Why is it so difficult to reach Nibbana?

[fabianfred]

First we have to have the good karma to be born Human, in order to get the chance to meet the teachings of a Buddha. Beings in the four lower realms are in too much suffering to have the chance. Beings in the higher realms such as the heaven realms are having too much pleasure to take an interest in how to avoid suffering, and those few beings which are there during the lifetime of a Buddha, although they do get the chance to hear his teachings can easily forget after that fleeting speck of time compared to their very long lifetimes in those realms.

Once the Buddha picked up some dust on his fingernail and asked his companions... ' which is the greater this small amount of dust...or the whole Earth?' and his companions said..incomparable is this tiny amount of dust to the whole Earth.. so the Buddha said 'equally is it hard to be born into the human realm....this dust compares to the number of beings existing in the human realm, whilst the whole Earth compares to the number of beings born on the four lower realms of woe.'

Second we have to born during an aeon when there is a Buddha. Many thousands of aeons go by with no Buddhas. Some have a single one and some have two, three, four or five Buddhas. We are in just such an extremely rare aeon now which has five Buddhas (the maximum in any one aeon.)

Compared to the length of an aeon, even the time when five Buddhas are alive and their teachings are still able to be heard, that is an extremely small period.

How long is an aeon? The Buddha when asked said ' Imagine a pit, 10 miles wide, 10 miles long, 10 miles deep.... once every 100 years a sesame seed is thrown into it....when the pit is full... and aeon is not yet complete. Scientifically, an aeon can be compared to the length of time from one Big-Bang to the next. When asked how many such aeons had gone past... he replied 'take the river Ganges, from its source to where it enters the sea.... how many grains of sand lie between? more than this are the number of aeons gone past.

This because Buddhism sees the past as infinite, the future as infinite, no beginning, no end, so we have always existed in one form or another in the 31 realms we call Samsara.

We are now human and in a time when the last Buddha's teachings are still available and have not yet died out.... but there are many people on Earth who do not get the chance to hear of the Buddha's teachings. They are in a Country where Buddhism is not taught, or is suppressed because of another religion or communism.

Once we meet the teachings of a Buddha we must have enough good karma, or past perfections, to enable us to be interested to listen and study it. There are thousands of tourists who visit Thailand every year, wondering at the beautiful temples and orange robed monks, but only a tiny percent are interested enough to consider Buddhism as an option and study its teachings.

Even once we consider ourselves to be a follower of the Buddha, to be Buddhist, to have faith in the truth of the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, we still need to put it into practice and actually do the work the Buddha laid out as necessary to reach the goal of Nibbana. Many Thais consider themselves good Buddhists, they go to temples and give alms in the mornings, but never bother with meditation, and often do not bother too seriously about keeping the five precepts.

Yesterday i spent the day at a Taang village near my home. They had a triple wedding ceremony and asked me to do the photography and video.I have known them for a couple of years. Refugees from Burma they are probably as devout or even more so in their Buddhism than the average Thais are.

After the monks and newly ordained novices came to the village on alms-round they entered the village headman's house where the ceremonies were to take place. They chanted blessings and were given a meal. Like all such proceedings they started by giving the people the five precepts.

Later on in the day and evening there was much drinking and merriment. They are good people, very kind and generous, nobody was fighting drunk or causing trouble...the kids were dancing to the music.

But what of the fifth precept, taken that morning, and broken later in the same day? People generally just pay lip service to the precepts, as long as they do not disturb their lives too much. If their lives are not too much suffering, they are content and hope only for a better rebirth.

It is very difficult to meet someone who takes the teachings seriously enough to make sacrifices in their lives...to avoid having a good time by giving up things which are detrimental to ones practice... to make the effort to spend time meditating.

[soundman]

Off topic post and replies removed from view. Please try to post sensibly.

[IMA_FARANG]

[IMA_FARANG]

fabianfred:

Knowing you were once a monk, and recognising I am of a different tradition, I can only repectfully say that in my humble opinion ......

in order to reach such a state the practioiner must first pass what is called "The Gate of Self".

The gate of self.... the Ego mind ..... keeps many honest practitioners from attaining that level.

It is very difficult to pass that "gate of Self.... but in my opinion it is a required step to continue on the path of Undestanding.

