Spiritual Awakening: a Comparative Study of 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' & 'The Art of Happiness'
Abstract
Life for every person bears a different meaning. For some, it is a pleasurable journey while for others, it is misery's bed till death. There is a popular notion that one’s life is pre-written and nothing can be changed. But some writers strongly believe that irrespective of what family, surroundings, or conditioning one is born into, one can make a difference in life by acquiring an optimistic mindset and karma. For them, life is indeed beautiful but the fundamental truths of it sadly get fogged, by busy chaotic lifestyles which make it impossible to witness the actual beauty of life and cherish the pleasure of each moment. This research paper focuses on the works of two such writers - Robin Sharma and Dalai Lama, who unrevealed life's sparks through teachings of spiritual awakening along with the need to change one’s perspective to admire and lead what each one of us yearns for a peaceful life.
Chapter I
Introduction and Literature Review
Introduction
For ambitious people, life is a challenge to win for money and fame; for nurturers, it means building relationships but, for a yogi, it is a journey to seek enlightenment. Enlightenment is the other name for spiritual awakening. Spiritual awakening is tapping into one’s deeper subconscious and mental awareness resulting in a change in outlook towards life through personal growth which happens through wisdom gained out of personal experiences over time. From spiritual preachers to authors and poets, spiritual awakening has always existed in society since the Age of Reason.
A Canadian writer who left litigation at the age of 25, Robin Sharma is a world-renowned server of people. ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ was his first book of the series and became an international bestseller. His works like ‘Who Will Cry When You Die?’, and ‘The Leader Who Had No Title’ are among many.
Dalai Lama VI is a Tibetan monk famous for his wisdom and knowledge about Buddhism. And is well known as a humanitarian. ‘The Art of Happiness’ is divided into 15 chapters and is a sort of interview conducted by Howard Cutler seeking answers from the Dalai Lama. This research paper tries to shed light on spiritual awakening through the eyes of Robin Sharma and the Dalai Lama by the means of comparative research methodology.
Literature Review
‘The Witch of Portobello’ by Paulo Coello is a book related to spiritual awakening just like the ones by Robin Sharma and Dalai Lama. It is a pure work of fiction like ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ unlike Dalai Lama’s work. It differs from both works on the aspect that the quest of the protagonist is to find the answer spiritually to ‘Who am I’.
Chapter II
Spiritual Awakening through Robin Sharma’s Eyes
Beginning a Fable with the story ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ opens with John giving a first-hand account of a litigator, famous for his theatre tactics and dramatic ways of fighting in the courtroom, Italian suits, dinners with models in world-class restaurants, fainting of a heart attack on a Monday morning in the middle courtroom seven after having won the ‘Mother of All Trials Case’. The speaker had been with Julian Mantle for a record 17 years in his firm since being hired there as a summer intern a. John wasn’t the least surprised by this because he had observed how the sixty-year-old Julian had become so workaholic that he did build a big name for himself but never believed in building relationships. Though his life was full of luxury, he had no time for self-care and had developed enough wrinkles on his face to look older than his actual self. It wasn’t that Julian didn’t admire relationships because he would often ask John about his wife whenever free. Also, John had heard about a tragedy having struck him long ago but not one revealed to him the details, and this secrecy, John felt, had surely contributed to ‘the downward spiral of John Mantle.’ 3 years later, surprisingly leaving the firm, Julian sets off to India ‘to seek some answers’, having sold everything including his pride the Ferrari and no one hears of him since then. John became an older lawyer with a family to look after.
2 months before these 3 years, John had a knock on his cabin and while he was considering having the security have the person thrown off despite his repeated denials through his assistant, finally the stranger is let in. Initially, John is unable to recognize this man with a spiritual glow on his face appearing to be thirty but then is in for a shock on realizing that this was none other but his old best friend and mentor- Julian Mentor.
This is when John mesmerized by Julian’s transformation starts getting inquisitive and the actual spiritual conversation sets in.
Spiritual Awakening through Robin Sharma’s Eyes
Robin Sharma weaves a story to reveal Julian’s spiritual journey which embarked after the doctor had warned him that either he had to choose his profession or life in the ICU. Julian first goes to the Himalayas in quest of knowledge and meets Yogi Krishnan who in turn tells him about the unseen but heard of, 'the Sivana Saints'. Then, by dedicated means of 7-day walking, Julian by chance comes across a person in a blue and red robe with a hood and struggles to catch up with him. Finally convinced by his dedication, the great Sivana saint turns and takes him where the rest of the saints live. Here, Julian meets his great teacher Yogi Raman and the awakening begins through the knowledge he gains from his guru.
