Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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Alex123
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Alex123 »

alan wrote:Your age and health problems are relevant, would you care to share that information?
Maybe you could also tell us what prevents you from arranging your life in such a way that you have many hours a day to devote to practice...?
26 y.
After daily chores I am usually too tired to have clear meditation sittings (often I fall into drowsy state). So I try to put more emphasis on sitting morning sessions, and mindfulness in daily activities. But even with "mindfulness in daily activities" it doesn't work well when you have to think about task that you are doing.

As to health: Very low energy levels & muscle pain. Unexplained pain in both ankles (I have to take painkillers day and night, to be able to walk). Some skin conditions, (this is the easier part to get rid off, eventually).

I know, I have lots of hurdles to clear. Dukkha is part of samsara and life is inseparable from suffering...
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

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Alex123 wrote: But even with "mindfulness in daily activities" it doesn't work well when you have to think about task that you are doing.
what do you think mindfulness is?
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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Alex123
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Alex123 »

Manapa wrote:
Alex123 wrote: But even with "mindfulness in daily activities" it doesn't work well when you have to think about task that you are doing.
what do you think mindfulness is?
IMHO,

Being aware of the cognitive process happening now and not forgeting that body is just the body, feeling is just a feeling, mind is just the mind, thus not fashioning storylines that produce lust and hatred .

But when, lets say, I have to listen and type something, I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time. When things (lets say in the kitchen) are moving fast, it is hard to remain an observer of the process and things like "hardness, softeness, temperature, motion), etc.

I am working on it, however.
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Cittasanto »

Alex123 wrote:
Manapa wrote:
Alex123 wrote: But even with "mindfulness in daily activities" it doesn't work well when you have to think about task that you are doing.
what do you think mindfulness is?
Being aware of the cognitive process happening now.

But when, lets say, I have to listen and type something, I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time. When things (lets say in the kitchen) are moving fast, it is hard to remain an observer of the process and things like "hardness, softeness, temperature, motion), etc.

I am working on it, however.
as I work in a kitchen now and as a chef for a few years, I know it is or can be difficult when there are 200+ covers a day, but it isn't the speed we are moving that is important but the knowing what we are doing, accidents and hospital visits happen when this lapses, speed not much to do with it.

so why not practice what needs to be practiced, developed, cultivated, instead of what can be done?
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Virgo
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Virgo »

Alex123 wrote:
Manapa wrote:
Alex123 wrote: But even with "mindfulness in daily activities" it doesn't work well when you have to think about task that you are doing.
what do you think mindfulness is?
IMHO,

Being aware of the cognitive process happening now and not forgeting that body is just the body, feeling is just a feeling, mind is just the mind, thus not fashioning storylines that produce lust and hatred .

But when, lets say, I have to listen and type something, I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time. When things (lets say in the kitchen) are moving fast, it is hard to remain an observer of the process and things like "hardness, softeness, temperature, motion), etc.

I am working on it, however.
I like this post Alex. It is good to hear you understand to some degree.

Kevin
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by appicchato »

...I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time.
That could be a problem...you're thinking about being mindful instead of being mindful...those well known sayings about drinking tea, chopping wood, etc....'when drinking tea, just drink tea' don't say 'when drinking tea, just think about being mindful'...etc...
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Alex123
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Alex123 »

Dear Bhante, and all,
appicchato wrote:
...I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time.
That could be a problem...you're thinking about being mindful instead of being mindful...those well known sayings about drinking tea, chopping wood, etc....'when drinking tea, just drink tea' don't say 'when drinking tea, just think about being mindful'...etc...

Well what happens is that in more high-paced situations I have to quickly make choices, decisions etc and there is less time to notice the hardness or softness experienced at the tactile-faculty, there is less attention to the process of seeing and mental states arising, etc etc.

But eventually when there is enough wisdom and conditions are right, things will fall in their places and understanding will be more unbroken and continuous.


With metta,

Alex
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Virgo »

Alex123 wrote:Dear Bhante, and all,
appicchato wrote:
...I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time.
That could be a problem...you're thinking about being mindful instead of being mindful...those well known sayings about drinking tea, chopping wood, etc....'when drinking tea, just drink tea' don't say 'when drinking tea, just think about being mindful'...etc...

Well what happens is that in more high-paced situations I have to quickly make choices, decisions etc and there is less time to notice the hardness or softness experienced at the tactile-faculty, there is less attention to the process of seeing and mental states arising, etc etc.