But that is just my opinion.

[fabianfred]

The five basic precepts, being a foundation and stepping stone for all further practice, must be kept as fully as possible to get anywhere.

[rockyysdt]

Hi Fred.

That's one view.

Isn't re birth to countless lives in one of several realms irrelevant to us?

We are here today. We can choose to learn and practice.

In fact, attachment to such views may hinder ones progress.

Better to keep an open mind to all possibilities but be attached to none.

It can be suggested that the state of Awakening is difficult to achieve (reaching implies a place) due to our deep attachment to ego.

The powerful forces of our conditioning impede our ability to correctly and diligently practice the eight fold path.

Not only do we face deeply entrenched habits and beliefs, even if we overcome these and diligently practice, our ego then must navigate attachment to rapturous states which reveal themselves along the way.

Some attach to these thinking they have arrived.

Add to this a limited life span, with a golden physical period after which we decay and gradually lose our faculties and abilities.

Edited April 9, 2014 by rockyysdt

[fabianfred]

Hi Fred.

That's one view.

Isn't re birth to countless lives in one of several realms irrelevant to us?

We are here today. We can choose to learn and practice.

In fact, attachment to such views may hinder ones progress.

Better to keep an open mind to all possibilities but be attached to none.

I can only have one view...Fred's view...I cannot have any other.

I don't believe rebirth in infinite past lives is irrelevant.

It does show us how long we have been going around in circles because we have been ignorant of the truth. Now we have met the truth we should grab the rare chance and make the most of it.

You imply I am attached to such views...because you do not share my views. i could say you are equally attached to the moment to moment rebirth view that you adhere to.

I explain my views to give readers the chance to perhaps meet and consider a view they hadn't met before...not to push it down their throats or try to force it upon them.

Naturally I believe my own views, I would not try and teach what i don't believe. You are free to do the same...but no reason to feel threatened by differing views to your own....unless you are uncertain yourself about them.

[trd]

Hi Fred.

That's one view.

Isn't re birth to countless lives in one of several realms irrelevant to us?

We are here today. We can choose to learn and practice.

In fact, attachment to such views may hinder ones progress.

Better to keep an open mind to all possibilities but be attached to none.

I can only have one view...Fred's view...I cannot have any other.

I don't believe rebirth in infinite past lives is irrelevant.

It does show us how long we have been going around in circles because we have been ignorant of the truth. Now we have met the truth we should grab the rare chance and make the most of it.

You imply I am attached to such views...because you do not share my views. i could say you are equally attached to the moment to moment rebirth view that you adhere to.

I explain my views to give readers the chance to perhaps meet and consider a view they hadn't met before...not to push it down their throats or try to force it upon them.

Naturally I believe my own views, I would not try and teach what i don't believe. You are free to do the same...but no reason to feel threatened by differing views to your own....unless you are uncertain yourself about them.

"Fred's view" is just that. Simply a view and like any other thought created by the mind, needs to be regarded as part of the illusion and impermanence of the relative world. It doesn't show you how long you have been going around in circles. Do you have empirical evidence for this? No. It is just an idea in your mind. Even if it did, how would it matter? To dwell on past lives is to put your attention on that which is not now, which is all there is. Buddha continually warned against speculating upon that which was outside your immediate experience and often remained silent when such questions were asked.

[fabianfred]

Typically when people are confronted with an idea that they find hard to believe or challenges their own belief they cry' where is the evidence'.

As we know evidence does not exist for spiritual beliefs....you have to walk the path yourself to get to where you find and know the truth. Usually those who cry for evidence before starting upon a path themselves are just to lazy to do the walking.

As a follower of the Buddha I have great confidence in his teachings...if I didn't I wouldn't be a follower of his. He taught time and time again about past lives, other realms etc. so why should I doubt him.

I do not dwell upon past lives, but they put my present existence in a framework where I can appreciate how long in the past I was blindly ignorant and how extremely lucky I am now to have been born when and where I can meet his teachings and learn the truth.

[trd]

Repost

Edited April 10, 2014 by trd

[trd]

I challenged you for empirical evidence not to affirm my own beliefs but to point out that as long as you remain in the field of belief there will be no end to it. Spiritual truth is self evident. You have always had the opportunity to learn the truth even before the body of Buddha was made manifest. There is no time or space. You were never born.

