Capítulo 4
Buddha's Path: From Royal Prince to Spiritual Revolutionary
The story of Siddhartha Gotama provides essential context for understanding the meditation practices Coleman would later embrace. Born a prince in what is now Nepal around 563 BCE, Gotama enjoyed every luxury until encounters with sickness, old age, and death prompted him to abandon his royal life at age 30 to search for the meaning of suffering.
For six years, he studied with the finest teachers of his time-Brahmans, ascetics, and yogis-but found their teachings ultimately unsatisfying. Some emphasized extreme asceticism that nearly killed him, while others offered philosophical systems that didn't address suffering's root causes. Finally settling on what he called the "Middle Way" between indulgence and self-torture, Gotama meditated for weeks under a bodhi tree and achieved enlightenment, understanding both the cause and cure of suffering.
The insights he gained formed the foundation of Buddhism: that suffering arises from ignorance and craving, and can be overcome through ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom. Despite having only word-of-mouth to spread his message in an age without mass communication, Buddha's teachings eventually reached one-third of humanity who found in his "refreshingly simple formula an effective antidote to the harsh realities of life."
What distinguished Buddhism from other spiritual traditions was its emphasis on direct experience rather than faith or doctrine. Buddha taught that every action has consequences, with wise actions reducing suffering and unwholesome ones increasing it. The Four Noble Truths-that suffering exists, originates from desire, can end through extinguishing desire, and that the Eightfold Path leads to this liberation-provided a practical framework anyone could apply.
Unlike many religions, Buddhism requires active participation rather than blind acceptance. The Eightfold Path (Right Understanding, Right Resolution, Right Speech, Right Bodily Deeds, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration) offers a comprehensive approach to transforming one's life. Meditation techniques like samadhi (concentration) and vipassana (insight) are practiced to quiet the mind and gain understanding of reality, eventually leading to nirvana-the state where ignorance and desires are dispelled and suffering ceases.
This practical, experiential approach would prove crucial in Coleman's own quest for the quiet mind. Rather than requiring conversion to a new belief system, Buddha's teachings offered methods anyone could test for themselves.
Capítulo 5
The Torturous Path: Early Meditation Attempts
Coleman's first serious attempt at meditation practice came at Bangkok's ornate Wat Mahatai temple. Standing at six-foot-two among the much shorter Thai monks, he created quite a spectacle. The chief instructor, a portly but serene monk, taught him basic meditation techniques focusing on abdominal breathing-mentally noting "rising" and "falling" movements with each breath.
Despite his good intentions, Coleman struggled tremendously. The physical discomfort of sitting cross-legged on a hard floor quickly became excruciating. His Western mind, accustomed to constant analysis and distraction, refused to settle. Thoughts about work, family, and even what he might have for lunch intruded constantly. The regimen grew increasingly demanding: he had to remain perfectly still for an hour at a time, mentally noting every sensation and movement.
By the fourth day, when instructed to contemplate every action, thought, and bodily feeling-especially pain-the experience became overwhelming. "The pain in my knees and back became unbearable," Coleman recalls. "I was supposed to simply note it as 'pain, pain' without reacting, but this seemed impossible." Though the method might suit the Thai temperament, Coleman found it torturous and left early, concluding these practices were valuable for insight but unsuited to his Western mentality.
This initial failure highlights an important reality about meditation practice: techniques that work beautifully in one cultural context may need adaptation for others. The extreme emphasis on physical stillness and pain endurance in this traditional approach created barriers that prevented Coleman from experiencing the benefits of meditation. His experience suggests that finding the right teacher and approach is crucial-what works for one person may be counterproductive for another.
Yet this difficult experience wasn't wasted. It taught Coleman valuable lessons about his own mental patterns and the challenges of quieting a Western analytical mind. It also prepared him to recognize a more suitable approach when he encountered it later in his journey. Sometimes our failures are necessary steps toward eventual success, especially in the realm of spiritual practice where personal compatibility with specific methods can be essential.
