Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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tiltbillings
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by tiltbillings »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

:redherring: = "Red herring is an English-language idiom that commonly refers to a logical fallacy that misleads or detracts from the actual issue. It is also a literary device employed by writers that leads readers or characters towards a false conclusion, often used in mystery or detective fiction." (Wikipedia)

Metta,
Retro. :)
Well, that is definition, and it certainly looks that you are not using it correctly.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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retrofuturist
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Yes I am.

A false premise is being established that those who aren't interested in brothelizing the Dhamma (and Vinaya) are somehow dour-faced puritans, incapable of "fun" (i.e. false conclusion)... and this is distracting from the question of whether it is possible for practising Buddhists to have fun, because it is inferring logical arguments that have unsound and unjustified assumptions.... thus obfuscating genuine attempts to address the question (i.e. detracts from the actual issue).

:geek:

Metta,
Retro. :)
"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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tiltbillings
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by tiltbillings »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

Yes I am.

A false premise is being established that those who aren't interested in brothelizing the Dhamma (and Vinaya) are somehow dour-faced puritans, incapable of "fun" (i.e. false conclusion
Yes, well, Dan's post, in my opinion, was not saying that at all. He was, I would say, just poking fun at the idea of "dour-faced." He was not saying that anyone was such, but then you'll have to ask him what his intent was.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Cittasanto
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Cittasanto »

tiltbillings wrote:
retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

Yes I am.

A false premise is being established that those who aren't interested in brothelizing the Dhamma (and Vinaya) are somehow dour-faced puritans, incapable of "fun" (i.e. false conclusion
Yes, well, Dan's post, in my opinion, was not saying that at all. He was, I would say, just poking fun at the idea of "dour-faced." He was not saying that anyone was such, but then you'll have to ask him what his intent was.
And SamKR's post wasn't saying what you thought either. But that didn't stop you taking it as implying lack of humour. And neither was anyone who had this applied to them in the other topic yet you and others thought it appropriate
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Dan74
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Dan74 »

My intent was just to have fun, possibly of the silly kind (I was never too good as discerning the demarcation line). Even my kids sometimes tell me to stop being silly, so, I guess I am...

As for "brothelizing" (great word!), I think implying that people who disagree with you are "brothelizing the Dhamma", is possible less than charitable. After all we are Dhamma brothers, aren't we, or perhaps Brothelizing Brothers, or Bothersome Brothelizing Brothers? Just call us, BBB, for short!
_/|\_
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Cittasanto
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Cittasanto »

Aloka wrote:This is a spin-off from another thread about Ajahn Brahm, because it wasn't really relevant to that topic.

Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun ? I'd be interested in reading other peoples comments about this.

Thank you.
Yes. But the Dhamma-vinaya should be respected though
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Cittasanto
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Cittasanto »

Dan74 wrote:My intent was just to have fun, possibly of the silly kind (I was never too good as discerning the demarcation line). Even my kids sometimes tell me to stop being silly, so, I guess I am...

As for "brothelizing" (great word!), I think implying that people who disagree with you are "brothelizing the Dhamma", is possible less than charitable. After all we are Dhamma brothers, aren't we, or perhaps Brothelizing Brothers, or Bothersome Brothelizing Brothers? Just call us, BBB, for short!
Bad timing maybe? But its recent use does need born to mind.
I believe brothwlizing is also a reference to previous thread
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Dan74
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Dan74 »

Cittasanto wrote:
Dan74 wrote:My intent was just to have fun, possibly of the silly kind (I was never too good as discerning the demarcation line). Even my kids sometimes tell me to stop being silly, so, I guess I am...

As for "brothelizing" (great word!), I think implying that people who disagree with you are "brothelizing the Dhamma", is possible less than charitable. After all we are Dhamma brothers, aren't we, or perhaps Brothelizing Brothers, or Bothersome Brothelizing Brothers? Just call us, BBB, for short!
Bad timing maybe? But its recent use does need born to mind.
I believe brothwlizing is also a reference to previous thread
Bad timing is my speciality :embarassed:

That said, I do (maybe naively?) hope that we see past the petty differences of views and keep in mind what's truly important (I mean practice and mutual support as a Dhamma community).
_/|\_
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Prasadachitta
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Prasadachitta »

To answer the OP.

Yes.

Its possible for any well adjusted Human who is a practicing Buddhist or otherwise to have fun.

In addition...

Obviously fun has many forms which may be more or less wholesome. I would think that a practicing Buddhist would be engaging in a process of sifting through them by way of the four right efforts. Firstly by avoiding the ones that infringe on whatever precepts they are practicing. Then by common sense discernment. Then by further attention to what kind of mind results. We cant learn without watching ourselves blunder tumble get up blunder and tumble again. Some of this will be fun and some will not. A sense of humor is required in my opinion.

With Metta

Prasadachitta
"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332
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Aloka
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Aloka »

brothelizing the Dhamma

I'm not familiar with the expression "brothelizing". What does "brothelizing the Dhamma" actually mean ?


.
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Aloka
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Aloka »

tiltbillings wrote:There are tons of recordings by tons of different Dhamma teachers out there, among all of that I am sure you can find teachers who do use humor rather well. I am not talking about doing stand-up comic routines, but I am talking about seeing that life can be an occasion for lightness of spirit.

I mentioned in an earlier post about the teachings I've attended given by teachers from two different traditions in which humour was used successfully.

In general, I think that if as lay practitioners we can't ever let go of negativity in the present moment and be light hearted, laugh and enjoy the simple things in life, then its a very sad state of affairs.


.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Aloka,
Aloka wrote:What does "brothelizing the Dhamma" actually mean ?.
To drag the sacred Dhamma to the level of the profane.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"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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tiltbillings
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by tiltbillings »

Aloka wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:There are tons of recordings by tons of different Dhamma teachers out there, among all of that I am sure you can find teachers who do use humor rather well. I am not talking about doing stand-up comic routines, but I am talking about seeing that life can be an occasion for lightness of spirit.

I mentioned in an earlier post about the teachings I've attended given by teachers from two different traditions in which humour was used successfully.
Which is what I have seen with Tibetan, Zen, and Theravadin teachers, both Asian and Western.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Mr Man
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Mr Man »

Of course we can have fun. There was a post by Kare where he mentioned a pali party which tickled me http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 29#p235129. But although a sense of humour is (fairly) universal what tickles that sense of humour is not (or what is perceived as fun).
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Anagarika
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Re: Is it possible for practising Buddhists to have fun?

Post by Anagarika »

In my mind, the use of humor is somewhat dependent on the experience and quality of the teacher. Someone like Ajahn Brahm, a scientist, an ethicist, a strong Dhamma scholar, and a graduate of the Ajahn Chah "crunchy frog" school has a right to use humor in order to connect with his audience and attract and inspire lay people in the Dhamma. His jokes are corny at times, but he knows they're corny and he has a very pleasing self-effacing quality to his humorous presentations.

A poorly qualified teacher, or imposter, needs to be very careful with humor, as humor is not used as a teaching tool but as a reflection of their own inability and foolishness.

Humor can be a very effective tool, but like matches, in the wrong hands, can be harmful and cheapen the Dhamma.
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