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Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:07 am
by Hanzze
tell: "I am a Monk."?
Would a Buddhist monk tell: "I am a Buddhist."?
Would a follower of the path call him self a Buddhist?

...from the view of practice, except of situations where one is needed to answer ( local law)

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:45 pm
by Individual
He might say that, but his mind should remain clear.

In other words, he uses conventional language, but not conventional thinking.

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:53 pm
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:01 pm
by Individual
Hanzze wrote:
Individual wrote:He might say that, but his mind should remain clear.

In other words, he uses conventional language, but not conventional thinking.
Good solution, but wouldn't it in this case a lie? A tactic?
It is a lie, but the monk did not create it. He merely accepts the lie and gives it back, to avoid too much confusion.

Because it is not always possible or necessary to explain anatta. Many suttas are written about anatta, but people might read them and still not understand.

So, you have to use conventional language, or people will think you are crazy or stupid.

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:20 am
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:38 am
by plwk
Does it matter?

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:47 am
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:36 am
by Goedert
Friend,

Everything is possible to do in the world. Didn't You know that a monk could say such things as you describe?

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:45 am
by appicchato
When knowing the mind of the other...
We don't even know our own minds...seeing, or knowing, another's is pretty unrealistic...

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:30 am
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:33 am
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:34 am
by Phra Chuntawongso
When I enter Thailand there is a question on the immigration card that asks what is my occupation.I would have to state Monk.
I was also reading something by Ven.Yuttadhammo on his website.He is somewhere in California and people ask him what he is,many of them never seeing a monk walking their streets before.Should he remain silent?No, he can answer that he is a buddhist monk.As monks we are dealing with non monastics all of the time and have to speak in conventional language unless we are explaining certain aspects of the dhamma.If a person,especially a non buddhist asks, are you a monk I can not really start saying things like-no monk-no me-no you.I would consider this to be un-beneficial speech that would merely create confusion and why would I wish to add confusion where confusion already exists?

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:17 am
by Sylvester
Hanzze wrote:
Individual wrote: It is a lie, but the monk did not create it. He merely accepts the lie and gives it back, to avoid too much confusion.

Because it is not always possible or necessary to explain anatta. Many suttas are written about anatta, but people might read them and still not understand.

So, you have to use conventional language, or people will think you are crazy or stupid.
That would maybe the point if two monks are meeting. :-)

Questioned by a layman? Knowing the layman is deep attached with concept of somebody in a orange robe.

Indeed, which seems to be what happened when a young and cheeky Ven Brahmavamso met the Taungpulu Sayadaw and asked him, "Who's answering these questions?"

The sayadaw answered - "Nama".

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:18 am
by Hanzze
_/\_

Re: Would a buddhist monk...

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:20 am
by Hanzze
_/\_