tycann

Hmm... I don't know what kind of responses you'll get from abbots when telling them you wish to ordain for such a short period. Most farang monks enter the order for much longer. It has become commonplace for Thais to ordain for such a short period, in the aim of generating merit for their parents, but as this is not a cultural value of farangs, some may see your desire to ordain as a tourist thing, and not worth the effort of him having to perform the ordination ceremony. Have you considered not ordaining but going on a meditation retreat at a forest monestary instead? There you would follow the same routine as monks, and have the full 'monkish' experience, just without the orange robe. There are tons of places you can go for a short retreat (see the pinned topic regarding retreat centers in this subforum). I highly doubt you would learn more ordaining for 3-7 days than you would going on a serious retreat. But, if you are intent on wearing the robe, you could inquire at major BKK temples, such as Wat Mahathat, wherein many monks speak English. You could drop by section 5, the meditation-for-farangs section, and inform them that you would like to ordain. They'll probably tell you the same thing I have though.

I'm in Bangkok and loading has been extremely slow for me lately.

I think that the "Troll" remark was not aimed at your waking time but rather the fact that the anthem is played at 8 am, not 6.

Edit: woops, to late, you already realized that Jet Gorgon

You may want to check out Wat Mahathat, I think you can stay in Section 5 (where they offer meditation instruction in English) for pretty much as long as you want. My buddy knows one of the teachers very well, and could possibly help you get the ball rolling. This is the same temple I recommended you to check out in the other thread regarding monk chat. But I thought you were all the way down in Koh Phangan?

I didn't find a font that looks like the Pali I have seen on ruins and monuments around Thailand, or am I confusing that with Mon, Sanskrit, or some other language? You can tell I'm not a Pali expert.

I have Fontmaker and can make a Pali script font, if one does not exist, if someone can point me at suitable photos of the script.

Until fairly recently, Pali was written in Khom script in Thailand. Only with one of the Rama kings (I forget which one) was the first Tipitaka in Thai script produced. Pali doesn't actually have it's own alphabet, and throughout history it's been written in various local scripts. Hence a lot of Pali translators have to be able to read a number of different scripts. For example, my mentor is currently working on a group of Indo-Burmese non-canonical Pali texts (although that is paradoxical, I know, as Pali refers to Canonical and Commentarial material only, and the language is actually called Magadhi), for which he's had to work with those skilled in reading ancient Mon scripts.

Anyway, the point is you don't need to make a Pali script font, as there really is no Pali script. But you can download Pali fonts, using the Roman alphabet along with the appropriate diacritics. Some such fonts are available for download at http://www.buddhanet.net/ftp_pali2.htm. Also, you may wish to download the Alt-Latin keyboard or IndiUni keyboard, which allows for easy input of the diacritics using hotkeys. Saves a ton of time.

By the way if you are really interested in completing this project, it may behoove you to get in touch with the Pali Text Society, or the Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation or some other Pali foundation out there. They may be interested, and who knows, you may even get a grant!

See the pinned topic in this sub-forum entitled "Goto first unreadPinned: A Guide To Buddhist Monasteries/meditation Centres/study Groups"

For some reason, I've found that a lot of people, including people who've been here a long time and/or been to Myanmar pronounce it Miramar, like the military base in CA.

My friend is from Myanmar and I can't pronounce it the same way she does... with 'Myan' as one seamless syllable. I can't help but add a hint of a second syllable there.

To the OP, I can somewhat sympathize with your friend, if we expand his statements to long term stays in different countries. I've lived (not travelled) in 5 different countries and you do eventually get caught in a pretty similar pattern no matter where it is. The scenery may be different, but on an average day you wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, relax a bit, repeat... no matter where you are living. You've gotta commute, cook, do laundry, go grocery shopping, etc. everywhere. Daily life is not so drastically different anywhere.

No, just riddled with every form of clinging and addiction known to man. In Buddhist mythology, petas (oft translated as 'hungry ghosts') are reborn with insatiable desires due to negative previous kamma.

I'm trying to brainstorm ways to con the con-artist. Nothing so far, but how sweet would it be to turn the tables? It may be immoral, but I'd donate the proceeds to charity or something. Any good ideas? I'd actually do it.

I don't know but it must have been something very, very bad.

When you no longer rule out kathoeys as potential sexual partners.

Or is that just me?... Oh, crap.

Oops. Hope you didn't post your real name anywhere on TV...

...Oh, crap.

When you no longer rule out kathoeys as potential sexual partners.

Or is that just me?... Oh, crap.

Hah. Yeah its always funny when I'm talking to one of my monk buddies, and a pretty girl walks by and I catch them staring at her ass. A lot goes on behind closed temple doors here too. One prominent BKK Wat has a particular reputation for being a hotbed of homosexual behaviour.

I saw the same thing in Phitsanulok last week. It was odd because the sign was in English, though I don't think any of the monks spoke English.

SBK, if you wanna talk to a long-term monk, and are in BKK, just stop by Wat Mahathat and sit in the courtyard near the library. It's almost certain that a monk will stop to chat. I can't even sit there and eat my sticky rice without getting approached by a number of them. If you're lucky Phra Mahakraiwi will be around (if not, he's probably in the MCU bookstore in the temple). He loves speaking English and is just about the nicest guy you could ever meet. I always see him giving free tours around the area to farang tourists. If that fails just head into the Grad School (next to the library) and sit around on the third floor. Tons of chatty monks there. If you see me (I'm the white guy) I'll be happy to introduce you around.

Edit: Woops, sbk just saw that you are in Koh Phangan.