Capítulo 6
The Remarkable U Ba Khin: Government Official and Meditation Master
In Burma (now Myanmar), Coleman discovered U Ba Khin, an extraordinary figure who would eventually become his primary teacher. Despite being in his seventies, this stocky man with twinkling eyes simultaneously served as chairman of Burma's State Agricultural Marketing Board, Accountant General, and Prime Minister's adviser while running a meditation center. His remarkable efficiency demonstrated meditation's practical benefits-when fatigued, he would briefly meditate in his specially designed office chair before returning to work with renewed vigor.
U Ba Khin's meditation center offered ten-day courses requiring strict adherence to precepts: vegetarian meals before noon only, no sexual activity or intoxicants, and a rigorous daily schedule starting at 4:30 AM. The training followed three classic Buddhist components: sila (morality), samadhi (concentration through breath awareness), and panna (wisdom through vipassana practice).
Despite Coleman's enthusiasm, his analytical approach became an obstacle-he spent too much time "analyzing, speculating, making copious notes" rather than experiencing meditation directly. U Ba Khin, recognizing this, tried to help Coleman "come down to a less lofty plane." Though Coleman left with intellectual understanding, he missed the transformative experience others had found.
Nevertheless, he was deeply impressed by U Ba Khin's remarkable character-a man who simultaneously excelled as government official, organizational leader, and spiritual teacher while maintaining a profound appreciation for beauty, particularly the thousands of orchids in his meditation center's gardens. Here was living proof that meditation practice didn't lead to withdrawal from the world but could enhance one's effectiveness within it.
U Ba Khin represented a new model of spiritual teacher-not a monk or ascetic withdrawn from worldly affairs, but a fully engaged participant in society who had integrated meditation into an extraordinarily productive life. His example challenged Western assumptions about spirituality requiring separation from practical matters. Instead, U Ba Khin demonstrated how inner development could enhance outer achievement, making him a particularly relevant teacher for modern seekers balancing spiritual aspirations with worldly responsibilities.
Capítulo 7
Krishnamurti: The Philosopher Who Rejected Authority
Leaving Burma feeling disappointed that his analytical nature had prevented him from fully benefiting from U Ba Khin's training, Coleman continued his search in India. After exploring various spiritual traditions without finding what he sought, a chance encounter at Benares airport led to one of his most significant relationships.
Coleman noticed a distinguished elderly Indian man in a white linen suit saying goodbye to friends. Later, during a stopover in Lucknow, he joined this man-who introduced himself as Krishnamurti, "a sort of philosopher"-for lunch. Their conversation quickly moved beyond small talk when Coleman inquired about the meaning of his name ("in the likeness of God").
Krishnamurti explained that truth must be directly experienced rather than intellectually understood. Despite his fame, he lived without possessions or money, traveling from place to place where supporters provided for his simple needs. He emphasized that human suffering comes from desire for possessions and the resulting conflict, advising "silently watching yourself" without interpretation as the path to spiritual development. He rejected organized religions as "forms of escape" that block understanding, insisting that "a man is his own salvation" who must find truth within himself rather than through leaders or systems.
In subsequent meetings over eleven years, Coleman came to understand Krishnamurti's essential message: that meditation isn't achievement or effort but an end in itself, beyond thought, time, and memory-"the vulnerability which has no past and no future." Krishnamurti explained that in ordinary states, we experience duality between observer and observed, creating conflict. In the transcendental state, "the observer and the observed become one"-the thinker and thought unite, bringing bliss rather than turning one into "a vegetable" as Coleman had worried.
Coleman found Krishnamurti paradoxical-laughing easily yet quickly serious, whimsical then grave, with penetrating brown eyes that could both connect deeply or seem to look through you. Despite his authoritative presence, Krishnamurti claimed no authority and refused to be deified, even objecting to being photographed for fear people would build temples around him.
