Do you ever feel a need to socialize with other lay Theravada Buddhists in your area?
I have become a recluse myself but often wonder is this would be personally and or spiritually beneficial.
Getting together.
Getting together.
I am of nature to decay, I have not gone beyond decay.
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
Re: Getting together.
For myself im happy on my own and with the contacts on Buddhist forums for advice and debate, however I do also try to get a retreat in at least once a year not only to deepen practice but also for the social contact (and its good to have more contact with monks)
metta
metta
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Re: Getting together.
There are no other buddhists in my town.
Re: Getting together.
I've recently started meeting with a couple of other Theravadin Buddhists in my town, we have a sit for around an hour then we might talk for 2 or 3.
It's very beneficial and I would recommend it.
It's very beneficial and I would recommend it.
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta
Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta
Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
-
Sanghamitta
- Posts: 1614
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:21 am
- Location: By the River Thames near London.
Re: Getting together.
In The Samyutta Nikaya we read that Ananda said to the Buddha that " half of the dispensation is based on friendship, companionship, and association with the good " To which The Buddha replied " do not say so Venerable Ananda, not half , but ALL of mans life is based on friendship, companionship. and association with the good."
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.
Bhikku Bodhi.
Bhikku Bodhi.
Re: Getting together.
I get the impression that most lay followers have no desire for personal contact away from a formal setting.
Do you get together with others Sanghamitta?
Do you get together with others Sanghamitta?
Re: Getting together.
I'm not sure what you mean by "formal", but I like having contact with other lay practitioners and with monastics. Sundays at my local Wat are partly a formal and partly a social occasion...Zack wrote:I get the impression that most lay followers have no desire for personal contact away from a formal setting.
Mike
-
retrofuturist
- Posts: 27859
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:52 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Getting together.
Greetings,
For me it's largely a moot point since I don't know any Buddhists (let alone Theravada ones) who live anywhere near me.
It does remind me however, of this Dhammapada quote I've got on my calendar on the wall...
Cultivate the company
of those who support your aspiration
for energetic practice of the teachings.
The beauty of pure conduct
conditions whole-hearted well being
giving rise to complete freedom from remorse.
Dhammapada v.375-6
Metta,
Retro.
For me it's largely a moot point since I don't know any Buddhists (let alone Theravada ones) who live anywhere near me.
It does remind me however, of this Dhammapada quote I've got on my calendar on the wall...
Cultivate the company
of those who support your aspiration
for energetic practice of the teachings.
The beauty of pure conduct
conditions whole-hearted well being
giving rise to complete freedom from remorse.
Dhammapada v.375-6
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."
-
Mawkish1983
- Posts: 1285
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
- Location: Essex, UK
Re: Getting together.
It might be nice to have some Theravadin friends in fleshspace... but I am not sure I'd have time. Even non-Buddhist friends are sparse for me, my best friend (besides my wife) I've met in person just three times. The problem is, I'm wholey unlikeable and online communication is often more considered that fleshspace communication. Maybe that's more reason to have 'real' friends, I don't know.
Incidentally, are there any Xbox live gamers here?
Incidentally, are there any Xbox live gamers here?
Re: Getting together.
Hi Mike,
Formal as in activities at or related to the temple, watt, monks. Other than polite chatting at the temple I have no experience with other Buddhist outside of cyberspace.
The suttas seem to encourage the fostering of lay relationships, I had hoped to draw from others experiences to give me some perspective on the subject.
Formal as in activities at or related to the temple, watt, monks. Other than polite chatting at the temple I have no experience with other Buddhist outside of cyberspace.
The suttas seem to encourage the fostering of lay relationships, I had hoped to draw from others experiences to give me some perspective on the subject.
I am of nature to decay, I have not gone beyond decay.
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
-
Sanghamitta
- Posts: 1614
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:21 am
- Location: By the River Thames near London.
Re: Getting together.
Outside of temple activities not very much Zack. But to be honest after working about 65 hours per week most weeks amd with the demands of family and so on I dont socialise much anyway..Zack wrote:I get the impression that most lay followers have no desire for personal contact away from a formal setting.
Do you get together with others Sanghamitta?
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.
Bhikku Bodhi.
Bhikku Bodhi.
Re: Getting together.
Hello all,
I don't believe you can do the practice alone all your life ... so, sometime, somewhere there has to be contact with others who follow the same teachings. Even if that isn't very frequent - maybe only at the occasional Retreat, maybe a meditation grroup, maybe only on the internet or over skype.
As the Buddha said:
"I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie."1
"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life ."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
metta
Chris
I don't believe you can do the practice alone all your life ... so, sometime, somewhere there has to be contact with others who follow the same teachings. Even if that isn't very frequent - maybe only at the occasional Retreat, maybe a meditation grroup, maybe only on the internet or over skype.
As the Buddha said:
"I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie."1
"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life ."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Re: Getting together.
Anyone in the Houston area have any interest in an Dhamma wheel coffee sometime?
I am of nature to decay, I have not gone beyond decay.
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
-
Mawkish1983
- Posts: 1285
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
- Location: Essex, UK
Re: Getting together.
Alas I think we are all rather spread out, but if you're over near Manchester in the UK I'd be happy to have a coffee with you (or anyone for that matter)