I'm glad you are pleased and excited with your experience. I appreciate your explanation.Virgo wrote:I don't feel like living with a bottled up "secret". That is my motivation.
It is not as easy as you think being totally different from every one else.
I'm a New Yorker buddy. I grew up as a graffiti artist in New York City spraypainting trains and rooftops, making my own rules. When I got a little older and became a Buddhist I wanted to be a monk so I traveled half way across the world, not knowing the language or anyone save for an internet contact that I had never met before and decided I would not leave the country without being ordained. I did exactly that. I don't follow rules like most people do. I've always had the New York brooklyn style. I make my own rules. If I feel like telling people I am a sotapanna, I just go ahead and tell the whole world rather than bottle it up and keep it inside. It's just my perogative. Also, it might inspire some people. If people have faith I can help guide them on the right path. I said I will answer peoples questions and I will, but I have not and will not set myself up to teach. Generally, I answer peoples questions and tell them that if they really want to learn dhamma they should read Ajahn Sujins and Nina Van Gorkoms books. Their books have everything in them they need to learn. There isn't any "room" for me to teach there. I wont accept gifts or money that people may wish to give to make money either, as I stated. I may be a city boy but I've also lived in the country for the past ten years and where I am from we are hard working people, we pull our own weight. Accepting things as a monk was different because it was part of the culture I was in. I just felt like sharing my experience with the world instead of walking around "hiding" it. I don't like that feeling at all. I felt great after I made the initial post in this thread and got it off my shoulders. That is it in a nutshell: I wanted to share my genuine experience of Buddhist realization with other people.
Kevin
I truly hope that this thread causes minimal controversy.