Krishnamurti's approach represented a radical departure from traditional spiritual teachings. By rejecting all authority, including his own, he forced seekers to rely on their own direct experience rather than external guidance. His emphasis on present-moment awareness without method or technique challenged conventional approaches to meditation that relied on specific practices or techniques.
Capítulo 8
Exploring Ancient Traditions: From Tibetan Rituals to Tantric Practices
Coleman's spiritual quest led him to explore some of Buddhism's most esoteric traditions. In Sikkim, he witnessed colorful Tibetan ceremonies featuring dancers in elaborate costumes representing various deities. Through a French Buddhist nun, he gained insights into Tibetan practices including mantras (particularly the repetitive chanting of "om"), mudras (symbolic hand gestures), and visual symbols like the vajra (a scepter representing sovereign power).
He learned about Tantric practices that build symbolism upon male-female polarity, and about Tara, the female embodiment of wisdom in Tibetan worship. Though fascinated by these practices, Coleman recognized that Krishnamurti would dismiss such techniques as "sheer nonsense" and "self-hypnosis"-highlighting the tension between direct awareness approaches and traditional ritual-based spiritual paths.
In Nepal, Coleman found Kathmandu a city of striking contrasts: medieval buildings alongside modern structures, Western clothes mixing with traditional dress, and an overwhelming presence of religious imagery. "There were more temples than houses, more gods than citizens," he observed, noting that religion formed the center of Nepalese life, with worship being the most common activity.
His investigation of Tantric Buddhism revealed practices centered on harnessing sexual energy for spiritual enlightenment. An elderly Tibetan monk explained that Tantric doctrine taught that the moment of orgasm could elevate participants to a transcendental state conducive to spiritual awakening and mental clarity. Sexual rituals performed in sacred settings weren't viewed frivolously but as means to overcome obsessions and inhibitions, ultimately leading to self-knowledge.
In Benares, India's holy city, Coleman continued his exploration of Tantrism. The contrast between Benares' filth and squalor-with its polluted Ganges River where corpses floated alongside bathing pilgrims-and the clean, peaceful Buddhist site of Sarnath six miles away struck him forcefully. A scholarly Tibetan lama explained that Tantrism viewed God (Brahma) as a non-personified creative force combining both female (Shakti) and male (Shiva) aspects. Unlike Western religions, Tantrism avoided personifying God, seeing everything as divine manifestation.
While finding these practices bizarre from his Western perspective, Coleman acknowledged the genuine spiritual quest of their practitioners. His explorations revealed the extraordinary diversity within Buddhism-from austere Zen meditation to elaborate Tibetan rituals to sexually-oriented Tantric practices-all ultimately aimed at transcending ordinary consciousness and achieving enlightenment.
Capítulo 9
The Forest Monastery: Finding Simplicity with Buddhadasa
After exploring elaborate ritual traditions, Coleman sought the teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Thailand's leading Buddhist monk known for advocating "pure Buddhism" stripped of cultural accretions. At Suan Mok forest monastery, Coleman settled into a small cottage deep in the woods, completely alone except for monkeys watching from trees above and occasional encounters with giant ants.
The grounds housed about twenty-five resident monks and a few lay visitors, creating an atmosphere wholly conducive to contemplation. Buddhadasa initially kept his distance, allowing Coleman to acclimate to the tranquil forest environment before providing Zen Buddhist books to study. Eventually, he invited Coleman to evening discussions where he shared his philosophy: we should experience life directly rather than following secondhand teachings.
"We humans are like fish who do not see the water surrounding them," Buddhadasa explained, advocating constant meditation integrated with daily activities. He rejected conventional dualistic thinking (good/evil, flesh/spirit), symbolized by a large Yin-Yang construction in the temple area. Though revered by followers, Buddhadasa was considered a rebel for condemning many present-day Buddhist practices as deviations from Buddha's original teachings.
In Japan, Coleman met Dr. Suzuki, the world's foremost authority on Zen. Despite being 90 years old and extremely hard of hearing, Suzuki possessed a boyish charm and razor-sharp mind. During their conversation over green tea, Suzuki explained that Zen's essentials cannot be fully described because they are an experience, not ideas. Unlike Western dualistic thinking, Zen focuses on "lived truth" rather than intellectual abstractions.