[trd]

You can talk about truth on the relative or the absolute levels. Physicists will tell you that light is both a wave and a particle, but they cannot be both at the same time. Yet it is still light. Water can exist as liquid, ice and steam, but it is fundamentally the same material.

The human body in relative existence is born and dies, but on the absolute level of liberation, there is no beginning, end or cause. There is just the eternally present moment which is beyond belief of any kind.

[fabianfred]

If you want to start your own thread about quantum physics then do so...just keep it out of mine.

As you say spiritual truth is self evident....but only to the one doing the practice and achieving the insights...it cannot be proven to another...they have to do the work themselves.

[trd]

If responses to what you have to say depend on your approval, then start a thread in which you are the sole poster.

[VincentRJ]

As far as I understand, before you reach Nibbana you have to overcome the 10 Hindrances, as follows:

1. The belief in a permanent personality, ego (Pali: sakkāya-diṭṭhi)

2. Doubt, extreme skepticism (vicikicchā)

3. Attachment to rites, rituals, and ceremonies (sīlabbata-parāmāso)

4. Attachment to sense desires (kāmacchando)

5. Ill-will, anger (vyāpādo or byāpādo)

6. Craving for existence in the Form world [heavenly realms] (rūparāgo)

7. Craving for existence in the Formless world [heavenly realms] (arūparāgo)

8. Conceit (māna)

9. Restlessness (uddhacca)

10. Ignorance (avijjā)

(from Anguttara Nikaya 10.13)

It is also claimed that a person who has eradicated the first three hindrances will be reborn no more than seven times. Such a person is called a 'stream entrant'.

Now you'll notice that the third hindrance is 'attachment to rites, rituals and ceremonies'. It has occurred to me that this is the main activity of Buddhist monks, in their temples, is it not? Don't they engage in ritualistic chanting and frequent ceremonies, not to mention their regular, early morning walks with their alms bowls. Do we therefore assume that Buddhist monks, who are attached to their rites and rituals cannot even reach the stage of a stream entrant?

Perhaps someone can shed more light on this.

[fabianfred]

Vincent...

Attachment to Rites and Rituals means..... thinking a ceremony or ritual must be done in a certain way....or chanted in a certain way for it to be effective. Another example is thinking that wearing amulets will protect you, when you cannot even keep the five precepts. Intention is what counts rather than how we do things.

Monks chanting are not really a ritual in this sense. Alms-round is also not a ritual but a way of giving people to opportunity to make merit, dispel a little of their selfishness and give them a nice start to the day by giving...and at the same time it gives the monks something to eat and also helps others by giving the excess to them too.

Thai people like to have four monks chant at a funeral, therefore only four monks at a house-warming or other occasion is looked upon as unlucky...this is attachment to rituals.

As a monk i often attended ceremonies and rituals...it was one of the duties I was called upon to go to, but that doesn't mean that I agreed with them or was attached to them...just not rocking the boat by pointing out the truth.

Edited April 13, 2014 by fabianfred

[Ragz]

Difficulties in reaching the destination are usually due to not following the roadmap; which in this context is the EightFold Path. Although the EightFold path is not exactly sequential, many consider Prajna (wisdom) to be the foundation of Sila (moral conduct) and Samadhi (meditation practice). Most practitioners give undue focus to Samadhi, particularly in the west. Some approach Sila with unbalanced rigidity.

Prajna is the trickiest practice in a lot of ways, and seems like it often requires a fully realized teacher for guidance. It is easy to get lost in rigid practices of Sila and Samadhi just like the Buddha did when he was up still in the mountains.

[VincentRJ]

Fabianfred,

Thanks for your response. The reason this 3rd Hindrance caught my attention is because all religions seem to consist of lots of rites, rituals and ceremonies, but perhaps only Buddhism warns its adherents against getting attached to such rituals.

I would say that anything that is done habitually is a ritual, including going to work each day to carry out one's regular job, cleaning the house, or taking a shower.

