Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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Coëmgenu
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Coëmgenu »

We could draw the same malshapen conclusions from "sounds heard (or 'known') by the ear." Foolish Buddhists listen to the Dhamma. Clearly they are caught in Māra's trap. It's untenable in the end.
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Joe.c »

Hearing a true dhamma will end dukkhas here and now. True dhamma will free one from Mara’s snare. 😀

Then, one can practice accordingly, hence one can be freed from 5 senses and/or transcend from them.

Hearing fake dhamma will not end dukkhas here and now. So, please know your friends closely.

Foolish common folks can't distinguish between fake and true dhamma, hence can't practice properly. They always have a doubt which one is a fake dhamma and which one is a true dhamma. 😅

True Buddhist can distinguish between true and fake dhamma, hence can be free from dukkha(s).
May you be relax, happy, comfortable and free of dukkhas from hearing true dhamma.
May you gain unshakable confidence in Buddha, Dhamma and (Ariya) Sangha.
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Jack19990101
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Jack19990101 »

Re - attitude towards dogs.

I want to promote Equanimity a little bit here.
I saw a lot praise of Metta in regard of dogs.
It is appropriate if it is compared to un-seeming human deeds to animals.

But elevate Metta with argument against Upekkha, is out of order.

Upekkha is very pure attitude supported by wisdom.
Metta is pure yet it implies the mind of an inclination (good will).
Upekkha is free of any inclination, which imo, is a superior dwelling than Metta.
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Aloka
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Aloka »

retrofuturist wrote: Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:11 am

I think your labelling serves no constructive purpose.

Metta,
Paul. :)
Well said, Paul! ...and perhaps I can add that all sentient beings suffer in one way or another (as well as the environment) and need our consideration and loving kindness in these difficult times on our precious Planet Earth.

:anjali:
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by TRobinson465 »

I think this has a similar logical fallacy as athiests who criticize photos of monks or anyone doing things like meditating and praying rather than "grabbing a brick and doing something for the world". Just because someone is meditating or praying in a photo does not mean they never do anything helpful for society or for other people. Plenty of monks do charitable work and do things for the benefit of others and society.

You would of course be right to show criticism if there was evidence that these monks/nuns were spending ALL or even a lot of thier time petting dogs and posing for pics with a dog. But a photo doesnt suggest this. I could take a photo of a monk taking a nap in the day time and post it without context and ask the same question. Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to be spending his time napping in the day? But of course, that doesnt mean its unjustified, napping in the day time is very justified for ppl who are sick and every once in a while under certain circumstances, so long as they arent spending all day everyday doing it.

I also know for a fact there are monks on this very forum who have facebook accounts, if someone posted a photo of one of them scrolling thru facebook it would raise the same question. but its only unjustified if they legit spent all thier time on FB, rather than just used it in a minor way. Is petting dogs or scrolling thru FB the best use of a monks time? I think not. Its not the best use of anyones time. But I dont think its fair to expect monks to spend every waking moment of thier life meditating, chanting or doing monastic duties. When I was a monk for a short while nobody in my cohort spent every waking moment doing something productive and i dont think most monks do or should be expected to. I'm pretty convinced dedicating every moment of your life to productivity will lead to burnout in most people, except for maybe a few extraordinary meditation masters.
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asahi
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by asahi »

It seems many buddhist monks has haughtiness that resemble with Brahmin priest as though they are the highest and lay people are inferior .
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Johann
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Johann »

asahi wrote: Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:13 pm It seems many buddhist monks has haughtiness that resemble with Brahmin priest as though they are the highest and lay people are inferior .
Aren't they, good householder?

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There is a German prover "Like the lord so it's folk" reffering to dog-owner and dog... relations.

So good to know what's more sublime and have a liberation refuge.

It wouldn't be for anything then consume if not taking refuge into Sublime or the picture get's defiled. But, again, good to reflect on "what one seeks for, one meets".
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Re: Is it right for a monk, who lives on alms food, to spend his time petting dogs and posing with dogs on leash?

Post by Dhammapardon »

Johann wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:04 am There is a German prover "Like the lord so it's folk" reffering to dog-owner and dog... relations.

So good to know what's more sublime and have a liberation refuge.

It wouldn't be for anything then consume if not taking refuge into Sublime or the picture get's defiled. But, again, good to reflect on "what one seeks for, one meets".
Very wise
Why practice to be miserable?
Good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end.
Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and almsfood to provide for his hunger. Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along. This is how a monk is content.(DN11)
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