tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post3827671764067299155..comments2024-03-27T14:35:59.406-07:00Comments on The Outsider: Why I've Almost Stopped Meditating (part 2 of 2: universal issues)Paññobhāsahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-15499758947954436422020-08-29T08:39:31.412-07:002020-08-29T08:39:31.412-07:00Good Sir Bhante,
Just some further thoughts that ...Good Sir Bhante,<br /><br />Just some further thoughts that come to mind,<br /><br />Sallekha Sutta is good, it is what the path is without Jhana deceiving jhanas just as peaceful abidings but sellakha as the path; I think death or asubha needs to be a part of practice also, as our desires are so thick in this current age. Ajahn Thates books a very good.<br /><br />Having faith in enlightened teachers like Ajahn Cha is very important, as without having a pointer in enlightened beings it is hard to get things inline and the causes in place.<br /><br />Contemplation of similies can also be very powerful bhavana.<br /><br />Anyway Bhante don't give up, find a way that works! Similes for the khandas, for sense pleasures, for nibanna. Contemplation of the sellakha sutta in detail. Reflection of one of the right views that suits ones temporament.<br /><br />Also just getting into samadhi via the recollections as described in the mahnama sutta, contemplation of Buddha, dhamma, sangha, freely giving, Silas, devas ; inline with that suttas is like an alternative to anapanna sati, and a good way for joy and peace.<br /><br />Anyway I totally understand the difficulties in going against old tendencies, so I wish you Mudita, patience and firm resolve.<br /><br />Peace Bhante, may you practice for Nibbana and make a refuge in your heart. <br /><br />In the Buddha Dhamma,<br />Joniour BhikkhuAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-3229929148224076952020-01-15T12:08:21.249-08:002020-01-15T12:08:21.249-08:00Thanks for sharing your thoughts about ordbog. Reg...Thanks for sharing your thoughts about ordbog. RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-22810889192388147842020-01-01T12:21:34.981-08:002020-01-01T12:21:34.981-08:00I met à Burmeese monk. And probably he had much fa...I met à Burmeese monk. And probably he had much faith as he gave me faith in Burmeese spirituality. It's great.<br /><br /><br />Thank you for your answer.<br /><br /><br />Yunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08857905656069799350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-58007090095697350932019-12-30T18:20:49.094-08:002019-12-30T18:20:49.094-08:00Hello Bhante, as a minor point, I think St. Paul w...Hello Bhante, as a minor point, I think St. Paul was the one who said not everyone could be a eunuch for the faith. Jesus seemed to be a staunch defender of marriage and against divorce. Since his students addressed him as Rabbi, it's likely he was married as required for that role in ancient Jewish society.<br />Then again, I'm not a scholar, just an avid reader. Regards<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-64122470985065674502019-12-30T14:02:34.468-08:002019-12-30T14:02:34.468-08:00Burmese Sayadaws would probably say that one shoul...Burmese Sayadaws would probably say that one should never lose faith and should strive diligently no matter what. Although Asian Buddhists are stronger in faith than westerners. In Buddhist philosophy there is the idea that faith and reason should be kept in balance; but the Burmese have much more faith than reason, and westerners are the reverse.Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-8591440907355052702019-12-30T13:00:18.958-08:002019-12-30T13:00:18.958-08:00Dear Sir,
You did à great think becoming q
a mon...Dear Sir,<br /><br /><br />You did à great think becoming q<br />a monk there, most of us don't have this sincerity.<br /><br />But as you tell yourself you became lukewarm.<br /><br />What does birman masters have to remedy it what do they say ?<br />Yunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08857905656069799350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-23025626031285539172019-12-27T23:49:04.804-08:002019-12-27T23:49:04.804-08:00To Anonymous: The Buddha didn't say to do noth...To Anonymous: The Buddha didn't say to do nothing, although Buddhist philosophy does state that doing is kamma, and kamma is not a cause of enlightenment. There is no guarantee. For example in the Satipatthana Sutta the Buddha is said to have said that if a person practices intensive mindfulness for x amount of time he will either become enlightened or attain a very high state, but the enlightenment is not something we can control. It's something that occurs spontaneously. Unless one follows certain Mahayana philosophies that deny that enlightenment even "occurs."Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-55151109580397231452019-12-27T23:20:49.227-08:002019-12-27T23:20:49.227-08:00"Also sometimes I remember what Paul Lowe use..."Also sometimes I remember what Paul Lowe used to say: If you want enlightenment, then want it with all your heart, while doing nothing about it. Because nothing you DO is going to get you there."<br /> - not according to the Buddha, as recorded in the Pali Suttas. