What Would Buddha Do ?

[Curt1591]

For ages, Thailand has practiced a limited form of “social distancing”. Women have been forbidden to touch, or come in contact with monks. Most men will avoid sitting next to a monk, unless lack of seating dictates.

 

On most public transportation there are seats reserved, for elderly, pregnant women, disabled, and monks. These are usually next to the entrances.

 

The need for the first three is obvious. These are people with physical needs for the seat. For the monks, it facilitates avoidance. In the case of most buses, the left, front seat is usually designated for monks. It is convenient and solo. There may also be another designated for others in need, not necessarily solo.   

 

Well, …

 

An elderly Thai man, easily in his 80’s, stumbled onto our bus, packing with him a bunch of stuff. The driver stopped with the front door open for him to enter. He managed to make it onto the left, front “monk seat”, which is often used, by men or women, when no monks are present.

 

A ways down the route, a middle-aged monk boards the bus. He stands by the seat, staring at the old man. The old man gets up, fumbles with his belongings, stumbles directly across the isle, to another empty, solo seat, wrestles all his stuff, and finally manages to sit again.

 

Here’s the kicker:

 

Two short stops after he secured the sacred “monk seat”, the monk gets up and exits the bus!

 

Now, the question for any Buddhists who might follow ThaiVisa, …

 

WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?

Edited July 11, 2020 by Curt1591

[Pilotman]

I tend to think that Buddha would have nothing  to do with monks in this place. Too may of them are ex criminals, fraudsters, dissolute,  womanisers, drunks and hypocrites.  I certainly have no time for them. 

[jak2002003]

I guess he would be walking...not using transport. 

[Logosone]

Buddha would use transport, but he would probably tell the older man to stay seated.

[ThailandRyan]

He would defrock the majority of the fake monks along with all of those on the Sangha council who are into money grabbing and fraud.  Toss them out on there <deleted> and turn there rears into sows ear purses.

 

He would get rid of all the special accommodations this country gives to monks, and of course he would stand and defer to all others.

Edited July 11, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Puchaiyank]

The monk felt entitled to sit in his designated place on the bus...no thought was given to the other Thai...he most move to another seat to preserve order...and entitlement...

[khaowong1]

I believe first of all, the Buddha wouldn't be using transportation, he would be walking.  Since that is the topic of this post, I will stop here.  

Curt1591, lets carry on this post for a bit, OK?  Throw us some more examples. 

Edited July 11, 2020 by khaowong1

[Curt1591]

10 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

I believe first of all, the Buddha wouldn't be using transportation, he would be walking.

I once encountered a real monk, outside of Kanchanaburi. He was walking to a temple in Saphan Buri! Wouldn't accept a ride. Walking is, indeed, a form of meditation. 

 

10 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

Throw us some more examples. 

It wasn't my intention to flame the monk hood. But, this was a particularly distasteful, arrogant stunt. 

[1FinickyOne]

I am pretty sure they didn't have busses and monk seats back then.. 

 

but if they did, and it was Genghis Khan, I don't think the old man would have made it... 

[jak2002003]

21 hours ago, Logosone said:

Buddha would use transport, but he would probably tell the older man to stay seated.

I thought monks in the old days used to walk barefoot and not use transport or drive themselves? The idea to take time and meditate, plus not have luxury or be dependant on worldly things. 

[1FinickyOne]

5 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

in the old days used to walk barefoot and not use transport or drive themselves?

yeah, in the old days they hadn't invented VIP busses yet... you would have had to wait hundreds of years for the bus station to be up and running... 

[ravip]

There is no comparison between the Buddha & a human.

(today, many humans are worse than animals, IMHO)

[rabas]

In all honesty, Buddha would probably tell you to believe what your eyes see, but don't believe what your own mind is telling you about what is in other's minds. You do not know what either the old man or monk were thinking or why. Buddha was was quite focused on truth. We need him today.

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by rabas

[jak2002003]

4 hours ago, kenk24 said:

yeah, in the old days they hadn't invented VIP busses yet... you would have had to wait hundreds of years for the bus station to be up and running... 