I found an interesting article by Venerable Dr Mettanando Bhikkhu about how the Buddha died. It's on Buddha Sasana. Mettanando was a physician before he ordained.

Good read. I agree with the doctor that food poisoning was not the cause of death... this is a common misconception repeated time and time again in books on Buddhism. One must recall that the Buddha contracted his terminal stomach illness (whatever that was) several months before his last meal, as he told Aananda upon fortelling his own death. It was only through iddhi powers that the Buddha suppressed his dysentary (or whatever) until he could convert the last enlightenment-conducive guy around (his name escapes me).

Most people cite the fact that the Buddha stipulated that no one else should share in his last meal as evidence that it was poisoned/rancid. This is an error, for it is said elsewhere that the remains of any food consumed by the Buddha is unfit for human consumption, as it would burn one's throat. We see this idea emerging as a symptom of the parallels between GB and Agni.

Hey,

Camerata, I agree with you that there are many great books and Pali translators out there (Bhikkhu Bodhi included), but there are also a bunch of bloody awful ones. The point is, jts-khorat, one has to be very careful with who they are reading. I can't recall his name off the top of my head, but one of the PTS translators was a theosophist, i.e. a total nutter, and one may reasonably expect that a few of his crackpot views made it into the PTS translations. Additionally, while IB Horner was an extraordinary scholar and a heroic woman, her strong role in the suffragette movement can be seen in her over-estimating the Buddha's social egalitarianism (and the same might be said for CAF Rhys-Davids).

Speaking for myself, I've found that learning Pali critically, meaning doing more than simply accepting the narrow definition granted in the PTS dictionary, has simply launched my study of Buddhism to an entirely new level. You will be blown away by how misrepresented Buddhism has been in some Western sources.

By the way Grover, Warder's is fantastic but a ###### tough one for a beginner! I would have certainly struggled very hard with it had I not had significant knowledge of the language beforehand. Jts-khorat, you might wanna check out the Pali Primer online at http://www.vri.dhamma.org/publications/pali/primer/

Also, if you want to work step by step on various textbooks with an online community, you can visit tipitaka.net.

So anything big goin' on in Hua Hin on New Year's? Parties etc? What will you all be doing that night?

Erm, life sucks and then you die. And then get reborn and have to do it all over again. And again.

Rikpa, I think that is the single finest exposition of the Truth of dukkha that I have ever heard. No kidding.

I'm sorry to rant, but I'm at my wit's end with what Dhammakaya is doing to Buddhism in Thailand. I beg you that if you are now, or considering partaking in this cult, to stop and give yourself a good slap in the face. Dhammakaya is essentially Scientology, but it's actually managed to disguise itself as part and parcel of a legitimate religious tradition. Apparently, even the leading candidate to become the next Sangharaja is in their back pocket.

I've taken steps today to piss a lot of people off in a formal letter I've written on this subject , and might find myself alienated from some of my peers, but I just can' t stand the Buddhadhamma becoming a sales pitch. Arch-capitalist furor has already razed most of what is pure in this world, and while orthodox Buddhism in Thailand is no exception to this, I just can't see the blatant disrespect of the Dhammakaya CEOs and nutcases totally destroy the Dhamma in this land.

The Bangles

I agree with Ollie. I have no personal interest in prostitutes, but it's pretty naive to think that prostitution will disappear from Hua Hin just because a couple of bars are closed. Restoring a 'pristine' nature requires more than just shoving things behind closed doors. Say what you will about sex for sale, it is nonetheless part of the fabric of this culture. The majority of 'professional' sex occuring from Thailand is being initiated by Thai men, not foreigners.

As to the rumours that 'the police are trying to shut down the prostitution racket'... well... if I translate it into Thai and then back into English... it seems to come out as 'the cops are looking for bigger handouts.'

Is the Thammayut sect founded by Mongkut still active? If so, what is their focus today?

Yup, still goin' strong. I don't know what you mean by 'their focus', but it's still a somewhat stricter order than the Mahaanikaaya. The Dhammayut do seem to produce a larger proportion scholars. Their HQ is at Wat Bowoniwet, right near Khao San Rd. It houses Mahamakut University, whose bookstore is the best in town.

I agree with Chownah's post, and strongly so. I think he points out an extremely common misconception-- that of 'anatta' meaning 'no self.' It does not-- it is most certainly an adjective, and thus refers to 'not-self' rather than 'no-self,' just as anicca translates into 'impermanent', rather than 'impermanence.' I do not wish to get into a philisophical debate over this issue-- I am making a purely linguistic point, and one can take the implications thereof as he or she likes. I just find it unfortunate that so many mediocre books on Buddhism blab on about 'no-self,' as this mis-translation obviously has widespread implications. Example-- early German Buddhists assert 'no-self,' which inspires Schopenhaur's dire pessimism, which in turn begets Nietzsche's nihilistic leanings, who's Will to Power inspires Hitler....

Monks attain 'rank' in the same way as in any other bureaucratic institution. Of course, credentials have something to do with it-- you won't get too far without Pali IX. However politics bear a large role in the whole affair, as does patronage. There is a reason that there are two full professors at the nation's top ecclesiastical institution that come from the same backwater village as the rector of said university.

Where is she? Does she speak English? I will be there in January and want to meet the best English speaking teachers I can find.

I don't know about her specifically, but if you are looking for English speaking teachers on all manner of Buddhist subjects, visit the International Program at MCU in Wat Mahahtat, Bangkok. You will be welcome to drop in on any of the academic classes, though some may be of higher quality than others.