Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Heron TSG]

Religion is like an erection. You have every right to have one, but don't go waving it around in public, and for the love of all that is sacred don't try to shove it down my children's throats.

Sir, you have been sig'd.

[silverskull39]

Ack! We seem to have gotten a little off topic.
My apologies, KaelGotDwarves.

What does the typical layperson come to you for?

I wish I could lead a simple life like yours, but alas, I am cut from a different sort of cloth. I'd have too much trouble giving up everything. Also, I am very attached to my hair XD ... and other material things. Perhaps I'm not enlightened enough for such a life.

@ Taco Dan
We'll make it a forum religion! If you want to join, just put this in your sig!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Proud member of the Holy Church of the Cynics!

[KaelGotDwarves]

Kael, Are there things that you're not allowed to eat while you're there?

Light breakfast, no eating after lunch at noon. Water is allowed anytime.

I can only eat what is offered to me, and I am disallowed from taking meat if that animal was killed with the intent of offering to me or any other monk.

So I am allowed to eat meat if it is already sitting on the freezer shelf when a layperson decides to offer it; the Buddha never mandated that the monks be vegetarians because humans are, as he saw, omnivores. However, if your metabolism can handle it, personal vegetarianism/veganism out of compassion for other animals is encouraged as long as you don't shove it down anyone's throats.

[silverskull39]

Vegetarianism/veganism is something I can't understand. In an ideal world, sure, lets all be happy buddies with the rabbits and the cows and the ducks and what have you, but as things are there is so much meat that goes to waste. To me, that's like an insult to the animal that produced it. It's like killing a guy because you wanted his land and then, once he's dead, deciding, "Hmm... This is some really shitty land. I don't want it anymore." and then leaving, essentially making his death in vain. That's why I choose to eat meat with love. It's  a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it! I even eat crappy fast food meat with love. Cancer cows need love too!

[KaelGotDwarves]

Ack! We seem to have gotten a little off topic.
My apologies, KaelGotDwarves.

No apologies needed. I used to walk around with a lantern during the day as well.

What does the typical layperson come to you for?

They are unhappy.

That is the simple answer. The complex answer is that they wish to learn more about meditation, Buddhism, the Buddha, his teachings, want to undergo some sort of ceremony, receive a blessing. It's hard for me to mention any semblance of typical because everyone is different. We've have the Thais who gather as a community center, the large number of Christians who want to learn about meditation but are uneasy in a Buddhist temple, the younger crowd and hippies who want a spiritual adventure, hipster atheists/agnostics checking the place out just because, the homosexuals who just want a place where they are not judged, the Hindus who want to discuss reincarnation, young parents with young children who want to steer them right, those who are preparing for death, their next adventure - this particular temple in the San Francisco bay is a kaleidoscope.

I wish I could lead a simple life like yours, but alas, I am cut from a different sort of cloth. I'd have too much trouble giving up everything. Also, I am very attached to my hair XD ... and other material things. Perhaps I'm not enlightened enough for such a life.

The essence of it is that you don't need to drop and give up everything this life. I surely won't achieve enlightenment this lifetime and I'm planning on exiting the monkhood within a few months. What's important is learning and cultivating with yourself the aspects of concentration, mindfulness, and being a good person - this will bring you to a greater understanding, which brings you to love and happiness and overcoming your current stress, suffering, and obstacles without causing others harm in this moment, this lifetime.

That's what's important, that's what you can do now.

[silverskull39]

The essence of it is that you don't need to drop and give up everything this life. I surely won't achieve enlightenment this lifetime and I'm planning on exiting the monkhood within a few months. What's important is learning and cultivating with yourself the aspects of concentration, mindfulness, and being a good person - this will bring you to a greater understanding, which brings you to love and happiness and overcoming your current stress, suffering, and obstacles without causing others harm in this moment, this lifetime.

That's what's important, that's what you can do now.

That's not quite what I meant. I meant living day to day without worries or concerns about the future (for the most part) With a simple, peaceful schedule, hopefully helping others in the process. It would be nice if I were able to devote myself to a life like that, but I lack the means to obtain the life and I lack the resolve to live it. I have a bad habit of idolizing things I know are impossible for me. Well, I suppose that's true for a lot of people.

[KaelGotDwarves]

Well, you could become a monk.

I jest. Often, we believe that we can't live "day to day without worries or concerns about the future (for the most part) With a simple, peaceful schedule, hopefully helping others in the process" but really, you can. It takes adjustments to our lifestyle and certain sacrifices, and an awareness that the society and culture we live in isn't always conducive to our long-term happiness and wellbeing.

It would be nice if I were able to devote myself to a life like that, but I lack the means to obtain the life and I lack the resolve to live it.

The main obstacle stopping yourself then in this scenario from living your life the way you want to is yourself - and it's good that you have already acknowledged that it's your resolve that is a problem. Most people can't even admit that they have to look inside rather than outside for their fix.

It's not a quick fix, but should you develop the resolve sometime, I will send you well wishes that you are able to acquire the means to live the simple, peaceful way you want.

[ein]

I'd totally be a monk were I not so attached to my hair [no pun intended].

[piecewise]

Did you at least learn how to woop ass with a quarter staff and your bare hands? Thats the only reason I can think of to be a monk.

[Cheeetar]

How much of what you teach people who come to you is practical, and how much is spiritual/philosophical/what have you?

[Siquo]

If you know you're about to leave monkhood in a few months, aren't you thinking of your life-after-monkhood already right now? If you do, do you have to stop yourself from doing it?

The whole mindfulness and "living in the now" thing doesn't come easy, when there's so much past and future to think (read: worry) about (in my personal experience).

[SHAD0Wdump]

Spoiler: Bonus temple cat. (click to show/hide)

Holy crap... That cat looks almost exactly like mine! 0.O

At least from that angle.

[Rose]

not so much a question, more a comment.

your robes, they are better than mine.

also I respect you for being able to make a commitment that I am not able to do. (though I would have been a Hindu monk. similar, but different).

[Armok]

I asked some questions in a PM. Getting some answers(, BY PM), would be nice.

[Cthulhu]

Another semi related quote that is humerous; "Religion is like an erection. You have every right to have one, but don't go waving it around in public, and for the love of all that is sacred don't try to shove it down my children's throats."

Keep in mind this goes the other way too.  A lot of people, especially on the internet, will tell others not to shove religion down their throats, while simultaneously and with no sense of irony shoving their lack of religion down the throat of the person they're talking to.