How "Phra Julian" replaced the stress of Canada for happiness in Thailand

[webfact]

How "Phra Julian" replaced the stress of Canada for happiness in Thailand

 

Picture: Sanook

 

BANGKOK: -- A Canadian man who has been a monk in the forests of Thailand for 17 years says he left the rat race of the West and found peace and happiness in robes in Thailand.

 

The story of Julian who grew up in Canada was featured on the Facebook page of Somchai Somchai after he was interviewed by agriculturalists on another page.

 

Julian has left Thailand just once in 18 years and says he will stay here for the rest of this life.

 

He is currently in the forests near Poo Tha village in Sop Meuy district of Mae Hong Sorn in the far north of Thailand.

 

He said that he originally came to Thailand for the first time as an 18 year old agricultural exchange student. He felt he had already been here in a previous existence, reports Sanook.

 

He had done some meditation and yoga in Canada as a teenager and initially he was interested in pursuing this aspect of his development. But later he decided to take up robes and become a monk.

 

But he is not the kind that sponges off the locals - he said that he recognizes the difficulties being faced by the villagers so his alms rounds are kept to a bare minimum. He is not attached to any particular temple either.

 

Julian said that he was a good student in his homeland with good grades. When he left school he was able to make lots of money and get lots of possessions. But he was not happy - he was just more and more stressed.

 

So he left for Thailand.

 

"I am poor now," he said, "but I am happy. I am on the way to ridding myself of the shackles of suffering".

 

He said that he never found meditation difficult and put this down to the notion that he had studied it in a previous life.

 

At one point he thought he would return to Canada to study acupuncture but this was soon rejected in favor of donning the Buddhist robes a path he didn't consider at first.

 

"People often ask me why I have done this. I say I cannot answer in this life," he said.

 

He said that the generally accepted western notion and those of Thailand were different.

 

"Westerners see the pathway of education then providing and putting food on the table as the way to go. But I see it differently".

 

He intimated in the interview that he had been at odds with his father and mother over his choice of life. Julian suggested that this conflict may have resulted from problems in a previous existence.

 

"I have been meditating for more than 20 years," he added, " and I have found an inner peace".

 

Phra Julian's story was shared 87,000 times online and viewed by 138,000 people on Facebook.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-01-19

[Misterwhisper]

More than a few fat, lazy, greedy, materialistic, drug and sex addicted Thai monks could actually learn something valuable from this Canadian, i.e. what it really means to be a Buddhist monk and how to behave as one. Not that any of them would consider listening, of course. 

[DLang]

Like many nutters, he is happy. 

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Bluespunk

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He intimated in the interview that he had been at odds with his father and mother over his choice of life. Julian suggested that this conflict may have resulted from problems in a previous existence.

Yeah, right, that's why they are ''at odds''.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....'....made lots of money....'...

 

....'...poor now....'....

 

..noble....commendable.......but not so sure about that discrepancy........

[balo]

He left Thailand only once in 18 years ? What about the visa ? Being poor in Thailand how can he even afford a visa.

[Thai-Aust]

The picture of him carrying a bunch of bananas tells me that his practice of a monk in Theravada Buddhism is questionable.

Monks are not allowed to grow, store or harvest any kind of food. That's why monks have to do alms round.

[Chip Allen]

Would a visa even be a problem for a monk?? Any answers? I would think this might be a notable exception.

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, balo said:

He left Thailand only once in 18 years ? What about the visa ? Being poor in Thailand how can he even afford a visa.

No money needed for yearly extensions based on studying Buddhism. Except the immigration fees, of course.

 

Quote

2.13 In the case of studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year. The alien: (1) Must have been granted a non­immigrant visa (NON­IM). (2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the National Office of Buddhism, or Office of the Prune Minister, or Mahachulalongkomrajavidyalaya University, or Mahamakut Buddhist University. (3) Must have been confirmed by the abbot of the temple where the applicant is studying  Buddhism or practicing religious activities.

 

[JetsetBkk]

15 minutes ago, Thai-Aust said:

The picture of him carrying a bunch of bananas tells me that his practice of a monk in Theravada Buddhism is questionable.

Monks are not allowed to grow, store or harvest any kind of food. That's why monks have to do alms round.

 

Interesting...

 

Still, probably a "better" monk than most. 

[tukkytuktuk]

He gave it all up for happiness. So what. I gave it all up for havagina.

[rkidlad]

They say that true happiness has to be found within. I personally don't find that to be true. I find happiness comes from external factors. For me, it comes from my missus, family, friends, having a good job and being good at ignoring all the BS and fakes, etc. 

[bobmac10]

7 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

They say that true happiness has to be found within. I personally don't find that to be true. I find happiness comes from external factors. For me, it comes from my missus, family, friends, having a good job and being good at ignoring all the BS and fakes, etc. 

Ah but what would happen if all that disappeared/

Would you lose your happiness?

That's why Buddhists say happiness must come from within as all external factors are temporal.

[JacChang]

Think of it as an additional option for visa and work permit.

[JacChang]

11 minutes ago, bobmac10 said:

Ah but what would happen if all that disappeared/

Would you lose your happiness?

That's why Buddhists say happiness must come from within as all external factors are temporal.

Very well said. This is especially true and important with regards to people in relationships. Most people find that they are unable to continue living on with their life when their other half has left them or cheated on them. But that's also a problem with self, we should be happy and complete as an individual, not because of reliance on others for happiness.

[Redline]

1 hour ago, Thai-Aust said:

The picture of him carrying a bunch of bananas tells me that his practice of a monk in Theravada Buddhism is questionable.

Monks are not allowed to grow, store or harvest any kind of food. That's why monks have to do alms round.

