Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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StormBorn
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by StormBorn »

BKh wrote: Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:57 pm
StormBorn wrote: Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:20 am The irony here is that both these ancient rural areas well known for droughts, poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and many kidney patients due to drinking of heavy metal water (long term farming with Monasanto chemicals). And these Mahamewna Buddhist cult gives no care to help them.
You do realize that Mahamevnawa, through its TV station, is building water treatment centres in the villages you mention?
https://www.shraddha.lk/water/
May be, may be not as many "back to the past" type of white washes also happening around. But thanks for pointing out. All these makes me move away from organized religion and closer to the Buddha's Words. :namaste:

Since you seem to be representing Mahamewnawa, is the below statement (Mahamevnawa head monk decided the path to Nibbana was closed...) true or false?
Chula wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 8:10 am I plan to go to Ellakanda forest monastery in Matara as well as a former Mahamevnawa monastery in Dompe (they supposedly broke off after the Mahamevnawa head monk decided the path to Nibbana was closed and the best we could hope for was deva-rebirth).
Thank you :smile:
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
BKh
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by BKh »

StormBorn wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:35 am Since you represent Mahamewnawa, is the below statement is true or false?
Chula wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 8:10 am I plan to go to Ellakanda forest monastery in Matara as well as a former Mahamevnawa monastery in Dompe (they supposedly broke off after the Mahamevnawa head monk decided the path to Nibbana was closed and the best we could hope for was deva-rebirth).
I do not represent Mahamevnawa here in any way and have never claimed to do so. If you need to contact them, it is best done through their English language website, mahamevnawabm.org.

The notion that the path to Nibbana is now closed off is quite widespread in Sri Lanka. It is this exact wrong view that Ven. Gnanananda has tried to correct from the start. The idea that path and fruit are still available to us through the Buddha's teachings is what has drawn so many people to his organization. Not his chanting voice.
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StormBorn
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by StormBorn »

Found a 2013 article with a heap of useful comments too, regarding Mahamewnawa. According to my own limited observations and the opinions of my local friends, the situation is worst.

Also this has videos criticizing Mahamewnawa statues and Kiribathgoda Gnanananda’s claim that he’s a reincarnation of a student of Arahant Ananda.
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
fornoxe
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by fornoxe »

StormBorn wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:12 am
Stormborn
I would like to speak with in private but I cant send any message to you. Can you send to me please? :sage:
fornoxe
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by fornoxe »

StormBorn wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:12 am
fornoxe wrote: Fri Sep 07, 2018 6:30 pm I made a bouddha statue of himself. I could not find any word.

That why I 'm thinking to find a western monk in Sri Lanka in fact. 18days left before leaving.

But thanks for links StormBorn. And Sarah obviously :anjali:
Ah, the common mistake: Western monks are better than Asians! A local friend at Immigration Dep. Made a funny remark that they already kicked several Western monks out of the country having caught unmonkish interactions with females/nuns.

Let me share with you one last experience. Last year I visited the Hillside Hermitage in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Locals are very impressed with these “foreign monks” as they come to the village for alms. The monks also tried to impress us with some “deep forest Dhamma” while their pet dogs trying to climb to their bodies. But I was put off by the number of well groomed fat dogs and puppies there, where the kids from their alms round village seems to be suffering from malnutrition! Also, the monks appeared to be into body building. Later, I visited their Facebook page and goodness heavens, I found images of large Amino Acid supplement bottles (to increase muscle mass) along with kettlebells caught on camera while they photo shoot their dogs! That time their photo count was around 4,000, which was about 10+ per day. But I checked now and all the posts before June 2018 were deleted. There seems to be some attempt of a whitewash.

In the May of 2017, the abbot says that "they also receive funding from kind people who follow their activities on Facebook.": https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/weste ... nkan-wilds

There’s no refuge other than the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Ariyas.

Some photos:
OK, this one, but you have also Island hermitage (polgasduva). For hillside, i dont want to say asian are better or not. My idea is just westerner monk decided and quit everything to have this life. They choose it. For some asian people, maybe they dont have the same choice. Or its much easier to them. So, MAYBE (!!) we can find more """"pure"""" westerner monk than asian. BUT asian monk are monk since they are child and they are not touch with consumption society like we can be (bodybuilding for ex.)

So yeah, first I was plan to go and stay in Sri Lanka. Now, I will go in India and see whats happen in tibetan buddhism. For 6 months also.

