Monks and yogis

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

Hi! I have been pursuing enlightenment for about 8 months now with 1-3 hours of self inquiry, currendly doing 1,5 h self inquiry and 0,5-1 h meditation. 

The thing is that this middle way is really sabotaging my school etc and it seems like I have to keep doing this for 6-18 months more because of school. After that I would like to become a monk (probably Zen, seems like it's the place where there is more sitting than talking). 

Anyways does anyone have any experience of living like a monk? Or have you been to a really long retreat? How was it? I really like to hear what it was like.

 

Edited February 7, 2016 by Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj

[charlie cho]

I really don't know.... But in my opinion...although it's none of my business....just like there was Gautama Buddha in 2500 years ago, Jesus 2000years ago.... Whom were awesome teachers by the way.... I firmly believe there will be a more awesome teacher who is living and can personally teach you how to become enlightened in this current era. I have a teacher myself!

 Being a monk is like having the person who was enlightened long before who is dead now as your primary teacher. Understand..... He's dead! If you go to buddhist monks.... There really traditional, ritualistic.

[Leo Gura]

This guy on Youtube looks like a monk; https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo

Maybe he can give you a taste of monk life. Although there are MANY different kinds of monks and monastic traditions out there, even just within Japan, not to speak of China, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Burma, and Europe and the USA.

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

I found two deciples of Philip Kapleau (One of the earlier Zen Masters in the west) here in my country Sweden and i am currently thinking about going there as a start, but what the hell we will see how it goes. Good points! I have been thinking about that monk a lot lately.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj

[lilacwest]

I haven't been on any retreats - maybe someday - but I have been to an Abbey of monastics (mostly nuns) several times as it is local to me. This is their Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/sravastiabbey I mention them because if you go to their website and write them an email, they will answer you. They love to answer questions about meditation and also what it is to be a monastic. However, they are currently in silent retreat and won't be coming out of it until March, so they would not be able to answer a question right now.  Your question is making me want to ask them what they have noticed and gained after silent and also long retreat (about 3 months).

[Khin]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Oh yeah.... I was in temple for more than a year. But it was Theravada Buddhist temple so it is very different from Zen. I think life as a Zen monk would be much easier. In Buddhism, there is no such thing as you must believe or do though. All Buddha taught was ways to Nirvana, actions and consequences. Monks are people who wants to become enlightened so they agreed to follow Buddha's words. Buddha referred monks as his son. They called Buddha's words rules which would help them in their ways. Some rules in Buddhism seem to be stupid but every little things count to go up a step. The basic five rules would be 1. Not lying, 2. Not stealing, 3. Not breaking other couples, 4. Not doing any drug including smoking, 5. Not killing. Those are the basic rules for both humans and Monks. In Theravada, monks can't break those rules and if he did, he is not consider Buddha's son anymore because obviously he strayed away from the path Buddha showed. That 5 is not the only rules though. There are more than 200 rules which monks have to follow not only if he wants to achieve enlightenment but also for the living and nonliving things. For example, I didn't eat dinner after noon when I was a monk because something has to die just for my meal and I wouldn't die just because of a meal. I am proving I did not die by writing this anyways . Not eating one meal is more than that. A monks goal is to cut greed and desire and work only towards enlightenment. So, monks don't work. Therefore finding a meal would be hard for them. Not eating a meal will reduce body weight and laziness (that's so true). That way they can sit in lotus posture for long during meditation (I could sit 1 hour without moving after 5 days) though it's not the only option. That's why Theravada monks don't eat anything after noon. That is only an example. However, as a person who wants to become enlightened, it doesn't sound hard if you really want it. I left there because of my parents. I grew up safely because of them so I shouldn't leave because I'm fully grown up. I should pay them back. That's my responsibility now so I'll finish that before I go for myself. But my ultimate goal for my life is being a monk, stay under Buddha's words, work towards enlightenment, having peace of mind and live the finest life as much as possible.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Khin
Fix

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

On 2016-03-24 at 2:12 AM, Khin said:

