What's stopping you?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Location: Loch Lomond, via the High AND Low road....

Re: What's stopping you?

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

Sadly, I don't think it will, in our lifetime.

"Their" Bad. :shrug:
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



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Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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Crazy cloud
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by Crazy cloud »

appicchato wrote:
I'm to old.
If one is able to live unassisted, age is not an obstacle to ordination...
Yeah, I'm aware of that.

I had a kind of fever for monastic life a year ago - mentally I'v dressed my self up in robes, went on alms round, perfect chanting, secluded in deep meditation in the most beuatiful places, a full blown tudong monk, and so on and so on, app a million times or more .. :tongue:
Guess it was my idealistic side that was running that show, and had great fun with these lofty dreams and hopes.

But as the fever dropped, doubts started to accumulate, because i got the noition of; what are you missing where you are right now?
And then I started looking more closely, and of course did I find a lot of lerning grounds right where I was, and besides, my heart, witch is my best and truest ajhan, didn't respond to the urge, at all .. I waited and waited, and read som more, and some more, until my head was stuffed with words and gurus and jhana, and and and and ... till finally the heart said:

Have you forgotten that I brought you on the path without any external help, and didn't I show you powerful stuff, that convinced you to practice?


So now I trust my emty hands, and my simple heart again, but I wont say never ever ... the heart will guide me, I trust

be well and happy :)
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
ES06
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by ES06 »

Spending in monastery short period of time (months - 1 year) is intriguing and would probably be very beneficial for my practice. (I was a bit irregular in the past, but now I have got deeper conviction...) But there is several reasons right now that it won't happen in near future. For longer time - or rest of my life - I am way too attached to average life. I am doing better progress as a lay Buddhist.
indian_buddhist
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by indian_buddhist »

Ok as far as i know the Buddha never said that one could achieve high states of Enlightenment ONLY by being a Monk. Being a Layman one can achieve all the same things which a Monk can achieve.

In my own personal experience I feel that being a layman and following the path gives me more opportunities to face suffering and with that more opportunities to purify myself......I dont know this is my personal opinion but by being a Monk and being isolated from the world we lose many opportunities to learn things by experience.
Identification with my country is one of my fetters.
indian_buddhist
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by indian_buddhist »

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Last edited by indian_buddhist on Sun Apr 20, 2014 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Identification with my country is one of my fetters.
plwk
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by plwk »

My parents' longevity...
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Edith Clampton
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by Edith Clampton »

cooran wrote:Hello Bhane,

Age IS a barrier for any older female thinking of ordaining. I think 50 is the upper age.

:jawdrop:

Really? Do you mean everywhere or just in some monasteries?
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Location: Loch Lomond, via the High AND Low road....

Re: What's stopping you?

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

I think you'll find ordination for women is more difficult than it is for men, everywhere.
That's not the only barrier, you see.
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
Digity
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Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 2:13 am

Re: What's stopping you?

Post by Digity »

I just don't feel I'm ready. I don't feel like I could fully give up on entertainment, vacationing, etc. My goal right now is to be the best lay Buddhist I can be. Although, I try to cultivate the qualities of the noble ones. The Buddha said drip by drip the jug gets filled.

I often have thought that if I was a millionaire I'd try ordaining, because that way if I ever disrobed I could return to lay life and live comfortably. However, I think that goes to show I'm not really ready to fully commit to ordaining. I think you have to be in a place where your sense of samvega is strong enough that you're willing to relinquish wordly things and don't need to have a safety net.
Nikaya35
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by Nikaya35 »

I'm from a non buddhist country so the sangha doesn't exist here. The other important reason is that I'm not sure about karma and rebirth . I believe in both by faith but I would not make this huge choice in becoming monk without knowing that karma and rebirth is a absolute fact. Maybe I'm not ready for a monastic life.
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happylotus1
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Re: What's stopping you?

Post by happylotus1 »

I have an inclination to ordain as a monk however this inclination has not become a reality till now. I assume there are some hindrance factors
1. My own Mental defilements that covers up my energy to jerk me off to monasticism.
2. Family is not fully supportive of my intention
3. As I am out of my home country for study purposes, I am faced with many worldly distractions that makes my journey to monastic environment a difficulty; such as visa issue, maintaining legal status etc and so on.
4. May be there is no enough kusala kamma that materializes as being a bhikkhu :smile:
A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains conviction in the Tathāgata and reflects: 'Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?
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