Suzuki illustrated Eastern versus Western mentality by comparing the poets Basho and Tennyson. Where Basho observed a wild flower and felt one with it, Tennyson plucked his flower to analyze it intellectually. This fundamental difference-the East being silent, introspective and meditative; the West analytical and intellectual-explains why Zen often seems inscrutable to Westerners.
At the Shokoku Temple in Kyoto, Coleman learned about Zen training courses lasting a year or more. The daily routine was austere but purposeful-beginning at 3 a.m. with meditation, followed by chanting, simple meals, work periods, and more meditation into the evening. The primary practices were zazen (sitting meditation) and koan study-puzzling questions like "What is Buddha?" with nonsensical answers like "The cat is climbing the post," designed to push the mind beyond logical thinking into intuition.
These experiences with Buddhadasa and Zen masters highlighted approaches to meditation that emphasized simplicity, direct experience, and integration with daily life-contrasting sharply with the elaborate rituals Coleman had observed elsewhere. They suggested that the quiet mind might be found not through complex practices but through direct, unmediated awareness of present reality.
Capítulo 10
Western Contemplative Traditions: Finding Silence Closer to Home
After returning to Britain, Coleman investigated Western contemplative traditions, discovering unexpected parallels with Eastern practices. At a Quaker meeting, he found a simple, unadorned room with no altar, pictures, or formal leader. The meeting began in silence, creating a profound spiritual communion among strangers. After about ten minutes, participants began sharing personal reflections and readings, all received with respectful silence. The meeting concluded naturally without announcement.
A Quaker elder explained their belief that "creeds, rituals, sacred books, sacramentals, priesthood and religious institutions are nothing without the inner experience of the presence of God." Their meditation practice is likened to many candles burning together, each augmenting the others' light. For three hundred years, Quakers have met in silence without prearranged programs, seeking to quiet the mind and reach spiritual center.
Coleman also explored Spiritualism, a faith based on Christian beliefs in immortality and survival of the soul. While his first encounter was disappointing, a later experience with a female medium in trance state provided remarkably accurate connections, including correctly identifying a dead relative and predicting a job offer that materialized two days later. A Spiritualist minister explained that mediums channel spiritual energy to patients' afflicted areas, creating warmth and increased blood circulation that restores harmony between mind and body.
At Nashdom Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Buckinghamshire, Coleman spent nearly a week experiencing the monks' austere lifestyle-simple meals, prayer, meditation, and contemplative silence. Dom John explained their adherence to St. Benedict's rules, their self-sufficient lifestyle through gardening and manufacturing, and their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
These Western contemplative traditions revealed that the search for inner silence wasn't exclusive to Eastern spiritual paths. Quaker silence, monastic contemplation, and even certain Spiritualist practices offered Western approaches to quieting the mind. This discovery suggested that the fundamental human yearning for inner peace transcends cultural and religious boundaries, manifesting in diverse traditions around the world.
Capítulo 11
The Breakthrough: Finding the Quiet Mind at Last
After years of searching, Coleman felt increasingly drawn to return to U Ba Khin's meditation center in Rangoon. Abandoning his intellectual approach and adopting an attitude of receptive neutrality, he and his wife eventually arrived in Burma during Buddhist New Year celebrations. This time, Coleman was determined to avoid the analytical traps that had hindered his previous visit.
His meditation practice progressed rapidly. Within three days his mind achieved crystal clarity, ready for vipassana (insight meditation). Following his teacher's instructions, he systematically directed intense concentration from head to toe, becoming aware of tingling sensations and molecular motion throughout his body. This awareness of impermanence (anicca) intensified into overwhelming heat and pain.
Instructed to remain perfectly still for hour-long periods, he endured excruciating suffering until reaching a breakthrough moment when his desire to escape the pain suddenly ceased. In that instant of surrender, something "snapped," bringing "indescribable calm" and "peace which passes all understanding"-the quiet mind he had sought throughout his journey.