The fact that there might be a practical reason to perform such activity does not make it less of a ritual, and of course, there's nothing necessarily wrong with any ritual in itself. The Hindrance is the emotional attachment to the ritual, and I guess in order to determine if one has an emotional attachment to any particular ritual, one could stop performing the ritual to see how one feels.

For example, I've come across people who have returned early from their long-service-leave to go back to work, because they miss their workplace. And, it's quite common for people to miss their jobs after retirement. I would describe such people as having an emotional attachment to their job.

Likewise, if a monk has gone out every morning with his alms bowl for 10 years, then one day the Abbot instructs the monk to cease doing it (for whatever reason), and if the monk were to miss that routine and feel unhappy, and at a loss, then we could say that the monk had had an attachment to that particular ritual. Right?

[rockyysdt]

Fabianfred,

Thanks for your response. The reason this 3rd Hindrance caught my attention is because all religions seem to consist of lots of rites, rituals and ceremonies, but perhaps only Buddhism warns its adherents against getting attached to such rituals.

I would say that anything that is done habitually is a ritual, including going to work each day to carry out one's regular job, cleaning the house, or taking a shower.

The fact that there might be a practical reason to perform such activity does not make it less of a ritual, and of course, there's nothing necessarily wrong with any ritual in itself. The Hindrance is the emotional attachment to the ritual, and I guess in order to determine if one has an emotional attachment to any particular ritual, one could stop performing the ritual to see how one feels.

For example, I've come across people who have returned early from their long-service-leave to go back to work, because they miss their workplace. And, it's quite common for people to miss their jobs after retirement. I would describe such people as having an emotional attachment to their job.

Likewise, if a monk has gone out every morning with his alms bowl for 10 years, then one day the Abbot instructs the monk to cease doing it (for whatever reason), and if the monk were to miss that routine and feel unhappy, and at a loss, then we could say that the monk had had an attachment to that particular ritual. Right?

Hi V.

I guess it's a fine line that must be walked.

In terms of Alms rounds we need to look at what the Buddha had intended.

He realized that practicing the eightfold path with the aim of Awakening was an extremely difficult task for anyone, let alone those who also had to work long hours in order to sustain themselves.

The order of Bikkhus was created in order to provide an environment in which those ordained could devote their time to practice.

The community would support their needs which includes such things as the offer of food during Alms rounds.

So I it may appear as a ritual, but is simply a task a Bikkhu performs in order to sustain himself.

Food itself can feed the ego via attachment to greed.

Accepting and eating ones food before midday takes care of the requirement to sustain the body, allowing the practitioner to then get on with their practice.

[VincentRJ]

Rockyystd,

In connection with your following comment: "So I it may appear as a ritual, but is simply a task a Bikkhu performs in order to sustain himself."

I question this. Sometimes the alms bowl is described as a begging bowl, which I think is unfair and not strictly correct.

As I understand, the monk is providing a social service by offering members of the community the opportunity to gain merit by giving. Even according to the Christian tradition, It is more blessed to give than to receive. This would be one instance where Christianity and Buddhism are in agreement.

If the monk feels, during his early-morning rounds, that he is providing a service, in exchange for necessary food, then I can imagine that that could become a meaningful and emotional ritual which the monk might get attached to.

I'm just speculating here. I've never discussed the issue with an English-speaking monk.

[rockyysdt]

Rockyystd,

In connection with your following comment: "So I it may appear as a ritual, but is simply a task a Bikkhu performs in order to sustain himself."

I question this. Sometimes the alms bowl is described as a begging bowl, which I think is unfair and not strictly correct.

As I understand, the monk is providing a social service by offering members of the community the opportunity to gain merit by giving. Even according to the Christian tradition, It is more blessed to give than to receive. This would be one instance where Christianity and Buddhism are in agreement.

If the monk feels, during his early-morning rounds, that he is providing a service, in exchange for necessary food, then I can imagine that that could become a meaningful and emotional ritual which the monk might get attached to.

I'm just speculating here. I've never discussed the issue with an English-speaking monk.

In life everything can become corrupted.

I think it's well documented that many have little knowledge of the essence of Buddhism let alone its practice.

Much mis practice has become institutionalized.

So your answer is, "Yes", there is attachment to ritual, habit, & convention, which bears very little in relation to what the Buddha was teaching.

