Greetings from Nathan in Bangkok, Thailand

[nathan]

Hello everyone. Well I made it to my hotel in Bangkok, last night at midnight. Been way too busy for a couple weeks and need to sleep for a day, so this is just a quick hello to let anyone interested know that the quest continues. I've already seen a few forest bhikkhus at the airport and on the street this am already. Even got splashed with water by a monk here after paying homage in front of the 7/11 across the street this a.m., pretty cool! Having a little trouble getting my email server to function from here, thus this post, will be in touch with everyone again once I am a little more rested.

metta & upekkha
all the best
take care
nathan

[retrofuturist]

Have a good time, Nathan.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

Hi Nathan! I hope you enjoy

[floating_abu]

Best wishes and take care also, Nathan

[nathan]

Thanks all. Very hot today. Thankful for the AC and the great accommodations I have for this week in the big city. Today is mainly for more rest and tomorrow is set for a visit to the floating market and the Tiger Temple. Will have some photos eventually when I get the online situation better figured out here. Should have a cell phone by late Monday as well. For now I am mainly getting my language & behavior act together, not too many big bloopers yet, thank goodness. Love the people here, they are so helpful and friendly.

Be well all
metta & upekkha
nathan

[clw_uk]

Hi Nathan

Glad to hear its going well, keep us updated


Metta

[David N. Snyder]

Hi from the other side of the planet. I'll bet that was a long flight -- from the U.S. to Thailand.

Good luck and keep us posted on your plans, visits to monasteries, etc.

[nathan]

:hello: Hi from the other side of the planet. I'll bet that was a long flight -- from the U.S. to Thailand.

Good luck and keep us posted on your plans, visits to monasteries, etc.

From Canada actually. I haven't been into the US for quite a few years now, it was beginning to get a bit scary traveling down there on the cheap. Pretty rough out on the streets. Hopefully it will be a little gentler here when I start to economize, which will be at the end of this week when I move on from the hotel I booked from home. It was a good value as far as these things go but as I hope to train for the robes here I had best be as careful and conservative as possible. I don't know how long this transition will take to accomplish. I can see that, even with a favorable exchange rate, Bangkok can easily become costly.

I notice the mosquitoes in the city here are tiny, not like the ones back in the Canadian wilds, many of which are big enough to put a saddle on!

Be well all
metta & upekkha'
nathan

[nathan]

Here is a quick question to anyone and everyone. The driver of the hotel car has told me that he will take me to see a senior monk here in Bangkok on Monday. I think that will be nice but he suggested that I make an offering of money in an envelope. Back in Canada such donations are typically made only to the monastery and handed to the office stewards who handle such things. Is it acceptable to make this kind of offering in this way? Personally I would rather not, especially if it contributes to the decline of right livelihood, but I do not wish to offend and would rather make a small offering than be seen as behaving badly. Any advice would be appreciated particularly alternative gifts as I am told gifts of food are already excessive here and not helpful.

[cooran]

Hello Nathan,

This is from Bhikkhu Pesala:

"As the Sayādaw points out, there are skilful ways to criticise the wrong conduct of shameless monks without making unwholesome kamma. Wise lay people can make merit by donating allowable requisites and paying respect to shameless monks. If asked for unallowable things, they can politely ask, “Is this allowable?” to remind a shameless monk of his remissness without criticising him directly. There are so many rules to observe, that even the most scrupulous monk is likely to overlook some offences. A lay person can give money to a lay attendant, inviting a monk to ask for whatever he needs. If a lay person gives money or other unallowable things to a monk, he or she will make only demerit.1 An attendant is living in dependence on the monk, so he should obey the monk’s instructions, but a lay person does not have to.
.........

1 The word “āsādeti” means “invite to accept” or “offer”, so a lay person makes demerit even if a scrupulous monk refuses to accept money. Though the action of giving is incomplete, the action of offering is complete. Any honest person will be insulted if offered a bribe, and one can be arrested and charged with trying to bribe a police officer or customs official. Offering money to a monk is also an insult.
“Yampi so Tathāgatam vā Tathāgatasāvakam vā ākappiyena āsādeti,
iminā pañcamena thānena bahum apuññam pasavati.”
“Also, whoever offers to the Tathāgata or to the Tathāgata’s disciple what is not allowable, in this fifth case makes much demerit.”
(Jīvaka Sutta, M. i. 369)
Most Buddhists know that money is not allowable for monks, so why do they offer it? It is better to ask monks what they need. Even if the monk says that he does not need anything at the moment, one makes a great deal of merit by offering what is allowable, because the action of offering is completed. If one is determined to give something, one can give some money to a trusted lay supporter, and invite the monk to ask for whatever he needs up to the amount that one has given: “Venerable sir, I will give £20 to so-and-so, please ask him for whatever you need.”
To avoid being embarrassed by a greedy monk asking for too much, one can specify the value of what one wishes to offer — “Venerable sir, I have twenty pounds. Is there anything that you need?” If a shameless monk then asks for something costing £100, one can say, “I don’t think that can be got for £20, but I will try to find one.” Then the monk will get what he deserves, and the donor will keep his £20."

(from a Manual of Dhamma by Bhikkhu Pesala http://www.aimwell.org/Books/Ledi/Dhamm ... eword.html )

metta
Chris

[appicchato]

I do not wish to offend and would rather make a small offering than be seen as behaving badly.

Any of the four requisites are appreciated (less shelter)...to make a monetary donation, drop it the donation box...

[nathan]

Much appreciated the responses, thank you.

Tiger Temple was pretty cool. Also saw the "Death Museum" and that bridge they made a movie about that caused so much suffering during WWII, a lot of extraordinary dukkha visible today. Apparently, now tourist attractions, but not at all attractive. Food for thought.

metta Thailand
keep it together world, no sequel please

metta & metta