Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

A place to discuss casual topics amongst spiritual friends.
santa100
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by santa100 »

Being very poor and being reasonably rich, my understanding is Dukkha in all unenlightened beings are the same.
Obviously you've never been very poor. Me neither, but I did have a chance of watching the ghastly videos of starving children in Africa, literally walking skeletons with bloated bellies and flies flying around.. Go and ask them if their dukkha is the same as that of the royals.
SarathW
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by SarathW »

starving children in Africa, literally walking skeletons with bloated bellies and flies flying around
I see your point.
But see the fate of Diana.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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No_Mind
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by No_Mind »

SarathW wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 9:53 pm
but it's also obvious that the intensity of suffering those royals have to face day in and day out is nothing compared to the kind their fellow human beings are going thru.
Being very poor and being reasonably rich, my understanding is Dukkha in all unenlightened beings are the same.
I don't think Royals are happier or more miserable than me.
Sometimes I feel very sorry for the royal.
If you think involve in boring public life is great you got to be joking.
Perhaps they are born to it and they do not know anything else.
Rubbish ..

The sadness that the Royals face is .. why my brooch is 34 carat diamond compared to my sister-in-law's 50 carat one .. or why did my father give me 200 sq km from his Duchy and my brother 350 sq km.

Please do not dare compare their misery with a person in dire need of ranolazine for heart disease and not being able to afford, since it costs $450 a month or $5400 a year .. an amount many seniors around the world cannot afford.

Did you see that vintage Jaguar E type fitted with electric motor which Harry drove to the evening party? Has he earned enough to pay for it? Will he ever .. apart from being present in few charities through the year with a pleasant face?

If Prince William and Kate marriage cost $32 million including security .. why does the RF pay only for flowers and food .. from his $30 million annual income why cannot Prince Charles pay $20 million over next decade.

I cannot really believe that this still happens in a modern democratic western nation .. while an ordinary person suffers for two months waiting for gallstone operation and can very easily die because NHS is breaking down from lack of funding (link in previous post)

:namaste:
Last edited by No_Mind on Mon May 21, 2018 5:22 am, edited 3 times in total.
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
SarathW
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by SarathW »

Rubbish ..
Then the monks will never be able to happy.
I think Ven. Dhammanando is living in a cemetery.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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No_Mind
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by No_Mind »

SarathW wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 11:42 pm
starving children in Africa, literally walking skeletons with bloated bellies and flies flying around
I see your point.
But see the fate of Diana.
See what about the fate of Diana? She had relationship with a wealthy man and died in a car crash.

:namaste:
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
SarathW
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by SarathW »

She had a relationship with a wealthy man
So becoming wealthy is better than be a prince?
I know she had a relationship with an Indian doctor. Does this mean becoming a doctor is better than becoming a prince?
Or did she need love?
Is being loved is better than living with a prince?
Can't an Indian child in a slum get some love?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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No_Mind
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by No_Mind »

Aloka wrote: Sun May 20, 2018 7:40 pm So what? We don't live in an equal society, what about all the billionaires in other parts of the world? - get used to it!
Billionaires in other parts of the world are not subsidised by tax payers is the point being discussed. If you are not willing to discuss that particular point .. then why argue?

As far as other monarchies go -

In Saudi Arabia .. they provide governance (of whichever sort) .. and most ordinary Saudi citizens live a life so lavish that you cannot even begin to imagine it in UK (on top of it there are no taxes)

Same with Brunei.

In Japan the Emperor has a personal net worth of only $40 million and all actual expenditures* are paid by government. Since same maid cannot wipe the floor and table (according to Japanese custom) the palace needs 160 servants and running cost is $150 million .. but the RF of Japan always has an apologetic face and all their princesses have married commoners and opted out of the RF .. they stay as far in shadows as possible.

In other places like Libya .. the rulers are despotic but can be strangled to death and then beheaded .. I am not sure RF of Britain will go for that option ..

Otherwise, billionaires from Warren Buffet to Carlos Slim Helú to Mark Zuckerberg put in 80-100 hours a week to get where they are.

*actual expenditure - in UK the Queen has substantial income from profits of the Crown Estate which she surrenders to the government but receives 15% of the amount she surrendered 2 years ago (roughly $40-50 million per year income) and she also receives Sovereign Grant which pays for the family's travel, palace upkeep and utilities and royal employee payroll.