• There is what the Buddha intended and taught, and
• There is what is practiced.

In terms of becoming attached to an emotional ritual, the path is filled with obstacles.

Whether one becomes caught up in attachments will depend on an individuals motive, resolve, and knowledge/guidance (ability to break free of conditioning).

The obstacles of Aversion, Delusion, & Greed will conspire to thwart ones Awakening.

[rockyysdt]

Rockyystd,

In connection with your following comment: "So I it may appear as a ritual, but is simply a task a Bikkhu performs in order to sustain himself."

I question this. Sometimes the alms bowl is described as a begging bowl, which I think is unfair and not strictly correct.

As I understand, the monk is providing a social service by offering members of the community the opportunity to gain merit by giving. Even according to the Christian tradition, It is more blessed to give than to receive. This would be one instance where Christianity and Buddhism are in agreement.

If the monk feels, during his early-morning rounds, that he is providing a service, in exchange for necessary food, then I can imagine that that could become a meaningful and emotional ritual which the monk might get attached to.

I'm just speculating here. I've never discussed the issue with an English-speaking monk.

Many see giving to a Bikkhu purely as a way of gaining personal merit.

What is not understood, is that giving, not only to a Bikkhu, but to anyone in need is a way of practicing Metta, & Karuna.

Compassion & Empathy for others.

A way of diminishing the "I" or "Ego" by looking outward at the plight, pain, and need of others.

By looking outward, one diminishes the Ego, and thus indirectly reduce attachment to Greed & Aversion.

If I give to a Monk I don't do it to seek merit.

I do it to assist a being on his/her noble path.

Intention is key.

The motive of performing such an act purely for personal merit might inflate the Ego, as the motive is for "My" benefit.

[rockyysdt]

Rockyystd,

In connection with your following comment: "So I it may appear as a ritual, but is simply a task a Bikkhu performs in order to sustain himself."

I question this. Sometimes the alms bowl is described as a begging bowl, which I think is unfair and not strictly correct.

As I understand, the monk is providing a social service by offering members of the community the opportunity to gain merit by giving. Even according to the Christian tradition, It is more blessed to give than to receive. This would be one instance where Christianity and Buddhism are in agreement.

If the monk feels, during his early-morning rounds, that he is providing a service, in exchange for necessary food, then I can imagine that that could become a meaningful and emotional ritual which the monk might get attached to.

I'm just speculating here. I've never discussed the issue with an English-speaking monk.

Many see giving to a Bikkhu purely as a way of gaining personal merit.

What is not understood, is that giving, not only to a Bikkhu, but to anyone in need is a way of practicing Metta, & Karuna.

Compassion & Empathy for others.

A way of diminishing the "I" or "Ego" by looking outward at the plight, pain, and need of others.

By looking outward, one diminishes the Ego, and thus indirectly reduce attachment to Greed & Aversion.

If I give to a Monk I don't do it to seek merit.

I do it to assist a being on his/her noble path.

Intention is key.

The motive of performing such an act purely for personal merit might inflate the Ego, as the motive is for "My" benefit.

[VincentRJ]

There is what the Buddha intended and taught, and

There is what is practiced.

Rockyystd,

Good point! But I do see a major problem here. As I understand, whatever the Buddha may or may not have intended and taught was not written down until about 400 years after his death.

How can we be sure what he intended? One of the most impressive teachings I've come across, attributed to the Buddha, is the Kalama Sutta in which the Buddha advised a certain clan of people who lived in the village of Kesaputta, that they should not accept something as being true merely because it is stated in the scriptures, or because a teacher says it is so, or because the authorities say it is so.

One should test and investigate for oneself whatever is claimed to be true by a wise man, before accepting it as completely true.

This makes complete sense to me, and is a very wise teaching whether or not the Buddha really did teach it. I like to think that he did.

[weary]

The Kalama sutta goes even further than what is typically quoted.

