Video Links Aplenty, Galore Even (April 2021)


     Well by golly, the month of April was a rather momentous one for me, and I participated in a number of video “events,” some of which are associated with the momentousness, and so I may as well post the links now before they get too stale. April was my last full month as an ordained bhikkhu living in California, and by the end of May, the gods and my karma willing, I’ll be without class or special status wearing a shirt in an apartment/studio in South Carolina, applying myself to paying the bills (or rather at first just gazing upon my new world in amazement, and maybe hiking on Paris Mountain). I’ll still be writing and doing videos though, and philosophizing in general, and being politically incorrect in a more or less dharmic manner, so no worries on that score.

     Also, although my old friend Brian was disappointed in the news of my abdicating from the position of Great White Hope in monastic Theravada in the west, he remains my old friend and we will continue to do video talks together from time to time, insh’allah. Also I will be considering my options as a writer especially, and maybe a guy who sits in front of a video camera and talks a lot. Words aplenty, galore even. Also just last night I had the idea of starting the Barefoot Buddhist Hiking Society, or some such, with the motto “The first step towards Emptiness is stepping into a forest,” taken right out of the Small Discourse on Emptiness in the Majjhima Nikāya. Encouraging being in nature is a good quality for a western Buddhist group methinks, which could easily include hiking and camping retreats.

     So anyways, here is the latest harvest, or onslaught, of video links.

    


Interviews with Brian Ruhe

April 6

Energy: Raising and Transferring it for the Living and the Dead in Buddhist Philosophy (46:01)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/FIlZbvVq5hBO/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqx2ZNzeNN0


Individualism in Politics, Culture, and Religion (59:37)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/pxLJeJlXA9bP/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsvW57Vca4o


April 13

(all three of these are reminiscences of old times)

The Time I Was Investigated on Political Charges by the Burmese Military Secret Police (56:40)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/IXMrFG7SttaD/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06jeTWQngh4


The One Time I Assaulted Another Monk (26:27)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/31YdLa4vVxVU/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QckAXfFAYXg


My Biggest Adventure as a Monk in Burma (53:15)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/slXEAxzlHaAz/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L77SdkeLrnc


April 26

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT (1:37:05)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/J5eyRGFWfMCh/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrLuorFNt18


Problems of Social Justice in Western Buddhism

(this one is a little too honest for YouTube) (1:02:48)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/l8vUejZemCo9/



Questions and Answers

#6: from How to Start Meditating to Dreams of Death

Questions include: how to start meditating, how to promote non-castrated Buddhism in the west, the death of Thomas Merton, Buddhist cosmology, scientific realism, dreams, Theoria Apophasis and the meaning of “Tathagata,” Buddha images, becoming a monk in Asia, Pyrrhonistic Skepticism, my favorite cult, my alleged previous life as my own grandfather, Buddhism and independence, Taoism, teaching Buddhist etiquette to westerners, improving our Buddhist community, and not fearing death. (1:05:18)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/cYP3v7cgdJaR/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r18sefqXo7o&t=1s


#7: from Nothingness to Leaving Commiefornia

Questions include: the mysticism of “nada” in St. John of the Cross, the 31 planes of existence, nirvana as emptiness, infinite consciousness, J. Krishnamurti, ideal government, jungle dangers, perception as samsara, detaching from mind and body, lust, the Diamond Sutra, renting vs. buying, daily routines, goals in Dharma, going to Bali, explanatory Dharma videos, accidental self-hypnosis, complicated philosophy, unordained saints, sloth and torpor, my 30th anniversary as a monk, romantic love as a spiritual path, and leaving Commiefornia. (1:21:24)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/jjknNKcILqmg/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cme3ru-ywpk&lc=UgwmfM4BQQiCTsT-_KJ4AaABAg


#8: from What Happens after Death to Defining Oneself as a “Buddhist”

Questions include: what happens after death; crashing one’s spiritual development; getting western people interested in Buddhism; nirvana as infinite consciousness; moral issues in refusing to wear a sheep mask; starting a new tradition; right concentration vs. hypnotic trance; the spiritual value of poverty; the value of constant mindfulness; the value of dogma; self-ordination; the five aggregates; Buddhism on sex; why Buddhism died in India; what the earliest Buddhism was like; dependent co-arising; meditation on death; original Dhamma in the modern west and elsewhere; the importance of one’s last thought; my future plans for food and content creation; and defining oneself as a “Buddhist.” (1:27:24)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/v3zr31B4FKgU/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePN_x9_3oRE



Interviews with Humble Stature

“Politically Incorrect Monk Talks about Karma, Enlightenment, Ultimate Reality, and Meditation” (1:03:08)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/ds1uOLDxinNu/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGiwWbH027E


“Politically Incorrect Monk Talks about Patriarchy, Masculinity, Marxism, Race, Trump” (1:40:10)

(I reckon this one is too politically incorrect for the indoctrinated normies of YouTube, although I may edit some selected clips and upload those in future)

Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/kjTEmj83G1lZ/



Comments

  1. Maybe some of Bhantes disciples and followers consider their duties and approach him for intensive talks on it: "If dissatisfaction (with the celibate life) arises in the mentor, one should allay it or get someone else to allay it or one should give him a Dhamma talk. If anxiety (over his conduct with regard to the rules) arises in the mentor, one should dispel it or get someone else to dispel it or one should give him a Dhamma talk. If wrong view arises in the mentor, one should dissuade him or get someone else to dissuade him or one should give him a Dhamma talk.

    Sure, not all have good disciples or followers, but rather consumer who wouldn't really care. Certain kammic bond, anyhow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It can be very difficult to make sense of broken English but if I understand Samana Johan he is saying your disciples should give you a Dhamma talk because you are renouncing your celibacy and you are a very bad boy when it comes to following the rules.
    I think this is a very good idea.
    I already have two Dhamma talks ready for you, and can come up with more very easily and at short notice.
    But will you listen?
    (I think your mind is made up!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I am a very bad boy who would rather have fewer rules to break.

      (And yeah, I made up my mind months ago.)

      "To exist is to transgress"

      Delete
    2. Thought so!
      So in that case, this might help https://www.dew.sc.gov/
      Good Luck David!!

      Delete
    3. I probably will take a look at that.

      Delete
    4. On the topic of work - I have been reading about depression (a recurring topic for me!) and one of the main causes is disconnection from meaningful work, amongst other things. According to one study only 13% of people found meaning in their work, and according to Hari in “Lost Connections” this results in sickness because of three reasons:
      - the sense of being controlled
      - the sense of no matter how hard you work no one will notice
      - the sense of being low status
      The solution to this dilemma, according to the author, is to be part of a co-operative, as that is a more democratic form of employment.
      Anyway, thought it might be of interest, especially the co-operative bit - here’s the link - https://medium.com/stoicism-philosophy-as-a-way-of-life/stoic-strategies-for-dealing-with-depression-204f77c90aeb
      Rat Out! (For today)

      Delete
  3. "to transgress is aging, sickness, death", is no freedom of remorse, no lokuttara paticcasamupada... "refuge" in lose. Taking it as fun, s**t the Gems on the head, ones given support, ones parents, goodness, selling them off for evil friendship, ways of Sex. How does Bhante think that he could pay all goodness received back? Doesn't he remember all the loosy lay priests and Sasana slaves once thought "i can not bear the holly life" lets be a ordinary person... Don't he remember their helpless ways to ever get right of remorse, by either hard work or even fatal corrupt stealing from the Gems?

    ReplyDelete

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