Hence she has personal wealth in region of $200 million at least (to do with as she wishes). Finances of the RF are as complicated as those of the Vatican .. add to it income of Prince Charles in region of $30 million a year from Duchy of Cornwall and there is no reason why they cannot pay for the marriage in instalments.

:namaste:
Last edited by No_Mind on Mon May 21, 2018 6:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
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No_Mind
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by No_Mind »

SarathW wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 5:23 am
She had a relationship with a wealthy man
So becoming wealthy is better than be a prince?
I know she had a relationship with an Indian doctor. Does this mean becoming a doctor is better than becoming a prince?
Not an Indian doctor but Pakistani doctor ..

:namaste:
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
binocular
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by binocular »

No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 4:48 amSee what about the fate of Diana?
While being part of the RF, she was very unhappy.
No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 4:28 amRubbish ..

The sadness that the Royals face is .. why my brooch is 34 carat diamond compared to my sister-in-law's 50 carat one .. or why did my father give me 200 sq km from his Duchy and my brother 350 sq km.
I don't think we commoners can even imagine what it's like to be a royal. I strongly doubt they think about things like you mention before.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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No_Mind
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by No_Mind »

binocular wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 7:05 am
No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 4:48 amSee what about the fate of Diana?
While being part of the RF, she was very unhappy.
She divorced when young .. received alimony of $22.5 million and $600,000 every year and kept her Kensington Palace apartment.

She had affairs before and after marriage .. cannot really see her misery.
binocular wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 7:05 am
No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 4:28 amRubbish ..

The sadness that the Royals face is .. why my brooch is 34 carat diamond compared to my sister-in-law's 50 carat one .. or why did my father give me 200 sq km from his Duchy and my brother 350 sq km.
I don't think we commoners can even imagine what it's like to be a royal. I strongly doubt they think about things like you mention before.
You are missing the point .. Princess Eugenie and Beatrice (daughters of Prince Andrew) are said to be unhappy over being chopped of the Civil List (list of full time Royals whose expenses are borne by the government) by Prince Charles https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2034713/p ... -taxpayer/

That "misery" is not the same tribulation faced by someone of ordinary means who cannot afford medicine.

The query I posed is very simple -

In a modern western nation $32 million is spent for a wedding by tax payers but an ordinary patient has to live 7 weeks with gallstone pain because hospitals are at breaking point

The groom's father spends only for food, alcohol and flowers .. his means are enough to pay $20 million back to the government over next decade (that would be $2 million a year out of $30 million yearly income) but he will not do so.

How do you view this?

:namaste:
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”― Albert Camus
binocular
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by binocular »

No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 7:11 amYou are missing the point .. Princess Eugenie and Beatrice (daughters of Prince Andrew) are said to be unhappy over being chopped of the Civil List (list of full time Royals whose expenses are borne by the government) by Prince Charles https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2034713/p ... -taxpayer/
Clearly, there are royals, and then there are royals ...
That "misery" is not the same tribulation faced by someone of ordinary means who cannot afford medicine.
The query I posed is very simple -
In a modern western nation $32 million is spent for a wedding by tax payers but an ordinary patient has to live 7 weeks with gallstone pain because hospitals are at breaking point
The groom's father spends only for food, alcohol and flowers .. his means are enough to pay $20 million back to the government over next decade (that would be $2 million a year out of $30 million yearly income) but he will not do so.
How do you view this?
That this is just how the world is.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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mikenz66
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by mikenz66 »

A New Zealand point of view...


Lorde wrote:And we'll never be royals (royals).
It don't run in our blood,
That kind of luxe just ain't for us.
We crave a different kind of buzz.
Let me be your ruler (ruler),
You can call me queen Bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule.
Let me live that fantasy.
:heart:
Mike
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mikenz66
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by mikenz66 »

And an awesome tribute by Bruce in Auckland a few years ago...

SarathW
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by SarathW »

Thank you Mike, for reminding my old Favourite.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
binocular
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Re: Harry, Meghan and my Papañca

Post by binocular »

No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 7:11 am
binocular wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 7:05 am
No_Mind wrote: Mon May 21, 2018 4:48 amSee what about the fate of Diana?
While being part of the RF, she was very unhappy.
She divorced when young .. received alimony of $22.5 million and $600,000 every year and kept her Kensington Palace apartment.
She had affairs before and after marriage .. cannot really see her misery.
There are recorded interviews with her where she clearly said how unhappy she was when married to Charles.
cannot really see her misery.
Do you really think that money and affairs guarantee that a person will be happy??????? !
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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