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-4576946954901359422019-12-26T07:55:53.197-08:002019-12-26T07:55:53.197-08:00Also reading from Russia. A valuable piece of info...Also reading from Russia. A valuable piece of information you won't find in any book about Buddhism, thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-34788851550512627582019-12-21T20:30:00.221-08:002019-12-21T20:30:00.221-08:00I have long considered the possibility that monast...I have long considered the possibility that monasticism has acquired spiritual weaknesses that it didn't have in ancient India. Early monks wandered homeless, slept under trees, etc., which no doubt confronted them with the occasional major challenge; whereas living in a comfortable, secure monastery is more likely to shelter one from real challenges, aside from purely internal ones.<br /><br />Also sometimes I remember what Paul Lowe used to say: If you want enlightenment, then want it with all your heart, while doing nothing about it. Because nothing you DO is going to get you there.Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-69930728138641826952019-12-21T19:27:14.163-08:002019-12-21T19:27:14.163-08:00Thank you for this... I take a peep at your blog n...Thank you for this... I take a peep at your blog now and then, but this article series resonated with me. I am also a practitioner in the Theravada tradition and I have been thinking about these same things. I have done short term stays at monasteries of the Thai Forest Tradition here in America and I couldn't help but notice that most of the monks displayed no outward signs of significant spiritual attainment and seemed rather to be affected by acedia. People are motivated to go into the spiritual life for different reasons but a majority of the monks I've interacted with seem to lack any genuine spiritual vocation (although I may just be thinking idealistically here- monks are, after all, just human beings). Life in a monastery just seems to make them light headed and spacey. What I'm saying is that my witnessing and most of my interactions with monks have been rather uninspiring. <br /><br />In the biography of Ajahn Mun (I'm guessing you've read), there is a memorable story of a forest monk, living at the time with Ajahn Mun, who fell in love at first site after accidentally witnessing a woman from a nearby village fetching water from a pond. According to the story, the monk was resolute in his practice and very determined to rid himself of this affection after the event. However, Ajahn Mun, being supposedly as clairvoyant as he was, could foresee that the monk would inevitably disrobe; he saw that the monk and woman had a deep karmic connection from many past lives. The inevitability of it was so strong that uncharacteristically of Ajahn Mun, he did not even attempt to rouse the monk into harder effort. As foreseen, the monk disrobed and shorty after married the woman. <br /><br />Maybe Mahayana got it right in regards to the perspective that enlightenment is something to be pursued gradually over many lifetimes. Indeed, I believe it to be true that most spend the holy life fighting against the current with hardly any progress towards the other shore, especially nowadays with the litany of distractions monks have to face now compared to the past. Even in regards to accomplished senior monks who write and teach a lot about the Dhamma I can't help but suspect that their teaching, writing. research etc. is in some respect betraying a weariness of solitude. <br /><br />For most of us, Arjuna may be best example for a life well-lived: Act in God and do what needs to be done according to your nature without any concern about Karma or rebirth. Or, maybe us determined Theravadans stuck at a spiritual plateau or without any significant progress should just try to kill ourselves and follow the examples of monks in the canon who attained liberation on the brink of death and despair ;) <br /><br /><br /><br />Jgoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05429462790612629440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-50509108753062793622019-12-20T11:33:05.846-08:002019-12-20T11:33:05.846-08:00The ideal life for a man would depend on the man, ...The ideal life for a man would depend on the man, since not all men are the same. For those who can't be happy without a mate, and for whom enlightenment in this very life is not a goal, finding a good woman and settling down with her to raise a family may be best. But as the Buddha says in the texts, if you're able to be celibate, then be celibate. (But as Jesus says in the NT, being a eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven really isn't for everybody.)<br /><br />As for myself, celibacy is easier now than it was 20 or even 10 years ago, largely because I'm getting older and my blood isn't as hot as it once was. Or putting into more biological terminology, I'm no longer in the prime of breeding age.<br /><br />And this totally sets aside the idea that a person shouldn't allow his race to die out. That is a more or less philosophical question that each man must answer for himself.Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-87554697581315441812019-12-20T05:22:49.651-08:002019-12-20T05:22:49.651-08:00How has your celibacy practice been lately?
