Different Minds, Different Paths

From a tender age, I asked my mother questions about life. My grandmother was not spared my incessant questions. She used to complain that I am the type who asked questions till she had no answers left. At that time, I took it to mean that I should stop bothering her. It also made me wonder why they did not share the same curiosity. It did not squelch my desire to seek for answers, however.

In my early teens, I challenged my mother with more questions in spiritual matters. I then decided to try out a different faith from hers. At that time, it was a cardinal sin to question, let alone embrace another faith. I received the strongest punishment. I think she must have found me one tough kid to handle. I could see then that the punishment was motivated by fear. She feared I was too young to think for myself. Or that I was influenced by my friends and that she would lose control of me. Very often, teen years are years of experimentation and decisions made could be temporary only. I suppose it is also very natural for parents to assume that their children should follow in their footsteps.

Later, I continued to explore different spiritual paths. I have met religious teachers from different faiths. To me, spirituality is inclusive and not divisive. Spirituality teaches us to accept one another, not punish, alienate or judge another who chooses differently from us. Does proving that my path is better than yours make me a better person than you? And how does one prove that? Will winning this intellectual debate mean that I have experienced more personal transformation and added on to the peace of this planet?

Is it man and his ego who works to separate and to have the "one-upmanship"? Mine is better and purer than yours. Mine is the real path. Is that not ironic when the goal of many religious practices is to encourage the letting go of the ego? Loosen our clinging to I, me and mine? Sometimes, it is not the religion per se but the wrong view of its practitioners. I think, what is really important is the right view and whether there has been any real transformation for the better.

We have different minds and so we are inclined and drawn to different paths. Everyone has their own time. However, this does not change the fact that in our hearts, we are seekers of the truth. If not, at least we seek to be better people through our spiritual paths. Why be dogmatic? Have we considered that people who are free thinkers maybe more spiritual than "religious" people? Are we enlightened people? Who are we to judge? And who says we know better?