Yogi Raman’s narrated story, which is the crux of spiritual enlightenment in the entire book, is re-narrated by Julian to John asking him to imagine- ‘ You are sitting in the middle of a magnificent, lush, green garden. This garden is filled with the most spectacular flowers you have ever seen. The environment is supremely tranquil and silent. Savor the sensual lights of this garden and feel as if you have all the time in the world to enjoy this natural oasis. As you look around you see that in the center of this magical garden stands a towering, red lighthouse, six stories high. Suddenly, the silence of the garden is disturbed by a loud creaking as the door at the base of the lighthouse opens. Out stumbles a nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler who casually wanders into the center of the garden…As this sumo wrestler starts to move around the garden, he finds a shiny golden stopwatch that someone had left behind many years earlier. He slips it on and falls to the ground with an enormous thud. The sumo wrestler is rendered unconscious and lies there silent and still. Just when you think he has taken his last breath, the sumo wrestler awakens, perhaps stirred by the fragrance of some fresh yellow flowers blooming nearby. Energized, the wrestler jumps swiftly to his feet and intuitively looks to his left. He is startled by what he sees. Through the bushes at the very edge of the garden, he observes a long winding path covered by millions of sparkling diamonds. Something seems to instruct the wrestler to take that path, and to his credit, he does. This path leads him down the road of everlasting joy and eternal bliss. The wrestler wears a thin pink wire to protect his privacy.
In the next 4- 13 chapters, the fable's writer, through Julian Mantle, put forth the view of what is represented by each of the elements in Yogi Raman’s story as the 7 essentials of spiritual awakening.
According to Robin Sharma, the garden represents the mind. He feels that it is essential to keep the mind optimistic and not let a single negative thought stay there. Negativity like anger, stress, and anxiety are synonymous with death. Letting them rule prevents one from attaining the true potential one is capable of. Belief in the power of expansion of imagination and life’s purpose to make the mind not limit itself to what society has conditioned it to is crucial. Also, one must suspend judgment of experiences as negative or positive because behind every experience there is a lesson. He also speaks of the Law of Attraction where the mind has the power to make visualized things happen. Robin Sharma feels that one should stop thinking those thoughts which have been already thought of and stop worrying about how other people react to unleash the mind’s true potential. Also, one should remain curious and imaginative to absorb knowledge rather than let the mind get polluted like an unmaintained garden by the weeds of negativity, empathy, and overthinking.
The lighthouse symbolizes the discovery of purpose and following it. For following one’s life purpose, Robin feels that one must know the direction in which one is heading. The first step is by setting goals. Mentally prepared goals are not enough but need to be written down as they act as constant reminders of what needs to be accomplished. Once a person starts doing this, the right direction of attaining the ultimate goal is seen. The subconscious mind starts channelizing all its power towards the goal and nature gets aligned to help one attain it.
The sumo wrestler stands for the Japanese Kaizen method involving the process of spontaneous improvement and learning. The main idea of the kaizen method is to do those things one fears and outgrow of it. Also, Robin Sharma expounds that just like a sumo wrestler has to take genuine care and caution about his health and diet, every person must partake in activities for the betterment of one’s the development and improvement because the DNA of mastering life is mastering one’s self.
The pink wire, which the sumo wrestler wears, protects his modesty. It is an ultimate representation of discipline along with self -control which is crucial in attaining anything in life. Walking up early in the morning is often neglected but, according to Robin Sharma, it is like those minute components which form one of the strand components of the wire. These minute bead-like components represent those small courageous acts that one performs making one braver.
Time is precious and the golden stopwatch is a metaphor for this time. Robin Sharma, through Julian Mantle, explains how all successful people know how to value time which is why they can complete all they wish to in the same 24 hours of the day which all have been bestowed with. There is no magic behind it; it is just that they make fruitful use of every second in a day unlike many who procrastinate performing tasks hence idling away time. He feels that one needs to think in the way which shall drive him to perform the task- one may have achieved a height of glory while the other is busy pushing things and while one slumbers deep after switching the alarm off another might have finished an effective workout elsewhere.
It is often believed that the joy of giving is boundless. The rose with fragrance is a synonym for the selfless serving of society. Robin Sharma feels that irrespective of how much money one owns, to attain true happiness, one must share it with those who are less privileged. The thought is when you make others happy you will become happy as well.
Yogi Raman’s story element of the path of diamonds does not represent material luxuries as it may appear on literal interpretation. As per a great Chinese proverb, the one who hands over flowers retains little of its fragrance on his hands. The writer uses diamonds to be symbolic of happiness. Even a tiny mirthful moment is as valuable as a diamond. He feels that everyone must cherish these moments by living in that moment rather than being governed by negativity which ruins the beauty of such moments. Once a person starts doing this, definitely a person will emerge to be more content and happier.
Actions Speak Louder than Words
Apart from these enlightening insights, Robin Sharma even reveals methods that can be used to attain them. The mind can be trained to stay focussed and free of negative thoughts by exercising the Heart of the Rose, a starter’s meditation and involves one sitting in a calm place with a rose in hand. One is to continuously stare at the rose's center and ponder all about nothing but its beauty. Initially, according to Robin, one’s mind is bound to wander off to other aspects or even negative thoughts but the aim is not to give up and continue this practice consistently. Ultimately the highest level of concentration will develop.
