Hello from Canada!

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santimuni
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Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:41 am

Hello from Canada!

Post by santimuni »

Hey there Dhamma brothers and sisters! Just introducing myself if anyone ever wants to know a bit about me. I'm a 19 year old male living in Toronto, Canada. I recently got into the Buddha Dhamma around the beginning of this year, as I went through a profound spiritual change. I used to be very materialistic and hedonistic but after going through some personal dukkha (as we all do), I realized the futility and pain of selfishness. After that I read the Dhammapada which really flung open the doors to the end of suffering. It was still a little bit of time until I considered following this and only this path (calling myself a Buddhist basically), which started after I finished a 10-day Goenka retreat. I felt like I was saved. I knew I didn't want to live the same life I was living before, but I didn't know how to live another one. I had meditated a bit before that retreat but never really felt the benefits. That dipping my feet into the Dhamma made me realize how immensely practical, logical, and beneficial it is.

As time went on my joy and conviction became stronger and stronger. I start feeling like this isn't my first lifetime encountering the Dhamma. And if it is then how fortunate that I've encountered it at all! In the end speculation about the past is a hindrance, and my real goals are here and now and in the future. I am planning to go to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand, beginning near the end of this year. I will be visiting the holy sites, monasteries, and various Dhamma centres. After this I'm taking some time to help out at the Dhamma centre near Toronto, hoping to repay a bit of my deep gratitude to them for opening my heart and my eyes.

Finally, after some time spent there, I plan on taking robes. I've been thinking about this for a while now and I'm giving myself another couple years to think about it more thoroughly, but right now I've never had more faith in anything in my life. The Dhamma has changed my life, and consequently those around me. I don't feel that there is anything I'd rather do, or any way that I'd be better suited to help people. I'm well aware of all the difficulties and I know it will be the hardest thing I do in my life, but I still feel like jumping for joy when I imagine actually ordaining. I'm ready to make a serious effort in this lifetime to walk the path and end dukkha, and no lifestyle is more appealing to me than the monastic one. 'Ehi bhikkhu'.

Lastly I don't consider myself Theravada, but I do think it is the closest tradition there is the authentic teachings of the Buddha. With the introduction of nonsectarian Dhamma from my Goenka retreat (even though he teaches basic Theravada), the idea of a universal Dhamma-Vinaya without sectarian borders and definitions feels right to me. Hence I am considerably into early Buddhism, and feel so much gratitude for the contemporary monks and scholars doing research into this field and shedding some light on the most universal teachings, without the additions of particular schools and sects. If anyone is interested in this I highly recommend books by Bhikkhu Sujato (among many others). You can find most of his books for free here: https://archive.org/search.php?query=cr ... khu+Sujato"

Anyway, that's all for now. Sorry for the lengthy introduction, I got a bit carried away. If anyone read the whole thing I commend your diligence!

With mettā,
Mat
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DNS
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by DNS »

Welcome to DW!

SarathW
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by SarathW »

Hi Santimuni
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.
You have done a lot of good Kamma to find Buddhism in Such a young age and find Dhamma Wheel.
I wish you all the best.
:clap:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Sam Vara
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by Sam Vara »

Hello Santimuni, and welcome to DhammaWheel! :hello:
mrgrtt123
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Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:45 am
Location: British Columbia

Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by mrgrtt123 »

Just like you, I am also a newbie from British Columbia. It is nice to know that I have a fellow Canadian in here. :buddha2:
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santimuni
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:41 am

Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by santimuni »

SarathW wrote: Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:14 pm Hi Santimuni
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.
You have done a lot of good Kamma to find Buddhism in Such a young age and find Dhamma Wheel.
I wish you all the best.
:clap:
Thank you. We have all done a lot of good kamma to be born as humans.

mettā
santimuni
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:41 am

Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by santimuni »

Sam Vara wrote: Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:20 pm Hello Santimuni, and welcome to DhammaWheel! :hello:
Thanks Sam :) I've been lurking for a while but just recently made an account and never posted anything.

mettā
santimuni
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:41 am

Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by santimuni »

mrgrtt123 wrote: Fri Oct 19, 2018 12:50 am Just like you, I am also a newbie from British Columbia. It is nice to know that I have a fellow Canadian in here. :buddha2:
Nice! Glad to see more members in this country.

mettā
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retrofuturist
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!

:buddha1:

Metta,
Paul. :)
"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."
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bodom
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by bodom »

Welcome!

:namaste:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
mbm
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Re: Hello from Canada!

Post by mbm »

Godd luck with that :anjali:
Bhikkhu Sujato and Goenka, huh? Interesting.
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