Practicing at home vs going homeless?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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JC938
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:17 pm

Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by JC938 »

Hello,

What's better as in the title?

Few things I think I needed are food, toilets, a solitude place, a charging wall, internet wifi.

I have all of that at home, I have my own bed room that no one comes and disturb. I have no job and have total freedom at home, should I practice at home or going homeless and become a monk?

I earn $100 monthly passive income so I give that to my family, I don't need any money and I have a place to stay at home. Shouldn't I start practicing while at home or should I look for other place to go.

Thanks.
Inedible
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Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:55 am
Location: Iowa City

Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by Inedible »

Start practicing at home. Meditate every day. A good support system is valuable for keeping your mind on your work. If you go somewhere else all your energy will be caught up in meeting survival based needs. If you truly find you don't have a choice you can always try it the other way. Until then, to use a metaphor, don't shoot yourself in the foot.
justindesilva
Posts: 2602
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:38 pm

Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by justindesilva »

JC938 wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 6:25 am Hello,

What's better as in the title?

Few things I think I needed are food, toilets, a solitude place, a charging wall, internet wifi.

I have all of that at home, I have my own bed room that no one comes and disturb. I have no job and have total freedom at home, should I practice at home or going homeless and become a monk?

I earn $100 monthly passive income so I give that to my family, I don't need any money and I have a place to stay at home. Shouldn't I start practicing while at home or should I look for other place to go.

Thanks.
I too am in similar boots. With the conditions around I feel that it is better to practise sila at home. Not many even at the time of Lord Buddha spent all the life time solitarily for meditation. The bikkus had a dwelling place where they returned to after meditation. Solitary meditation of course gave the meditating bikku to keep away from the residential environment.
And of course in Sri Lanka Burma and Thailand there are monesteries established in forests to which one can go leaving everything.
Yet at times we have to doubt about the genuinity of these monasteries. And whether the health can be maintained at an old age which also count in maintaining the practising of sila.
The present day life style of societies which empties the house for daily employments will keep the pindspaths Dana needed unavailable thus keeping the mendicant responsible for his own supply of breakfast and lunch.
This summarily are difficulties built up in present day living.
One who wants to observe seela can start from pancaseela
to ashtanga seela improving to dasaseela . Anagarika is another mode of living between dasa seela and bikku status if one wants to practise seela from home.
User1249x
Posts: 2749
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:50 pm

Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by User1249x »

That depends on what you already know, your ability to study, your ability to rehabilitate yourself, your temperament, your ability of restoration from offenses, your finances, location, supportive network and ordination alternatives that are available to you.

This is an analytical question and i can't give a categorical answer.

That being said , since there is an opening atm then imo start at home and then reevaluate.
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confusedlayman
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Location: Human Realm (as of now)

Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by confusedlayman »

is it possible to become anagami with bank account?
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
justindesilva
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Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by justindesilva »

confusedlayman wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:39 am is it possible to become anagami with bank account?
Yes with a zero balance.
User1249x
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Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by User1249x »

For now i am training as a lay person. I have some debt left and my health is not great. It would be difficult to ordain because of health issues but also because i would like to ordain in a community that has the factors conducive to amiability;
"Monks, these six are conditions that are conducive to amiability, that engender feelings of endearment, engender feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity. Which six?

"There is the case where a monk is set on bodily acts of good will with regard to his fellows in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.

"Furthermore, the monk is set on verbal acts of good will with regard to his fellows in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.

"Furthermore, the monk is set on mental acts of good will with regard to his fellows in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.

"Furthermore, whatever righteous gains the monk may obtain in a righteous way — even if only the alms in his bowl — he does not consume them alone. He consumes them after sharing them in common with his virtuous fellows in the holy life. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.

"Furthermore — with reference to the virtues that are untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration — the monk dwells with his virtue in tune with that of his fellows in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.

"Furthermore — with reference to views that are noble, leading outward, that lead those who act in accordance with them to the right ending of suffering & stress — the monk dwells with his views in tune with those of his fellows in the holy life, to their faces & behind their backs. This is a condition that is conducive to amiability, that engenders feelings of endearment, engenders feelings of respect, leading to a sense of fellowship, a lack of disputes, harmony, & a state of unity.
My health issues will get worse and critical if i stress much, can't get agreeable food or can't train properly, therefore i have to train as a lay person for now because i have some control over my environment and can make satisfying progress.

That being said, i think ordaining would be significantly better for me and if my health improves i would definitely like to pursue looking for an admirable preceptor.
dharmacorps
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Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by dharmacorps »

Are you talking about ordaining or just being homeless?
2600htz
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Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: Practicing at home vs going homeless?

Post by 2600htz »

Hi:

I dont mean to be rude, but that sound a little like lack of responsibility.

Food, toilet, shelter, internet, etc. it is hard to have all that with just $100 monthly.

So if you plan to stay at your parents house without having a job in mind, it might make them feel like you are a burden, which in turn will make them hold a grudge, then act impolitely towards you. And its hard to practice dhamma in that environment.

If you have a disability, practicing dhamma is getting rid of that disability. Drug addicts give up their cravings, anxious people give up their anxiousness,
lazy people learn to raise energy, etc. That leads to harmonious lifestyle and following the noble eightfold path. Of course this is a path, something to aim for.

Regards.
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