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Oh yeah.... I was in temple for more than a year. But it was Theravada Buddhist temple so it is very different from Zen. I think life as a Zen monk would be much easier. In Buddhism, there is no such thing as you must believe or do though. All Buddha taught was ways to Nirvana, actions and consequences. Monks are people who wants to become enlightened so they agreed to follow Buddha's words. Buddha referred monks as his son. They called Buddha's words rules which would help them in their ways. Some rules in Buddhism seem to be stupid but every little things count to go up a step. The basic five rules would be 1. Not lying, 2. Not stealing, 3. Not breaking other couples, 4. Not doing any drug including smoking, 5. Not killing. Those are the basic rules for both humans and Monks. In Theravada, monks can't break those rules and if he did, he is not consider Buddha's son anymore because obviously he strayed away from the path Buddha showed. That 5 is not the only rules though. There are more than 200 rules which monks have to follow not only if he wants to achieve enlightenment but also for the living and nonliving things. For example, I didn't eat dinner after noon when I was a monk because something has to die just for my meal and I wouldn't die just because of a meal. I am proving I did not die by writing this anyways . Not eating one meal is more than that. A monks goal is to cut greed and desire and work only towards enlightenment. So, monks don't work. Therefore finding a meal would be hard for them. Not eating a meal will reduce body weight and laziness (that's so true). That way they can sit in lotus posture for long during meditation (I could sit 1 hour without moving after 5 days) though it's not the only option. That's why Theravada monks don't eat anything after noon. That is only an example. However, as a person who wants to become enlightened, it doesn't sound hard if you really want it. I left there because of my parents. I grew up safely because of them so I shouldn't leave because I'm fully grown up. I should pay them back. That's my responsibility now so I'll finish that before I go for myself. But my ultimate goal for my life is being a monk, stay under Buddha's words, work towards enlightenment, having peace of mind and live the finest life as much as possible.

 

Sounds great! May I ask you what you liked the most and disliked the most with beeing a monk? Did you have to pay them anything?

[nbolt]

Check out this AMA, has some good insights into monk life: https://www.reddit.com/r/casualiama/comments/3ehf0i/i_was_a_buddhist_monk_for_8_years_i_lived_in

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

Just now, Neill Bolton said:

Check out this AMA, has some good insights into monk life: https://www.reddit.com/r/casualiama/comments/3ehf0i/i_was_a_buddhist_monk_for_8_years_i_lived_in

<3

[Khin]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Yes, I hated that I couldn't eat dinner, had to wake up early, meditating everyday, learning everyday, learning how to live a life everyday, learning how to be kind, learning how to eat, sleep, walk, learning how to have awareness, learning how to focus, etc... I also hated I was under very strict monk. HAHA! But everything paid off.

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

2 hours ago, Khin said:

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Yes, I hated that I couldn't eat dinner, had to wake up early, meditating everyday, learning everyday, learning how to live a life everyday, learning how to be kind, learning how to eat, sleep, walk, learning how to have awareness, learning how to focus, etc... I also hated I was under very strict monk. HAHA! But everything paid off.

Sounds a bit rough. Glad you thaught it was worth it! I have heard horryfying stories about Rinzai Zen and it got me thinking that I probably will probably have to live with the Soto monks instead, not sure though.

[Henri]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Being a zen-monk is extremely hard, especially for western people.

It`s full of ritualistic stuff, a mountain of rules, all generated for slowly extinguish the ego patterns in a hard and boring way.

Why zen mate? I`m interested.

 

When I was living in an ashram my teacher was invited to come and visit a zen-monastery in France.

We went there with a small delegation and experienced some daily routines up there. It was quite opposite of our daily routines. Hundreds of people without expressing themselves.

Later that day we invited them for a satsang and they so enjoyed it. A monk told me he had his first laughs in ten months that evening!

 

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

@Henri Because I want to be somewhere where they focus really heavy on meditation, like 6-12 hour perhaps but I have not build up the dicipline for that yet.

Also I have a really bad work ethic, I have wasted most of my school beeing lazy and scool atm is chill as fuck so getting a work ethic is something I will probably get out of living as a Zen monk. A military boot camp with self inquiry instead of guns is exacly what seems to be the right thing for me. 

 

How where the routines in your ashram by the way? I don't know mouch about ashrams. 

Edited April 2, 2016 by Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj

[Henri]

The discipline in for example the Navy Seals is a paid holiday in compare with the discipline in Zen.