From Access to Insight ( http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html ):

Translator's note: Although this discourse is often cited as the Buddha's carte blanche for following one's own sense of right and wrong, it actually says something much more rigorous than that. Traditions are not to be followed simply because they are traditions. Reports (such as historical accounts or news) are not to be followed simply because the source seems reliable. One's own preferences are not to be followed simply because they seem logical or resonate with one's feelings. Instead, any view or belief must be tested by the results it yields when put into practice; and — to guard against the possibility of any bias or limitations in one's understanding of those results — they must further be checked against the experience of people who are wise. The ability to question and test one's beliefs in an appropriate way is called appropriate attention. The ability to recognize and choose wise people as mentors is called having admirable friends. According to Iti 16-17, these are, respectively, the most important internal and external factors for attaining the goal of the practice. For further thoughts on how to test a belief in practice, see MN 61, MN 95, AN 7.79, and AN 8.53. For thoughts on how to judge whether another person is wise, see MN 110, AN 4.192, and AN 8.54.

So unlike the way most of us Westerners hear or understand it, one's conclusions after practice should be presented and discussed/validated by somebody who is wise.

Most people (and I very much include myself in this) really, really like to think we are less deluded than we are, because it can be painful to admit to the extent of one's own ignorance.

To me it seems like delusion is the hardest of them all to see through and uproot. If you check with those who have walked the path for a significant part of their life, spiritual practice is typically a series of insights, all of which can often feel like 'this is IT', not to mention that most of us carry a sense of 'everybody else has got it wrong and I have got it right', based on our conditioned reactions and beliefs, and because we would otherwise have to live with significant cognitive dissonance, which takes a lot of energy to deal with as long the stronger our self-view is.

After having had one experience I really did think was IT, I am now much more wary of any such tendencies, and always use the simple 'what if I am wrong?' as a check for whenever I think I have figured something out.

The problem with finding somebody who is wise is that sometimes they either are not too wise, or they tell us things that are so difficult to accept that our psychological defense mechanisms kick in and try hard to find fault with them so we won't have to accept uncomfortable truths.

[fabianfred]

When i was a monk for two years my favourite time of day was morning alms round.. walking slowly and trying to practice mindfulness... barefoot which makes the walking easier to be mindful...enjoying the fresh early morning air... seeing people preparing for their day by generously giving...schoolkids being shown by their parents how to give alms....schoolkids stopping and giving a nice 'Wai' as we walked by... a gave a nice smile to all.

Sometimes seeing a kid with parent or alone and I knew them to be poor I would take some cookies or milk from my bag and give them.

There is also the rituals involved...many expect a nice long blessing chant...try to tell them that a short blessing or no blessing doesn't lessen the merit they just made...but few would believe you.

Many try to do the water pouring whilst you are giving the blessing...and get upset if it isn't done 'right' .....a real attachment to ritual.

During Songkran some people try to, and brag after, visit up to nine temples on the 15th, and make merit at each one...thinking they have done a good thing...which they have...but then that night they cannot even keep the five precepts by drinking....they probably were given the five precepts at each temple by the monks. They think it is like a spell which will make them good...not a thing to actually practice.

[beautifulthailand99]

When i was a monk for two years my favourite time of day was morning alms round.. walking slowly and trying to practice mindfulness... barefoot which makes the walking easier to be mindful...enjoying the fresh early morning air... seeing people preparing for their day by generously giving...schoolkids being shown by their parents how to give alms....schoolkids stopping and giving a nice 'Wai' as we walked by... a gave a nice smile to all.

Sometimes seeing a kid with parent or alone and I knew them to be poor I would take some cookies or milk from my bag and give them.

There is also the rituals involved...many expect a nice long blessing chant...try to tell them that a short blessing or no blessing doesn't lessen the merit they just made...but few would believe you.

Many try to do the water pouring whilst you are giving the blessing...and get upset if it isn't done 'right' .....a real attachment to ritual.

During Songkran some people try to, and brag after, visit up to nine temples on the 15th, and make merit at each one...thinking they have done a good thing...which they have...but then that night they cannot even keep the five precepts by drinking....they probably were given the five precepts at each temple by the monks. They think it is like a spell which will make them good...not a thing to actually practice.

There is a lot of 'Buddha Magic' in Thailand - my wife's sister dragged us up to some local temple in Nakhorn Pathom to take part in some death and rebirth ritual which if was part of a devotee true Buddhist path might have some wider spiritual significance but I fear it was more to make them 'feel good' and more able to cope with life. It would seem it is mostly women who are the laity - particuarly here in the UK at Thai Buddhist temples. Our local temple Wat Buddharam to which we go regularly is I would say about 95% regular female attendees not many men.

