Theravada for lay people

[woodsman]

There's a teenager lives by me, all he does is smoke weed and play computer games......relies entirely upon the charity of others too nor does he have an intent to pursue anything.

Ask him for some words of wisdom!

He probably has a really strong intent to smoke weed and play video games. Watch what happens if he can't do those those things.

Nah, he's just a freeloader and takes advantage of others goodwill leaving nothing for them in return other than the 'privilege' of being around him.....hhmmm

[nirodh27due]

If an 'Arhant' can't deal with lay life then by implication he isn't an Arhant. This would imply the has NOT gone beyond and is what, pissed off by the neighbors dog barking or irritated that he has to go to work? Nah... makes no sense.

Hi,

the first thing that I must say is that what an Arahant is and do must be found in some ways or inferred with the suttas as guide. Then one can reject the Arahant ideal or not. I think everyone here agrees that the Buddha has seen household life as inferior than monasticism to pursue the awakening goal and that's it. "it is not easy to live the holy life as an householder". I think that, for an Arahant, being in a monastery will simply be the de facto best option. For him and for people around him that can benefit from his presence and teachings. One monk that helps others is considered "superior" in that respect by the Buddha (i can't get the SN quote now but it is there) and an Arahant will immensely benefit his fellow monks and lay people with his example and with his words.

The Buddha, the best Arahant and "role model" we have, intentionally pursued the goal to teach the Dhamma for 45 years and to do it in the best possible way, he crafted using brainpower, trial and error and careful observation positive rules for laypeople and monks, he crafted a teaching with the goal to let it last for 500 years or more, he traveled, he spoke with kings and laypeople and used his time, his strong compassion and goodwill for them. He pursued goals, made effert and used his time, but not for delighting purposes (like smoking weed, to delight is the root of suffering and you friend will probably discover that sooner or later).

So an Arahant surely can act for good-will and compassion, even for his own body or for lay people. So I can imagine that an Arahant in not-optimal conditions could very well adapt to a society without sanghas an "ora et labora" style like the western monks (but also some laymans here lives in this way) that we have here in Italy. Working only to get the "taints that has to be abandoned by using" in a skillful way (see MN2)

“Reflecting wisely, he uses almsfood neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness, but only for the endurance and continuance of this body, for ending discomfort, and for assisting the holy life, considering: ‘Thus I shall terminate old feelings without arousing new feelings and I shall be healthy and blameless and shall live in comfort.’

“Reflecting wisely, he uses the medicinal requisites only for protection from arisen afflicting feelings and for the benefit of good health".

and using his time with compassion, to teach the Dhamma to the ones who asks and are in a state of suffering, asking very little from the finite cake of resources that a community have at his disposal using nothing more than food, shelter and medicines and giving the rest to charity. And with him being ready to renounce his life if it is needed.

P.S. Do mail works for you from Dhammawheel? I can't receive any email from this site and I can't recover the password of my main account. Spam checked.