But they must have had VIP oxen and carts...or a comfy place on a rowing boat. ????

[1FinickyOne]

37 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

But they must have had VIP oxen and carts...or a comfy place on a rowing boat. ????

No, I think it was pretty much 3rd class all the way... if they even had a good restaurant, you couldn't call for reservations for another couple of thousand years... 

[Curt1591]

6 hours ago, rabas said:

In all honesty, Buddha would probably tell you to believe what your eyes see, but don't believe what your own mind is telling you about what is in other's minds. You do not know what either the old man or monk were thinking or why. Buddha was was quite focused on truth. We need him today.

 

Yes; the old man was probably getting saddle sores from sitting in the same seat too long and decided to change seats to comfort his aching buttocks. 

[SVC Porter]

I've often wondered how the Gold, gifts, making merit alms given to the many and varied temples around the world fit in with Buddhist thought.

[Logosone]

7 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

I thought monks in the old days used to walk barefoot and not use transport or drive themselves? The idea to take time and meditate, plus not have luxury or be dependant on worldly things. 

Buddha would use transport. The Dalai Lama rides in cars and planes.

 

Neither Buddha nor the Dalai Lama are idiots. They would not walk to places where it is not possible to walk to. 

 

If they need to take transport of course they would.

[Curt1591]

27 minutes ago, SVC Porter said:

I've often wondered how the Gold, gifts, making merit alms given to the many and varied temples around the world fit in with Buddhist thought.

I believe Buddha left all that behind. 

[Logosone]

33 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

I believe Buddha left all that behind. 

No he didn't. 

 

Buddha was not an idiot. He realised he had to eat. So he went around asking for alms. 

 

He never left asking for alms behind. It's how he got his food.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Logosone

[Curt1591]

2 hours ago, SVC Porter said:

I've often wondered how the Gold, gifts, making merit alms given to the many and varied temples around the world fit in with Buddhist thought.

 

1 hour ago, Curt1591 said:

I believe Buddha left all that behind. 

 

1 hour ago, Logosone said:

No he didn't. 

 

Buddha was not an idiot. He realised he had to eat. So he went around asking for alms. 

 

He never left asking for alms behind. It's how he got his food.

In the context of SVC Porter's post, I believe we are talking "alms" in terms of money, gold and other such offerings. Many temples have become money making machines. For a small fee, some incense, a candle, and a lotus blossom, the temple will relieve one of all responsibility. 

Yes, Buddha relied on the charity of others for his daily sustenance. Buddha was born a prince. What he left behind was ceremony, the money, and other material possessions. 

 

2 hours ago, Logosone said:

Neither Buddha nor the Dalai Lama are idiots. They would not walk to places where it is not possible to walk to. 

Yes; it would be hard for the Dalai Lama to make it to the UN by foot. However, in the context of my original post, I often walk much further than the 2 bus stops that monk traveled. And, I would estimate that I am going on twice his age ... 

 

[jak2002003]

2 hours ago, Logosone said:

No he didn't. 

 

Buddha was not an idiot. He realised he had to eat. So he went around asking for alms. 

 

He never left asking for alms behind. It's how he got his food.

I did not thing Buddah asked for things off people. People offered food to him and the monks. They did not actually go around asking for handouts, and for sure they did not tell people to give them stuff to make good luck or merit for themselves. 

[Logosone]

1 hour ago, jak2002003 said:

I did not thing Buddah asked for things off people. People offered food to him and the monks. They did not actually go around asking for handouts, and for sure they did not tell people to give them stuff to make good luck or merit for themselves. 

At the age of 29 he left home to take up the life of a religious mendicant. You better believe he asked for food.

 

This indeed was the practice of Brahmin mendicants long before Buddha. He merely followed what was considered a form of asceticism.

 

Of course it fitted perfectly into his philosophy of killing desires. Buddha even set rules for alms, saying that monks could not ask for the food they preferred. They had to eat what the ordinary people ate. Which was also meat.

