Enlightenment: The Path Through The Jungle

by Dennis Waite

The clearest book that has ever been written on the subject of enlightenment, it provides a detailed examination of the satsang phenomenon (and its more extreme, neo-Advaita variant), contrasting these approaches with the traditional methods passed down from teacher to disciple for over a thousand years. What is enlightenment? What is it not? - exposes the myths and defines this misused term once and for all.

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2008

Reviews

[Linda McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in advaita (non-duality). Although I recommend reading Dennis Waite's other books first, to get a solid grounding in what advaita means, this book is necessary in an environment in which neo/pseudo-advaita and so-called "satsang" dominate the field in the West in terms of representing, or rather, misrepresenting advaita. If you have already been misled by the current crop of self-proclaimed "teachers" of this counterfeit "advaita" movement then you need this book to clear away the inevitable confusion and possibly helplessness, hopelessness and nihilism this will have engendered. If you are fortunate enough to have not yet encountered it, you need to read this book in order to inoculate yourself against it and to be well informed on how to distinguish traditional advaita vedanta from the neo/pseudo variety and why the former is the only approach that is likely to work for you in dispelling ignorance and bringing about genuine self knowledge.

Dennis Waite is to be commended for this thorough and detailed critique of an unfortunate trend in the spiritual marketplace. But even beyond exposing the serious problems with this approach, this book is very clarifying generally in terms of understanding advaita vedanta, dispelling many common misconceptions. Unfortunately there are very few authentic teachers of traditional advaita vedanta in the West and as Waite points out, the fast-paced, individualistic, materialistic, instant gratification culture of modern life is not conducive to the sustained, patient, committed, long-term process necessary to apply oneself to a traditional approach to unfolding self knowledge. Nevertheless, with books of the calibre that Waite has contributed, we can make a good start if we're prepared to swim against the tide of the dominant culture.

Despite his depth of knowledge, in sharp contrast to the opportunistic or deluded neo/pseudo/satsang teachers, Waite is humble enough and sufficiently grounded in reality to not represent himself as a teacher. However, he does point the reader towards those sources, scant as they are, who can be relied upon to convey a genuine, traditional teaching of advaita vedanta. If you are going to invest time in this direction, his words should be well heeded.

The book contains some cogent quotes on the subject from Timothy Conway, whose website, Enlightened Spirituality, includes an insightful and devastating critique of neo-advaita. I consider that both Waite and Conway have provided an important public service in preventing seekers from wasting years of their lives in a futile quest via this approach that absurdly negates the reality of seeker, search, path and teacher. In particular, one has to ask the question, if there is no reality to the teacher or seeker, "nothing to do" and "no path," why do these people continue to "teach" those who are seeking, while charging money and promoting their books, videos, etc? The stench of hypocrisy is impossible to ignore. I can only hope that the disappointment and frustration inherent in pursuing this approach leads many sincere seekers to discovering the "real thing", that is, the traditional, tried and true approach which has been in existence for thousands of years, and which is as relevant now as it has always been.