No admirable friends?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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_anicca_
Posts: 345
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:44 pm

Re: No admirable friends?

Post by _anicca_ »

chownah wrote:
_anicca_ wrote:
Of course there is skillful and unskillful desire.
However, it is impractical to live the way that a bhikkhu does as a lay person.
philosopher,
Do you interpret -annica-'s post as being disrespectful or critical of lay people pursuing the 8? I don't. I just think it is short sighted.....or maybe it is just presumptuous but not in itself disrespectful or critical....I guess.....don't know for sure....
chownah
I did not mean to offend.
If anything, I will admit to being presumptuous.

I said this, because from my own experience and what I have seen with other practitioners, people will impose myriad precepts on themselves, not be able to consistently keep them (for whatever reason), and then experience a lot of regret. I think it is great if you can keep the 8 precepts all of the time, but anagariyas are the only people who undertake these training rules.
Personally, I undertake the 8 precepts on Uposatha Days.

Additionally, I have noticed that people fantasize about living life like monks and use this to avoid personal responsibilities and because they believe livin this way will be wonderful and all of their problems will disappear. However, the issues and stressors in the mind are still their regardless of how many precepts you undertake, if you live at home, in a forest, or in a monastery.

:anjali:
"A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self."

:buddha1:

http://vipassanameditation.asia
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khlawng
Posts: 225
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:28 pm

Re: No admirable friends?

Post by khlawng »

my simple take on this matter is,
the risk of ruining someone's progress towards fruition,
is one too great for anyone to bear.
different individuals requires different levels of commitment
different path and some through a trial by fire so to speak,
to progress and deepen their understanding of the dhamma.
and i don't think i am at a level to tell who is fit and who is not
to undertake the 5, 8, 10, 227 or 311.
chownah
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Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:19 pm

Re: No admirable friends?

Post by chownah »

Additionally, I have noticed that people fantasize about living life like monks
I think this descibes some monks.
chownah
philosopher
Posts: 151
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: No admirable friends?

Post by philosopher »

Thank you, all. I spoke with Tan Ajaan about my concern and he put my doubts to rest.
chownah wrote:[quote=
Do you interpret -annica-'s post as being disrespectful or critical of lay people pursuing the 8? I don't. I just think it is short sighted.....or maybe it is just presumptuous but not in itself disrespectful or critical....I guess.....don't know for sure....
chownah
No, I do not -annica's- post in that way. I am 99% certain I did not misconstrue the parisa members' comments. They also criticized Tan Ajaan's teachings as well as him personally; yet they are one of the most prominent members of the sangha. However, I think what was most important to me was to know that Tan Ajaan is not deluded about his students; that became clear to me from my conversation with him.

So, again, thanks everyone. :anjali:
philosopher
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Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: No admirable friends?

Post by philosopher »

khlawng wrote:
provided you are able to distinguish between mere followers,
and long time students directly training under the teacher.
Thank you; this is a good point. I think I've been missing this distinction. :anjali:
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