One particular women at our local Songkhran festival upbraided our much loved Abbott with the standard of the small plastic Buddhas that were given out when they went up to wash the monk's hands and receive their blessings. He had to with good grace but some forbearance point out that it was the good that you do and the the spirit in your heart that are the main point.

I was on parking control that day and once the car park had filled up had to turn away latecomers and suggest they park nearby - some of the reactions were plain rude and churlish and I pointed out with a smile that if they had got up earlier then they would have got a place. They didn't seem to have any self awareness that we were all volunteers that had been up since dawn and that they were greeting the new year with selfishness and bad temper. But all these things are just the way the world is and I find comfort in seeing it all the good and the bad everything can be a lesson in life if you look at it in a certain way.

http://youtu.be/SeTHn-TTKAY.

[rockyysdt]

I was on parking control that day and once the car park had filled up had to turn away latecomers and suggest they park nearby - some of the reactions were plain rude and churlish and I pointed out with a smile that if they had got up earlier then they would have got a place. They didn't seem to have any self awareness that we were all volunteers that had been up since dawn and that they were greeting the new year with selfishness and bad temper. But all these things are just the way the world is and I find comfort in seeing it all the good and the bad everything can be a lesson in life if you look at it in a certain way.

Yes, it's interesting/revealing to find oneself observing actions/interactions/reactions of others and oneself.

Not only the spoken word, but also body language and tone.

The best part of a growing awareness is viewing things on multi levels.

• Firstly the inappropriate reactions/behavior of others/ourselves along with accompanying emotions and thoughts.
• Simultaneously observing these neutrally, knowing the powerful nature of our conditioning and its control on us all.

Edited April 18, 2014 by rockyysdt

[fabianfred]

A friend on Facebook posted this.... sad but all too often...

Its interesting to me, as a Buddhist practitioner, studying Pali, Thai, chanting and practicing meditation, choosing to live a quiet life, trying to be aware of and avoid the many pitfalls of our modern culture, and step by step removing myself from the things of this materialistic, indulgent and miss-guided society, how many people say to me,"I hope you find what you are searching for"! While I accept their comment with the kindness and sincerity with which it is spoken, the response that immediately comes to mind is, "I am not searching for anything"! But I refrain! That would be unkind.

In the logical, psychologically sound and liberating teachings of the Buddha I have found what I was searching for! The search ended some time ago, after many years of reading, studying, analyzing and applying the teachings to my daily life and seeing, experientially, the benefits and positive changes in my emotional state and my ever growing sense of freedom. Those changes enable me to respect myself more than ever, to know myself as never before and to grow sufficiently in the confidence of self and Buddha's teachings, to make some major life changes and be true to myself. I now live more honestly, more openly and more authentically than ever! I know the path I am on, and, as difficult as it often is, and I am sure will continue to be, nothing in my 48 years has ever felt, or more importantly proven to be so right. I could talk about a life of searching, for "truth" and meaning, about the many paths I have walked and indeed about my regret that I did not find such wonderful insights and liberation in my earlier years, but that would be futile! The past is past! We are who we are, in most part, because of our up bringing and life's experiences, and, at least in my belief, our Kamma. All three form a part of our current understanding and life view, are a part of our personality and will determine our future. I have written many times that my life has been VERY rich in experience and I choose to accept it all, good and bad, allow it to stay in the past and focus on today; the here and now.

Recently, in a Buddhist temple, I met a seventy three year old man. He was kind and generous and while chatting he told me that his mother had first taken him to the Buddhist temple, in his home country of Malaysia, when he was only seven years old. He knew all of the chants, the protocol and how to perform the various rituals. He could tell me about all of the Buddhist festivals and special Buddha days that are celebrated through out the year and he could cook delicious Thai food. He seemed quite jolly and, except for the obvious feeling of loneliness that I perceived in him and his conversation, seemed quite free. Then, after asking about me, my life, my work and my home, he asked, with genuine curiosity tinged with an obvious lack of understanding, "why would you want to give up all of that and live as a monk"?

