Four Western Theravadas

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gavesako
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Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:16 pm

Re: Four Western Theravadas

Post by gavesako »

This would be indeed healthy and wonderful, if it developed in this direction. We do in fact have many newcomers in the Western monasteries who have been introduced through the Goenka centers and did courses there. Sometimes there is a bit of a problem with them because they assume that monastic life is supposed to be like a continuous retreat without any disturbance, which of course is far from the truth. Some of them are also dissatisfied with aspects of the Goenka method especially when compared to the actual Sutta teachings themselves. But generally they are well motivated and also ready to serve, which is part of the monastic training.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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Bub
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:02 am

Re: Four Western Theravadas

Post by Bub »

Ben wrote:Yes, I believe the assessment to be a wee bit simplistic.
From my humble point of view.
I live very close to Spirit Rock and found the assessment informative. Simplistic? How detailed does he have to get in a blog post? It's so ironic that you post one sentence and call someone else simplistic. It was for effect? As opposed to just saying simply what of the four assessments you think are simplistic :jawdrop: ?
Maitri
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:43 am
Location: United States of America

Re: Four Western Theravadas

Post by Maitri »

Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and Spirit Rock in Marin County, California. These two organizations are looked to as role models by countless Vipassana meditation societies in the US. Many places of this genre are rather luxurious, expensive, and markedly politically correct. The followers tend to be older, and leaning more toward Western materialistic hardheadedness than toward "woo woo." I know of one society that has candles and incense forbidden at the altars, because so many are worried about breathing toxic fumes, and at their main altar they have placed next to the Buddha image a statue of a female Mahayana Buddhist deity, for the politically correct sake of gender equality. This form of Theravada has sometimes been called "Dharma Lite." This is in large part because in order to be popular it must appeal to many; and in order to appeal to many it must be easy, convenient, comfortable, and non-threatening.
This made me :rofl:

While I've not been to either facility and can't if it's accurate in that regard, I've been to other related centers that fit this exact description.
"Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.
Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom." Dhammapada: Pupphavagga

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
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