But eventually when there is enough wisdom and conditions are right, things will fall in their places and understanding will be more unbroken and continuous.


With metta,

Alex
Dear Alex. The important thing is to have Right View. See the body as just body (not as "my" body), the feelings as just feelings, the mind as just mind, and mental objects as just mental objects. See them as not-self, impermanent, and dukkha. Doing that ofen is all the sati you need. "Bare attention" really isn't how "sati" is meant to be expressed here in my opinion. Others may disagree with me, of course. In Samatha, more "bare attention" is needed, but not necesarrily in developing Right Understanding of phenomena. Here keen discernment is needed.

kevin
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Alex123
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Alex123 »

Dear Kevin,
Virgo wrote: Dear Alex. The important thing is to have Right View. See the body as just body (not as "my" body), the feelings as just feelings, the mind as just mind, and mental objects as just mental objects. See them as not-self, impermanent, and dukkha. Doing that ofen is all the sati you need. "Bare attention" really isn't how "sati" is meant to be expressed here in my opinion. Others may disagree with me, of course. In Samatha, more "bare attention" is needed, but not necesarrily in developing Right Understanding of phenomena. Here keen discernment is needed.

kevin
I agree with what you have said. You are also right about bare attention. Attention is never trully "bare" (at least not until Arhatship), and avijja can underlie so called "bare attention", so wisdom and understanding is required to avoid falling for avijja and tanha that can underly the nama process that is supposed to be observed.

With metta,

Alex
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Cittasanto »

Alex123 wrote:Dear Bhante, and all,
appicchato wrote:
...I get too involved in conventional stuff and forget about mindfulness at that time.
That could be a problem...you're thinking about being mindful instead of being mindful...those well known sayings about drinking tea, chopping wood, etc....'when drinking tea, just drink tea' don't say 'when drinking tea, just think about being mindful'...etc...

Well what happens is that in more high-paced situations I have to quickly make choices, decisions etc and there is less time to notice the hardness or softness experienced at the tactile-faculty, there is less attention to the process of seeing and mental states arising, etc etc.

But eventually when there is enough wisdom and conditions are right, things will fall in their places and understanding will be more unbroken and continuous.


With metta,

Alex
Hi Alex,
when we first start Anapanasati according to the instructions found in the sutta, we don't imediately focus on the full flow of the breath but at the entrace of the air, the nose or mouth, then expand it, just as we don't jump into the deep end of a pool untill we have the capability to swim there.

Keep it simple, focus on what you can and need to in any given moment, eventually you will develop deeper levels even when rushed.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Alex123
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Alex123 »

Thank you very much, Manapa.
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by Phra Chuntawongso »

Hi there Alex.
Congratulationns on your decision to enrobe.
I too am intending to enrobe later this year in Myanmar(Burma)
I will enrobe at the Chanmyay Yeiktha in Yangon(Rangoon)
As was pointed out to you,monks have other duties apart from meditation.
I assume that at a meditation center you may get more time to meditate but I am sure that you will be expected to do more.
Anyway I hope that you find a place that you will feel well at,and by the way yes you can also ordain in Sri Lanka,or if you want ,Thailand has many good places where you can ordain and do a lot of medition,but again other duties will also be expected.Wat Chom Thom(just outside of Chiangmai)under the guidance of Ajaan Tong springs to mind.
With metta,
Greg :buddha1:
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by convivium »

the general impression is that Burma consists largely of commentarial traditions, and Sri Lanka emphasizes intellectual study, while Thailand (namely, thai forest) contains practice and perspectives largely based on the suttas. How accurate is this, and what exceptions stand to mention? Also for those who consider requesting residence at a monastery, what recommendations can we give to those who feel impudent or like they might impose on the monastery ? Any skillful ways to phrase or approach this request?
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
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Re: Ordination in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Post by householder »

convivium wrote:the general impression is that Burma consists largely of commentarial traditions, and Sri Lanka emphasizes intellectual study, while Thailand (namely, thai forest) contains practice and perspectives largely based on the suttas. How accurate is this, and what exceptions stand to mention? Also for those who consider requesting residence at a monastery, what recommendations can we give to those who feel impudent or like they might impose on the monastery ? Any skillful ways to phrase or approach this request?
Big ol' bump to this question!
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