You're last sentance was funny. Refuge in Ariyas. Yes, sure. But where about? I will travel with plenty of books (7kg). I bought books from and speaking about ariyas in all buddhism tradition (theravada mahayana) but also in islam and catholic way. For exemple I bought the perfection path from therese d'avila.
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StormBorn
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by StormBorn »

BKh wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:51 am
StormBorn wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:35 am Since you represent Mahamewnawa, is the below statement is true or false?
Chula wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 8:10 am I plan to go to Ellakanda forest monastery in Matara as well as a former Mahamevnawa monastery in Dompe (they supposedly broke off after the Mahamevnawa head monk decided the path to Nibbana was closed and the best we could hope for was deva-rebirth).
I do not represent Mahamevnawa here in any way and have never claimed to do so. If you need to contact them, it is best done through their English language website, mahamevnawabm.org.

The notion that the path to Nibbana is now closed off is quite widespread in Sri Lanka. It is this exact wrong view that Ven. Gnanananda has tried to correct from the start. The idea that path and fruit are still available to us through the Buddha's teachings is what has drawn so many people to his organization. Not his chanting voice.
Alas! Now he says that those who encourage others to achieve Nibbana here & now are evil people! :rofl:
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
SarathW
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by SarathW »

Recently I was listening to Ven. Dhamma Subadda from Mithirigala Forest monastery.
He participates in the discussion relating to Late Most Ven. Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha Thero's Nibbana sermon.
He appears to be a knowledgeable monk.
There is no any material on the internet in the English language.

https://damsara.org/dhamma-talks-in-sin ... a-sermons/
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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StormBorn
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by StormBorn »

SarathW wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:11 pm Recently I was listening to Ven. Dhamma Subadda from Mithirigala Forest monastery.
He participates in the discussion relating to Late Most Ven. Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha Thero's Nibbana sermon.
He appears to be a knowledgeable monk.
There is no any material on the internet in the English language.

https://damsara.org/dhamma-talks-in-sin ... a-sermons/
Ñāṇananda’s Concept and Reality: An Assessment by Stephen Evans

Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
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Volo
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by Volo »

StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
What do these "first" names like Katukurunde, Kiribathgoda for Sri Lankan monks mean? Is it their lay names?
SarathW
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by SarathW »

Volovsky wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:37 am
StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
What do these "first" names like Katukurunde, Kiribathgoda for Sri Lankan monks mean? Is it their lay names?
That is the name of village or the town they are born I believe.
For instance there are towns named Katukurunda and Kiribathgoda.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Volo
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by Volo »

SarathW wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:46 am That is the name of village or the town they are born I believe.
For instance there are towns named Katukurunda and Kiribathgoda.
That makes sense. Thanks.
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SamD
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by SamD »

Volovsky wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:37 am
StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
What do these "first" names like Katukurunde, Kiribathgoda for Sri Lankan monks mean? Is it their lay names?
City or village of their birth.
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StormBorn
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by StormBorn »

Volovsky wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:37 am
StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
What do these "first" names like Katukurunde, Kiribathgoda for Sri Lankan monks mean? Is it their lay names?
Katukurunda and Kiribathgoda are two towns/villages in different parts of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan monks use the name of their birth village/ordained village or even mostly lived village before the monk name. Without knowing this, once I addressed a monk by his town name, and everybody in the room started laughing :embarassed: It was like saying, "Hello! Ven. Washington DC!" :rofl:
“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one—himself.”
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mikenz66
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by mikenz66 »

StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am
SarathW wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:11 pm Recently I was listening to Ven. Dhamma Subadda from Mithirigala Forest monastery.
He participates in the discussion relating to Late Most Ven. Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha Thero's Nibbana sermon.
He appears to be a knowledgeable monk.
There is no any material on the internet in the English language.

https://damsara.org/dhamma-talks-in-sin ... a-sermons/
Ñāṇananda’s Concept and Reality: An Assessment by Stephen Evans

Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
See also the critique of this article, which was discussed this year in Ven Analayo's course on the Nibbana Sermons:
Dhammadinnā, Bhikkhunī 2017: “Bhikkhu Ñāṇananda’s Concept and Reality: A Reply to Stephen Evans”, Buddhist Studies Review, 34.2: 151–180.

:heart:
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SarathW
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Re: Na Uyana or Mahamevnawa?

Post by SarathW »

StormBorn wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:56 am
SarathW wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:11 pm Recently I was listening to Ven. Dhamma Subadda from Mithirigala Forest monastery.
He participates in the discussion relating to Late Most Ven. Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha Thero's Nibbana sermon.
He appears to be a knowledgeable monk.
There is no any material on the internet in the English language.

https://damsara.org/dhamma-talks-in-sin ... a-sermons/
Ñāṇananda’s Concept and Reality: An Assessment by Stephen Evans

Note: Late Ven. Katukurunde Ñāṇananda (Concept and Reality) and Kiribathgoda Ñāṇānanda (Mahamewnawa) are two different monks.
Is Stephen Evans assessment available free of charge?
It is not I can't afford to pay $5.00 but I expect an assessment on some thing free also available free of charge.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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