Developing a living of radiance is not easy but, by the means of the Ten Rituals of Radiant Living of the Sivana saints. This involves the concept of living by priorities (simplicity), of writing a mantra and reciting it daily, being an early riser, using music to overcome ‘in the blues’, practicing reading and writing to enhance one’s knowledge, following a vegetarian diet, stay silent after waking up for a few moments and also doing exercise.
Following one’s purpose needs serious dedication. One must know what to expect at the end, pursue the goal for 21 days, stay motivated, use optimistic pressure and not take it as pain. Robin Sharma feels that to inculcate discipline, one must stick to a mantra and for 30 times, chant it. Also, a period of silence is to be followed to gain control over one’s body and only answer direct questions. He suggests using the Ancient Rule of 20, to enhance the amount of output for whatever is performed. The principle is that if one performs activities of 20%, the result’s 80 % will be achieved. Apart from this Robin Sharma advises to never giving more importance to achievement over happiness. He feels that one must focus one’s energy on attaining one’s goal once the life purpose is realized and this, according to him, is the meaning of spiritual enlightenment.
Chapter III
Dalai Lama on Enlightenment
Spiritual awakening through the Eyes of Dalai Lama
Chapter 1 deals with Dalai Lama's answer to what is happiness. He says that irrespective of belief in religion, everyone’s life aim is to attain happiness. Also, ‘happy people are those who are more sociable, flexible, creative and can tolerate life’s daily frustrations more easily than unhappy people.’ He feels that it is the right of every person to be happy.
Chapter 2 tells the causes of unhappiness and happiness. It speaks about how people compare themselves with others having higher income leading to unhappiness. Dalai Lama says one must instead feel grateful for being more fortunate than many. He feels that one must be able to judge what brings happiness and what does not and act accordingly. He advises judging one’s emotions and thoughts along with possessing optimistic wishes. Dalai Lama, in the 4th chapter, speaks of how a person can be aggressive and happy. He feels that aggression is the result of failed efforts to gain affection. Dalai Lama feels that serving others in society equally contributes to attaining happiness.
In the following chapters, Dalai Lama feels that intimacy, both emotionally and physically along with compassion develops happiness. One must never be too open to everyone because then the intimacy magic will be nonrevivable for one special person. Nevertheless, the agenda is to interact with as many people as possible hence helping build a world family. On being asked about an effective way to reduce fights between people in the 6th Chapter, Dalai Lama says one must be able to place self in others’ shoes to understand others and be filled with compassion. He speaks of relations built on money and those based on emotions stating that the latter comes to an end earlier with the end of the money. He doesn’t believe in romantic love but in true love. In Chapter 8 Dalai Lama feels one must be prepared to face any suffering so that when it arrives one will be able to get over the aftereffects more quickly. He says one who gets over suffering quicker accepts life as it is and is a stronger individual. In Chapter 10, Dalai Lama through stories narrates how foe turns out to be true friends in the end but to discover utmost patience is needed. Also, one must not live in the extremes but maintain balance in life. In the following chapters, Dalai Lama answers how to end suffering one must think of it being there and facing it. Only then will the yearning to bring a change come about. Being able to relate to other people’s suffering through empathy would be truly beneficial in the same. He addresses how changes are to be brought in the society, how one with positive thoughts can seize anger and get out of anxiety and low self-esteem, and how one must be always mirthful.
In the last chapter Dalai Lama points out how spiritual development is mainly been successfully attained for years through religion concluding that religion must have a better role in making the world a better place and how it has helped people overcome the worst situations in their life by giving the example of Terry Anderson.
Chapter IV
Intersections and Parallels Between Both Views
Spiritual Enlightenment- Similarities and Differences.
Both writers depict how negative emotions can be done away with by positive thoughts and happiness can be achieved with empathy and compassion.
While Robin Sharma mainly focuses on spiritual means to attain ultimate peace, Dalai Lama focuses on attaining happiness through religion. Also, Robin Sharma tells one to suspend judgment while undergoing experiences but Dalai Lama advises being able to distinguish between the positive and negative in case of consequences that may result. Also, his views have the scientific backing of psychiatry by his co-author. Lastly, Robin Sharma speaks of personal inner well-being as a need for unlocking the highest potential while Dalai Lama speaks of the need for relationships to attain happiness with no scientific backing.
Chapter V
Conclution
Religion and spirituality are two different sides of enlightenment telecasted by both authors in their respective books. Though the mystic saints of the Himalayas and the monks of Tibet are renowned for their knowledge in the stream, ‘enlightenment’, as a genre is still a budding concept in English Literature.
Bibliography
- Sharma, Robin S. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. 1st ed., Jaico Publishing House, 2003.
- Cutler, Howard. The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler. 10th ed., p.224.
- Coelho, Paulo. The Witch of Portobello. HarperCollins, 2009.