They all have smartphones.  He can cary bananas 

[Redline]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

They say that true happiness has to be found within. I personally don't find that to be true. I find happiness comes from external factors. For me, it comes from my missus, family, friends, having a good job and being good at ignoring all the BS and fakes, etc. 

The life you choose

[Redline]

Good for him, he's happy, and he doesn't cause anyone problems

[Andrew Dwyer]

They all have smartphones.  He can cary bananas 

They are even predicting football championships now !!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Wilsonandson]

[Kasset Tak]

1 hour ago, JacChang said:

Think of it as an additional option for visa and work permit.

All you need is a letter from the temple to immigration/embassy and a yellow/orange book that's basically say that you are Buddhist and monk, with those documents you can even get the non-R visa/extension of stay even after you disrobe (not all immigration offices/embassies are OK with this but I know that at least the consulate in Savannakhet ant immigration in Phitsanulok are OK with it) and only "help" in the temple.
You can also stay as a Christian priest, monk or nun with similar documents.

What I do feel is strange about this is that he is not connected to a specific temple or do alms rounds as he can only get his extension of stay with a temple/abbot as guarantor and if he don't do alms rounds what does he eat!!! 

[Wilsonandson]

4 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

All you need is a letter from the temple to immigration/embassy and a yellow/orange book that's basically say that you are Buddhist and monk, with those documents you can even get the non-R visa/extension of stay even after you disrobe (not all immigration offices/embassies are OK with this but I know that at least the consulate in Savannakhet ant immigration in Phitsanulok are OK with it) and only "help" in the temple.
You can also stay as a Christian priest, monk or nun with similar documents.

What I do feel is strange about this is that he is not connected to a specific temple or do alms rounds as he can only get his extension of stay with a temple/abbot as guarantor and if he don't do alms rounds what does he eat!!! 

By the looks of his photo in the OP. Not much! What puzzles me the most though is why he wants to tell his story. Does he tell this story to everyone he meets. "Yo, Julian, your not Buddha, your a Canadian tourist gone full monk" "Jesus, why can't people who get religion keep it to themselves". "Allah akbab, Isn't the uniform enough!"

"Zip it Julian"

[SiSePuede419]

Step 1: Fall out of womb.

 

Step 2: Collect inheritance.

 

Step 3: Move to Thailand.

 

Did I leave anything out of this Magic Formula? ?

[SiSePuede419]

59 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

All you need is a letter from the temple to immigration/embassy and a yellow/orange book that's basically say that you are Buddhist and monk, with those documents you can even get the non-R visa/extension of stay even after you disrobe (not all immigration offices/embassies are OK with this but I know that at least the consulate in Savannakhet ant immigration in Phitsanulok are OK with it) and only "help" in the temple.
You can also stay as a Christian priest, monk or nun with similar documents.

What I do feel is strange about this is that he is not connected to a specific temple or do alms rounds as he can only get his extension of stay with a temple/abbot as guarantor and if he don't do alms rounds what does he eat!!! 

His inheritance?  Yummy. ?

[Colabamumbai]

Most of us Canadians are good people.

[rkidlad]

13 hours ago, JacChang said:

Very well said. This is especially true and important with regards to people in relationships. Most people find that they are unable to continue living on with their life when their other half has left them or cheated on them. But that's also a problem with self, we should be happy and complete as an individual, not because of reliance on others for happiness.

So if I can find happiness from inside, I won't feel sad if my family dies? If I lose my good job or my missus dies? Any normal human being would be sad in this scenario. 

 

Also, Buddhism teaches that we are reincarnated. There is zero proof for this. Now, you can believe this and take comfort from it, but just because something offers you comfort, doesn't make it true. Also, just 'cos you can't prove something doesn't mean there's a 50/50 chance it could be true. 

 

There's no right or wrong way of finding happiness. I find happiness from my external factors in the same way I can ingore the negatives to some extent. I'm a man of science and reason, so I'm unable to convince my mind of things that there's no evidence for. I call that wishful thinking. I believe in what I see, how nature works and scientific theories that hold water. 

 

Believing that we are worm food when we die makes me appreciate and cherish this one life I have now. I'm sure gonna make the most of it. 

Edited January 19, 2017 by rkidlad

[bannork]

Regarding reincarnation there are mixed opinions- some say the Lord Buddha never taught that.

The happiness from inside should be seen as a type of contentment when one realizes the self, the ego, which we cling to as an identity throughout our lives  is a construct to enable us to live in this world and is as temporary as the rest of our body and will cease at death.

For instance we look at old photos of ourselves and point- ' When I was 10'  'When I was 15, my first camera, etc' and we see a continuous line of our life but Buddhism may argue our lives are like a movie. Rather than the illusion of a continuous story which we have  conscious control over, in fact each moment is a still of our self composed of the  five skandhas as defined by Buddhism. The flow of time creates the illusion of continuity and control over our lives.

Peace comes from the realization our attempts to control our world are due to our own desire for permanence, to cling to happiness.

Once we can recognize our own impermanence and mental games we can live and fully enjoy normal life, the difference being the enlightened Buddhist tries to fully live in the moment, realizing the now is the only reality.

The happiness from within is in fact the awareness there is no permanent self within!

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/intro_bud.htm

Edited January 20, 2017 by bannork

[Srikcir]

43 minutes ago, bannork said:

the enlightened Buddhist tries to fully live in the moment

That might explain why some Thai Buddhist abbots try to accumulate as much wealth as possible in a lifetime - just living for the moment!

[Srikcir]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

But I see it differently".

Have a family and see what becomes different.

Your life is no longer about yourself.