (Truth) without making any distinction as exoteric and esoteric. With regard to the truth, the Tathāgata has nothing like the closed fist of a teacher (ācariya-muṭṭhi). Surely, Ānanda, if there is anyone who thinks that he will lead the Sangha, and that the Sangha should depend on him, let him set down his instructions. But the Tathāgata has no such idea. Why should he then leave instructions concerning the Sangha? I am now old, Ānanda, eighty years old. As a worn-out cart has to be kept going by repairs, so, it seems to me, the body of the Tathāgata can only be kept going by repairs. Therefore, Ānanda, dwell making yourselves your island (support), making yourselves, not anyone else, your refuge; making the Dhamma your island (support), the Dhamma your refuge, nothing else your refuge.2 It is therefore a matter of some significance that esoteric traditions emerged within Buddhism, in which even the confessions at the fortnightly gatherings by the monks are made in public. That is, they confessed in an assembly of monks rather than to an individual. We shall examine the significance of the esoteric developments within Buddhism later in these concluding remarks. At this point, what needs to be recognized is that the exoteric dimension of the figure of the spiritual master, in a sense, provides a reality check to the esoteric dimension. Victoria Kennick refers to cases of spiritual masters who mislead their followers, sometimes to their death; and it is on the basis of such negative social impact that one is able to make judgments about them. The biblical dictum ye shall know them by their fruits applies with illuminating force in such cases. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 243 Concluding Remarks Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast in fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.3 This recognition of the exoteric dimension to the work of spiritual master is salutary because it can help distinguish, at least retrospectively , between good and bad spiritual masters. Moreover, it can signal proactively when an esoteric tradition begins to display signs of bearing bad fruit. After all, traditions founded by spiritual masters that are sound to begin with may take a turn for the worse. Esotericism We must now deal with the fact that religious traditions founded in an explicitly exoteric way also seem to develop an esoteric dimension as they grow. This is obvious in the transformation of Buddhist tradition from Theravāda Buddhism to Mahāyāna Buddhism—and even more so in its transformation into Vajrayāna Buddhism. It is perhaps a little less...