U Ba Khin, though 71 years old, expressed his lifelong ambition to teach Buddha-Dhamma in the West, though travel restrictions prevented him from leaving Burma. He emphasized that anicca (impermanence) isn't reserved for monks but is accessible to householders facing the world's serious problems. When Coleman mentioned Western skepticism about meditation, U Ba Khin explained that virtuous living (sila) and mental control (samadhi) are common to all religions, and that understanding impermanence requires practice rather than mere book knowledge.
He advocated maintaining awareness of anicca throughout daily activities, or setting aside regular meditation periods. U Ba Khin explained that Buddha's teachings on kalapas (subatomic particles) anticipated modern atomic theory by recognizing matter's continuous change-these infinitesimal particles die as soon as they're created, with a trillion such moments occurring in an eye's blink.
Before Coleman's departure, U Ba Khin mentioned possibly authorizing disciples to teach meditation abroad. Later, Coleman received a letter appointing him as one such teacher, with instructions to "tune in" with U Ba Khin at specific times through a form of distant thought transmission. Despite the unusual nature of this arrangement, Coleman found the practice genuinely effective.
This breakthrough experience transformed Coleman's understanding of meditation. Rather than an intellectual exercise or temporary escape, he discovered it as a direct perception of reality that fundamentally altered his relationship with suffering. The quiet mind wasn't achieved through complex philosophies or elaborate rituals, but through direct awareness of impermanence and the surrender of resistance to present experience.
Capítulo 12
Beyond the Search: Living with a Quiet Mind
Finding true peace requires dedication and time-the commodity most people lack in modern life. Many accept their mental strains as inevitable, while others seek shortcuts through drugs like LSD, mescaline, and hashish. After interviewing drug users and conducting a controlled LSD experiment himself, Coleman concluded these chemical experiences differ fundamentally from true nirvana: they have sudden onset, brief duration, and complete absence of lasting personality change or insight.
While drug experiences may occasionally resemble mystical states, they leave no residue of wisdom-only craving for the next "high." Scientific studies of meditation show promising results: research on yogis and Zen masters reveals specific brain wave patterns during enlightenment states, and experiments with biofeedback systems show people can learn to produce alpha waves more quickly than traditional training allows.
Yet these scientific approaches, like drugs, don't produce the necessary self-insight to transcend duality and end suffering. Life itself is constant conflict-from birth through childhood, adulthood, and all human relationships. We spend our lives trying to escape this conflict through entertainments, substances, and distractions, but these often become conflicts themselves.
The key to finding peace lies in our relationship with suffering itself-regarding others' suffering with compassion and our own with equanimity. We must develop silent awareness without conscious effort, being attentive to each moment without trying to change it. When we see clearly that suffering comes from desire-whether desire for pleasure or freedom from pain-the illusion of a separate self disappears. The observer becomes the observed, integration with the universe occurs, and we discover pure action without purpose: love.
After his enlightenment experience, Coleman began teaching meditation across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia, eventually scaling back to a more manageable schedule as he aged. His journey came full circle to the quiet mind he had originally sought, while watching his family grow up with, he hoped, quiet minds of their own.
Buddhist tradition predicts that Gotama Buddha's teachings will last 5,000 years before disappearing until the next Buddha appears. The first half of this period ended in 1956, having unfolded across five distinct 500-year periods, each with its own emphasis. With the second 2,500-year cycle beginning in 1956, Buddhists believe a renewed emphasis on meditation is emerging-precisely when Coleman began his search.
The dramatic growth of interest in meditation since then has fulfilled U Ba Khin's prophecy about the "time clock of Vipassana" striking for the revival of Buddha's teachings. What was nearly impossible to find in the 1950s-authentic meditation instruction-has become widely available worldwide, suggesting that Coleman's personal journey paralleled a broader spiritual awakening that continues to unfold today.