"...How has your celibacy practice been lately?<br /><br />"There is still a chance, though, that I could eventually drop out and lose myself between a woman’s breasts"------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>given these sorts of statement still originate from your mind, how would you paint the ideal life for a man <br /><br />how about occasional celibacy and occasional sex? Would that be good to be "in flow" both when it comes to work and when it comes to meditation?Celibate Mandingohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01552470851974977597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-25118162554942582152019-12-18T06:23:32.017-08:002019-12-18T06:23:32.017-08:00That is quite surprising to hear! There are some h...That is quite surprising to hear! There are some historically Buddhist ethnic groups in Russia, on the borders with Central Asian countries. Mostly Buryat, Kalmyk and Tuva ethnic groups.<br /><br />But I might guess that non-Buddhist ethnic Russians constitute most of your Russian audience. People are no longer interested in LARPing as vikings and Wotanists, they turn to living Indo-European traditions. Evola is quite popular in Russia too. There are people who try mixing pratices like bringing Tantra into Slavic paganism, etc.<br /><br />I think that there is a demand for a spiritual movement that has a living tradition at the core. Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04778511171584937188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-17412261186436521742019-12-18T05:33:53.798-08:002019-12-18T05:33:53.798-08:00No effort is wasted.
The refining samatha practi...No effort is wasted. <br /><br />The refining samatha practice and resulting Jhanas create calm and let the defilements settle but the defilements are still there. I do believe it is these clinging aggregates which cause all the trouble and all those who have trouble are "in the matter" and clinging to the aggregates. This is normal and not an insult but it is what it is. The aggregates of an enlightened one are still there but there is no clinging to them. <br /><br />I have not near the practice as you so maybe I'm naive. But I do feel that following the Bojjangas with a strong emphasis on contemplation is key. Meditation is fine but I see it as more of a hindrance now because of how people do it and what their deepest motives are while they do it. <br /><br />This is what I want to ask many modern practitioners. Do you want to put an end to suffering or do you want some exhaulted jhanic state. Are you curious in the back of your mind of being some super man? Perhaps they do. No big deal. It seems cool I admit but we need to deal with these motives in our deep recesses of the mind and it requires RADICAL introspection and retrospection. Hold to the 4 efforts. To develop the wholesome unarisen states, to maintain and cultivate further the wholesome arisen States, to abandon the unwholesome arisen states, and to prevent the arising of the unwholesome unarisen States. This is effort! And none is wasted. <br /><br />But I dont meditate as much as I did in the past either. I rather focus my efforts on the filth in my heart. Pull the sword from the stone and face the dragon of avijja...<br /><br />Maybe I'm Naive. May I die trying! <br /><br />I do appreciate your blog and your open and honest look at the life of a Monk striving on the path. Homage to you and all those who strive!Inmanusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-23493055860082371112019-12-16T16:46:48.427-08:002019-12-16T16:46:48.427-08:00You might be surprised. Middle-aged and monetarily...You might be surprised. Middle-aged and monetarily poor is not an automatic disqualifier.Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-44698020786070932232019-12-16T12:54:18.135-08:002019-12-16T12:54:18.135-08:00" There is still a chance, though, that I cou..." There is still a chance, though, that I could eventually drop out and lose myself between a woman’s breasts."<br />Don't flatter yourself. You're middle-aged and poor. What woman would want you? That ship has sailed for you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-53064575455204911292019-12-16T09:29:50.521-08:002019-12-16T09:29:50.521-08:00I don't know if I would call it a "need,&...I don't know if I would call it a "need," but I do think it would be good if it happened. <br /><br />Are there many Buddhists in Russia? I've noticed that Russia is my fifth largest audience for this blog.Paññobhāsahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14148206217028034038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485583244199236996.post-33413629116902562442019-12-16T05:42:55.590-08:002019-12-16T05:42:55.590-08:00Greetings from Russia!
I've been following y...Greetings from Russia! <br /><br />I've been following your blog for a while now and I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. I believe that your unique and genuine experience is very valuable for any Westerner interested in Dharma.<br /><br />Do you think there is a need for a new westernized and masculine Buddhist movement in the West?<br /><br />Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04778511171584937188noreply@blogger.com