Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary
Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
- Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
I can heartily recommend it. Aggacitta Bhikkhu studied Pāḷi thoroughly at Wat Tamao in Lampang, Thailand, and was the able interpreter for Sayādaw U Paṇḍita on his three-month retreat taught at Barre Mass. The published edition of the talks given by the Sayādaw in that retreat can be seen in my forum signature: "In This Very Life."
To get a taste of his teaching style, watch some of his YouTube videos.
I first met U Aggacitta at Mahāsi Yeikthā when I was there in 1979-1980.
To get a taste of his teaching style, watch some of his YouTube videos.
I first met U Aggacitta at Mahāsi Yeikthā when I was there in 1979-1980.
Blog • Pāli Fonts • In This Very Life • Buddhist Chronicles • Software (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Will the Leader of the community of monks ask one to accept that the Buddha may have visited somebody in the beginning of 20th century?
Does seem like a nice opportunity almost too good to be true, that's why i ask.
Does seem like a nice opportunity almost too good to be true, that's why i ask.
Last edited by User1249x on Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:05 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Also in regards to Sotapanna being unable to break 5 precepts as a lay person, what is their position?
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
What was this about, any special visa solution for monks?The Committee gave its approval and also sorted out initial uncertainties with regards to visa matters for foreign monks.
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
I don't fully understand the question. Could you clarify further?
Last edited by Parinibbana on Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Usually monasteries don't have an official position on questions such as these. Different monks may have different opinions and it all boils down to what the Buddha/discourses say, and not what a certain elder in a community says (AN 4.180).
And the suttas seem to be quite vague on this point and usually simply state that a sotāpanna “possesses the virtues dear to the noble ones—unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration. (e.g. SN 55.1)
Unfortunately the discourses nowhere define "virtues dear to the noble ones". Does it refer to the 4 precepts (5 minus alcohol), 5 precepts, 10 unwholesome courses of action..., which one is supposed to keep "unbroken, untorn, unblemished..."?
However, Sarakānisutta (SN 55.24) seems to imply that to keep the 5 precepts (exemplified by abstaining from alcohol) was indeed behavior that was expected of a stream-enterer. Otherwise there would have been no uproar when the Buddha declared Sarakāni the drinker to be a sotāpanna. Of course the question remains whether someone who drinks only occasionally and is not a professional drinker as Sarakāni was, would have caused the same uproar. The answer to that would only be speculation and is not possible to derive from above cited canonical passages.
Best to become a sotāpanna yourself and see how often you feel like having a beer.
With mettā,
AD
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Unfortunately there is no special solution for monks. They consulted a professional visa agent (a company that earns its money by advising foreigners how to apply for visa so that there is a high chance of approval by the immigration department).
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Thank you for your answers, it has been a pleasant read:)Parinibbana wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:29 pmUnfortunately there is no special solution for monks. They consulted a professional visa agent (a company that earns its money by advising foreigners how to apply for visa so that there is a high chance of approval by the immigration department).
Are you affiliated with the monastery?
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
User1249x wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:15 pmKind of, yes.Parinibbana wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:29 pmThank you for your answers, it has been a pleasant read:)
Are you affiliated with the monastery?
You may get a hint when looking at the signature under my post about the sotapanna & 5 precept question above and then search for further clues here http://www.sasanarakkha.org/monkhood.html
Good luck, Sherlock
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
thanks a lot and best of luck to you as well.
and sorry for the confusion i made a mistake there in one of the questions but it does not matter anyway
and sorry for the confusion i made a mistake there in one of the questions but it does not matter anyway
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Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Oh, I finally got it (I think).Parinibbana wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:52 pmI don't fully understand the question. Could you clarify further?
You probably refer to L.T. Maha Boowa's biography of Ajahn Mun, who, after his own awakening, supposedly met the Buddha and asked him a bunch of questions on that occasion.
Haha; If that is what you were asking about, I can guarantee you that the leader of the SBS community does not ask one to accept this story; pretty much the opposite is the case. He would ask you to give up such a view (and whatever other sassata-diṭṭhi a person may hold).
Re: Now foreigners can ordain and train in Malaysia
Absolutely correct regarding the referent of the poorly articulated question.