Immediately my heart sank and I realized that after nearly seventy years of attending the temple, living in Buddhist company, befriending and socializing with Buddhist monks, burning incense, lighting candles, bowing reverently, he had no concept of the teachings of Lord Buddha. I expressed the delight, peace, wisdom and freedom that I have found in the teachings and how, in some ways, contrary to my "desires", the next step on the path, for me, has to be ordination! In my opinion and indeed experience, if we believe something to be true and have confidence in that, and live in a manner contrary to our beliefs, one is left wanting, discontented, unfulfilled, confused and NOT true to self. After just a few sentences, he confessed that his daughter, raised as a Buddhist, had become a Muslim and now lived a fundamental life as a Muslim wife and could only visit him with her husbands permission, his son had become a Bible preaching evangelical christian who had denied his own father because of his fathers perceived "idol worship", his wife lived in China, as did one of his current girl friends and that he was beginning another relationship with an asian lady in his country of residence. He said that he had friends and acquaintances who were interested in Buddhism and often asked him about it. Some he said, showed great interest and had even asked to go with him to the temple, but he said that he could not explain to any of them what Buddhism is! It was obvious that the dear man had never applied any of the teachings and practice to his daily life, he has never tasted the freedom or seen the sweet fruit that grows from that practice. He said that when he was younger, he could sit in the meditation position for many hours, yet had never known inner peace, tranquility or been able to calm his incessant self chatter. He still, at seventy three years of age, looks for happiness and fulfillment in his wife and sexual partners, expressing a great deal of stress over his finances, his complicated relationships and his fear of dying. Throughout the day it became very apparent that he was hungry for approval, for company and for praise. "Can it be true"?, I asked myself, " that after a life time of considering himself Buddhist, attending temple and spending many, many hours in the company of ordained people, he was still so ignorant? Had he never asked for help with meditation? Was help never offered"? The truth is, he seemed totally oblivious to the idea of inner transformation and even less so, of the life changes, freedom and wisdom promised in the Buddha's teachings and the 'Noble Eightfold Path', offered to us as a path to Nibbana, should we CHOOSE to follow it and apply the teachings.

Yesterday, in the temple in Barcelona, two young Thai ladies came to offer food to the monks. They are medical students from Bangkok and are here in Barcelona on an exchange program. They both spoke excellent English, are obviously intelligent young ladies, wore the finest and very fashionable clothes, carried iPhones, designer purses and smelled of expensive perfume. They were respectful and after presenting their food to the monk and chatting with him for a short time, sat next to me to eat. We exchanged pleasantries, them speaking in English and me trying to speak in Thai. The monk told them that I had ordained as a Novice monk in Thailand and that my intention was to continue on that path and take full ordination. While maintaining the polite exterior, typical of most Thais, with a joining of the palms and a "sadu, sadu sadu", the amusement and curiosity of the one lady was more than evident. She asked if I had a Thai wife or girlfriend. She asked why I was interested in Buddhism and again, like the gentle man from a few weeks ago, revealed a complete lack of knowledge regarding Buddhism. She almost proudly announced, "we are young! And now in Thailand, the younger, educated people no longer show interest in this"! She said that she knew how " fashionable" Buddhism had become in the West and said that she understood why I would have become a part of that, quote, "spiritual fashion".

Again my heart sank! Here was a smart, beautiful and articulate young lady. She called herself Buddhist, and had even come to visit the temple and pay respect, yet she prided herself in her academic and materialistic way of life, more interested in talking about her world travels and time in America than in Dhamma and, unashamedly said that Buddhism was, in Thailand, for the older people and the poor! I politely said nothing! A booklet I read many years ago, titled, 'Educated Fools' came to mind. I also remembered something the Buddha said, "the wise will know for themselves"! Bored with the conversation, pride and obvious self importance of the one young lady and deciding that my reason for being at the temple was to learn and practice, I wished her happiness and success and left to continue my studies. The second lady, much more gentle and not expressing as many opinions, politely raised her hands together and wished me good luck in my life and ordination.

[camerata]

The bottom line here is that those of us who have discovered the Buddha's teachings and adopted them are more fortunate than (most of) those who were "born Buddhist."