Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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appicchato
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by appicchato »

Sometimes I feel like an apple in a bowl of oranges...but after thirty some years in Thailand I think that's always going to be the case (for a Caucasian in Asia)...in a wat or otherwise...and also find it a little strange to contemplate being a monk in the West (where the level of practice (I've read) seems comparable to, or (in instances) surpassing that of the East (if indeed they can be compared))...for me personally I find the level of support, and deference (among other things) here to be of real benefit, as well as incentive (in the attempt to maintain a high level of monastic discipline) on the path to liberation...just musing here folks... :popcorn:
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Ben
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by Ben »

Hi Bhante
appicchato wrote:Sometimes I feel like an apple in a bowl of oranges...
I know that feeling.
appicchato wrote:...find it a little strange to contemplate being a monk in the West (where the level of practice (I've read) seems comparable to, or (in instances) surpassing that of the East (if indeed they can be compared))...for me personally I find the level of support, and deference (among other things) here to be of real benefit, as well as incentive (in the attempt to maintain a high level of monastic discipline) on the path to liberation...
Thank you Bhante for being such a wonderful support here (at DW) for us all. The path of liberation is at times, to quote Bob Dylan, a long and lonesome road.
Metta

Ben
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in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
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DNS
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by DNS »

gavesako wrote:Here is a relavant blog entry from a Western monk who finally gave up trying to fit into a Wat Thai due to the ethnic and power issues involved:

Apology of Yuttadhammes

http://yuttadhammo.sirimangalo.org/post ... tadhammes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So is this monk still in Thailand? I could not tell from his blog. If he is still in Thailand, how is he going to escape Thai culture? If he opens a new monastery (link to it did not work at his blog) in Thailand, who will be his supporters?

I wish him well and hope he finds a suitable place for his practice. (btw, in case anyone misinterprets the tone, those are not rhetorical questions, I really am interested in the answers.)
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mikenz66
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by mikenz66 »

TheDhamma wrote: So is this monk still in Thailand? I could not tell from his blog. If he is still in Thailand, how is he going to escape Thai culture?
I gathered he was talking Thai Wats in the USA...

Mike
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DNS
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by DNS »

mikenz66 wrote: I gathered he was talking Thai Wats in the USA...
Ah, okay, then that would explain it better. At the blog there was no e-mail address, just skype, which I don't have yet. So I posted a comment at the blog asking where he and the monastery are located.
rowyourboat
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by rowyourboat »

Hi Retro

What did you mean by the 'come and see' aspect of the dhamma being appealing in the west?
With Metta

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retrofuturist
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings RYB,
rowyourboat wrote:What did you mean by the 'come and see' aspect of the dhamma being appealing in the west?
Benefits can be obtained, known and verified here and now... not just "on promise" in some post-mortem fantasy land like is offered by the theistic religions which are flailing under the weight of modern science and reason.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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gavesako
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by gavesako »

A good passage from Ven. Sujato's letter:

In addition, my own experience in Australia has been that such distinctions are losing their meaning as the East becomes Westernized and the West becomes Easternized. The debate between 'cultural Asian' Buddhism versus 'secular western' Buddhism is, to my mind, an artifact of the first generation of Western Buddhists, and has no relevance to the young Buddhists I encounter regularly. ...
I agree completely with Susan that the Sangha will be an essential inspiration for emerging Buddhism in the West; and also that the existing Sangha is in serious need of reform. This need for reform is not just a 'Western' outsider's point of view, but is desperately felt among serious practitioners in traditional Buddhist countries. However the manner of that reform should be what Buddhists have done throughout history: go back to the original teachings, investigate what the Buddha himself taught, and seek for ways to apply that in our present context. This demands a serious commitment to the study of early Buddhism, not just 'tossing' out what we don't want.
http://bhikkhuni.net/bhante_sujato.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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DNS
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by DNS »

I added a DhammaWIki article about this subject:

http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Western_Buddhism" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Eko Care
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Re: Modern Theravada, not Western Theravada

Post by Eko Care »

I would say both Western and Modern.
These two terms are not mutually exclusive.

Modernization happened mainly due to the Western influence.
The scientific/technical/material revolution happened in and spreaded mainly by the west.

Dhammawiki article says their approach is like below.

Bhavana (meditation practice)
Study
Sila (morality)
Dana (generosity)
Bhavana (meditation practice)
Nibbana (the goal)

I would say about the first two:

Bhavana (meditation practice/ stress management)
Study (mixed with own interpretations)
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