Choosing a Monastery

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by tiltbillings »

convivium wrote:absent of the scandal, what aspect of that quote doesn't conform with your understanding?
The scandal points to a serious lack of balance.

When you start getting one school of Buddhism saying this or that about another so as to make one look good and the other "foundational" or whatever subsumptive, triumphalist, supersessionist set of terms they might pop out (such as hinayana), it is hard to take them seriously. And I do not exclude any school in that observation.

Also, the Buddha did not teach with a closed fist.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

what do you think of the exoteric vs esoteric dichotomy ^?
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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tiltbillings
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by tiltbillings »

convivium wrote:what do you think of the exoteric vs esoteric dichotomy ^?
Not much. It was manufactured well after the death of the Buddha.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

Tibetan Buddhism does not contain Theravada nor does it fit into Theravada.
What are the main dissonances you see of Tibetan and Therevada traditions that they are incompatible, and do not contain eachother?
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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jcsuperstar
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by jcsuperstar »

those two schools have quite a few differences any casual glance should revel them. heres a couple; different ideas about the "goals" of buddhism, different definitions of what a buddha is, different definitions of what an arahant is, different definitions of what a bodhisatta is, different ideas as to what the buddha actually taught.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

those two schools have quite a few differences any casual glance should revel them. heres a couple; different ideas about the "goals" of buddhism, different definitions of what a buddha is, different definitions of what an arahant is, different definitions of what a bodhisatta is, different ideas as to what the buddha actually taught.
these are definitely differences on the conventional level, but to what extent are these, or what are the incompatibilities in the ultimate or literal level?
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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jcsuperstar
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by jcsuperstar »

if road A goes to point B and road j goes to point F and you want to go to point B it's probably best not to take road J, sure both are roads and both have stop lights and petrol stations and if you're just riding along they seem like pretty much the same road however similarities do not make them the same road.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by jcsuperstar »

or here

"“If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.” ~ Yogi Berra
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

:anjali: you have a copy of the island too? http://www.abhayagiri.org/main/book/1788/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

if road A goes to point B and road j goes to point F and you want to go to point B it's probably best not to take road J, sure both are roads and both have stop lights and petrol stations and if you're just riding along they seem like pretty much the same road however similarities do not make them the same road.
stop harmful action, adopt virtuous ones, purify your mind. isn't that the same teaching in both traditions? is the parinibbana that follows at the very end of both paths the same?
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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jcsuperstar
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by jcsuperstar »

convivium wrote::anjali: you have a copy of the island too? http://www.abhayagiri.org/main/book/1788/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

if road A goes to point B and road j goes to point F and you want to go to point B it's probably best not to take road J, sure both are roads and both have stop lights and petrol stations and if you're just riding along they seem like pretty much the same road however similarities do not make them the same road.
stop harmful action, adopt virtuous ones, purify your mind. isn't that the same teaching in both traditions? is the parinibbana that follows at the very end of both paths the same?
it's using the same language but perhaps it means different things, like i said the roads may seem similar but if purify the mind means different things to different people then you may get different results.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

purify the mind means different things to different people.
that's interesting. for example a conversation with me and a friend who is into tantrism:
Everywhere you look is darkness so look within until you find light and ask it.. Any other way leads to much frustration..
If you are going to dedicate your life to something you had better be very sure that you won't get tired of it in 10 - 20 years give up and become a fornicating householder.. Do it and get good results or look for cognizant knowledge within.....
You see if someone become a sex slave, it is because they are following someone else.. We MUST follow our innermost.. If really listen to our innermost and let him truly guides us, we will have no regrets..

Some people ask How do you know if it is your innermost or your ego.. This is why they give themselves to a guru because they do not know..
The Guru is Inside and we must awaken enough to follow him.. We do need teachers and guides along t he way of course that we are lead to but we should always talk with our innermost..

What we need to strive for is our own Samadhi and our own conscious awakening in the astral planes..

It isn't easy or everyone would be enlightened but it is relatively simple if you compare it to the alternative routes..
4 hours ago

conscious awakening in the astral planes?
4 hours ago ·

do we really need it or is that often just a product of enlightenment that some arahats have, and others don't? why is it necessary?
4 hours ago ·

I am no expert but yeah...

Awaken in the internal worlds.. When you are dreaming pull your finger or do a little hop.. If your finger stretches or you float you are dreaming.. Then stay awake in your dream and do some investigating..
Call for a master or an angel to guide you.. Go to a buddhist temple.. Ask to see one of your egos.. Etc..
...
See More
4 hours ago

what's the difference between dreaming and the astral plane?
3 hours ago ·

It is better to call it astral experiences so that we do not think of it as a dream because it isn't.. It is the internal worlds and it is just as real as this 'dream' ..
This helps us in some ways..
3 hours ago

what are the vital and astral planes?
3 hours ago ·

The Vital Body
"It is written that the vital body or the foundation of organic life within each one of us has four ethers. The chemical ether and the ether of life are related with chemical processes and sexual reproduction. The chemical ether is a specific foundation for the organic chemical phenomena. The ether of life is the foundation of the ...
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2 hours ago

dreams can be helpful to reveal anatta. the mind is drawn into the same delusions within circumstances in waking life, as in the phenomena of dreaming (getting carried away by dreams or hallucinations). discernment of dreams with the foundation of sensation, to know what is nama and what is rupa, what is real sensation and what is influenced by mental aggregates, is a skillful discernment, and with continued discernment can result in a stage of insight or something like that. http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html#onea" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
in relation to dreams: seeing that there is no difference between waking life and dreams as in kagyu. vs our therevada methods of discernment. and then going on to all the other yogas...

so while i'm interested in these practices and perspectives, i can't say much more than that at this point.
there was a post that was deleted when i talked about the buddha ascending into the heavens with his council of monks for some reason or another and battling nagas. i wonder if this happens today with therevada monks, and if that's similar to tibetan monks. kundalini or tummo and jhana are different sorts of samadhis and have different aims and capacities, while i don't have the proficiency to claim that from experience. so choosing a monasteryl probably therevada. the buddha practiced all these sorts of things, before discovering the middle path, and we don't really know what he taught historically. so just trusting our own guidance and internal teachers like the buddha did, sometimes becomes most relevant. keeping a wide perspective is important.
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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convivium
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Re: Choosing a Monastery

Post by convivium »

can anyone recommend any monasteries for aspiring anagarikas outside of abhayagiri and wat metta? thank you.
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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