 

So Buddha and his earliest followers were meat eaters. When his cousin tried to turn them into vegetarians Buddha refused.

[Logosone]

2 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

 

 

In the context of SVC Porter's post, I believe we are talking "alms" in terms of money, gold and other such offerings. Many temples have become money making machines. For a small fee, some incense, a candle, and a lotus blossom, the temple will relieve one of all responsibility. 

Yes, Buddha relied on the charity of others for his daily sustenance. Buddha was born a prince. What he left behind was ceremony, the money, and other material possessions. 

 

Yes; it would be hard for the Dalai Lama to make it to the UN by foot. However, in the context of my original post, I often walk much further than the 2 bus stops that monk traveled. And, I would estimate that I am going on twice his age ... 

 

No, I don't think so. In any context it is clear that Buddha would not ask for money or gold. Asking for alms must have referred to food. 

 

Buddha did ask for food. So did his followers.

 

It's great that you walk, and indeed that's what Buddha would do if possible. However, if alive today Buddha would use transportation where necessary. So does the Dalai Lama.

 

 

[khaowong1]

14 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

I once encountered a real monk, outside of Kanchanaburi. He was walking to a temple in Saphan Buri! Wouldn't accept a ride. Walking is, indeed, a form of meditation. 

 

It wasn't my intention to flame the monk hood. But, this was a particularly distasteful, arrogant stunt. 

Yes, I met many monks who wouldn't accept a ride.  Indeed, walking is a good form of meditation.  There are many things to see and meditate on when your in for a long walk.  Plus, it's good exercise. The Buddha would approve.  

[Curt1591]

7 hours ago, Logosone said:

No, I don't think so. In any context it is clear that Buddha would not ask for money or gold. Asking for alms must have referred to food. 

 

Buddha did ask for food. So did his followers.

 

It's great that you walk, and indeed that's what Buddha would do if possible. However, if alive today Buddha would use transportation where necessary. So does the Dalai Lama.

 

I think you think too much. Let me explain very slowly ........... 

Yes; in any context, "B-u-d-d-h-a" would not ask for gold, money or any other things that were not necessary.

 

However, SVC Porter wasn't speaking of Buddha; he was addressing the machines that so many Thai temples have become. (see below) 

As far as necessary transportation, we're not talking a pilgrimage. In my example, we're talking maybe 500~700 meters, tops. In fact, with traffic, the monk may have been able to reach his destination just as quickly by foot, especially if he had to backtrack to his final destination, whether that be a temple, or an IT shop to get a new cover for his smartphone.  

 

[Curt1591]

BTW

 

Here's Wat Paknam's 7 level parking structure to accommodate all the merry merit makers.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Curt1591

[khaowong1]

16 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

I think you think too much. Let me explain very slowly ........... 

Yes; in any context, "B-u-d-d-h-a" would not ask for gold, money or any other things that were not necessary.

 

However, SVC Porter wasn't speaking of Buddha; he was addressing the machines that so many Thai temples have become. (see below) 

As far as necessary transportation, we're not talking a pilgrimage. In my example, we're talking maybe 500~700 meters, tops. In fact, with traffic, the monk may have been able to reach his destination just as quickly by foot, especially if he had to backtrack to his final destination, whether that be a temple, or an IT shop to get a new cover for his smartphone.  

 

Wow.  That's one hell of a statue.  Not sure where it's at.  Now all they need is tourists to see it.  It's going to be a big money maker.  

[Curt1591]

8 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

Wow.  That's one hell of a statue.  Not sure where it's at.  Now all they need is tourists to see it.  It's going to be a big money maker.  

My follow up post illustrates how much of a money maker Wat Paknam already is. 

[bodga]

On 7/11/2020 at 10:37 AM, Curt1591 said:

WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?

Which Buddha? as there  were  many and its  most  likely an amalgamation of many  Buddhas, doubt there is  one Buddha, Its a bit  like the rebirth of  Christ, many similar stories from that period, all nonsense.