It`s so interwoven with Japanese culture that the general opinion about it is a bit romantic and starry-eyed in western eyes.

But there is such a difference in the way a Japanese develops his ego or a westerner does. In the west it`s all about developing to the full potential where in Japan it is not. That`s why the way and manners the Zen doctrines uses is a real torture for us. To me that`s the reason Zen never became really popular in Europe, though the literature is very interesting and impressing.

So in my opinion and with what you have told me about your laziness and work ethics I would suggest to forget about it. It shall spare you lots of frustrations and time.

You have to remember that whatever discipline, school, spirituality, religion or whatever has it`s base in a cultural context. When a teacher tells a Japanese student that he`ll be enlightened when he goes staring at a wall for the next twenty years, he`ll do it. That`s not how it works for a westerner.

Where are you from anyway and how old?  @Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj

Edited April 2, 2016 by Henri

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

@HenriYeah Zen is harsh, I heard that Sinzen Youngs teacher used to to sit for three days. I really agree in the last one,nit is really important that you don't just buy into all the cultural nonsense no matter who or where you are. 

I live in northern Sweden and I am currently 19 years old. And you?

Edited April 2, 2016 by Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj

[Henri]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj  That`s a great young age. I went on my first travel when I was 18, searching for knowledge as I called it that time.

Studied all religions. Started with christian mysticism, went to Buddhism where I ended up with the Tibetan version of it. Traveled the world around and found finally my teacher in my own country!  He was Hindu and I really ended up there and took a deep dive into it. I am 48 by the way.

Life in an ashram is in a way totally integral. You look at all aspects of life and deal with them. You are not `out of the world` but in a way in the middle of it. There is attention to the body (hatha-yoga), the mind with knowledge (jnana-yoga), the heart with devotion (bhakti-yoga), selfless service (karma-yoga), many different kinds of meditation (which suites you best), ayurvedic food, Satsang (combination of knowledge, meditation and bhajans). You can take several kinds of retreats where the silent retreat is the most popular one and most powerful one. The insight is that everybody is on his own special and individual journey which makes it profound in my eyes.

 

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

1 hour ago, Henri said:

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj  That`s a great young age. I went on my first travel when I was 18, searching for knowledge as I called it that time.

Studied all religions. Started with christian mysticism, went to Buddhism where I ended up with the Tibetan version of it. Traveled the world around and found finally my teacher in my own country!  He was Hindu and I really ended up there and took a deep dive into it. I am 48 by the way.

Life in an ashram is in a way totally integral. You look at all aspects of life and deal with them. You are not `out of the world` but in a way in the middle of it. There is attention to the body (hatha-yoga), the mind with knowledge (jnana-yoga), the heart with devotion (bhakti-yoga), selfless service (karma-yoga), many different kinds of meditation (which suites you best), ayurvedic food, Satsang (combination of knowledge, meditation and bhajans). You can take several kinds of retreats where the silent retreat is the most popular one and most powerful one. The insight is that everybody is on his own special and individual journey which makes it profound in my eyes.

 

Interesting! Seems like one hell of a journey...

[Ludwig]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj Hey! I was where you are, a Zen monastery was everything i wanted to go to. Let me tell you this from my humble point of view. Going to a Zen monastery won't give you a single bit of an advantage on your way. Yes, not a single bit. If this is what resonates though, go do it. Give all that you have to it. Go there and don't expect to come back. I had so many fantasies about a Zen monastery only to not face myself where i am at RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. 

One thing to remember: In a Zen Monastery you are on your own as you are where you are now. There won't be anyone to help you. And expect facing excruciating doubts day in and day out.

And one more thing: A realisation inside monastery walls is this everything you want? There are many "awakened" monks who try their luck in the "real world" and just fuck up. Bringing it to life in everyday regular normal life is the real deal. 

So i'd suggest you find a genuine teacher first. And don't get me wrong Zen is a beautiful way. 

[Nic]

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj  Hi man, can I ask you the question, what do you want to run away from? Suffering, society and/or yourself or do you have anymore motives? What are you hoping to find there? Discipline, peace, happiness, enlightenment, answers, are you looking for your true nature, a fulfilled life? What can you find there that you cannot find right here, right now?

For me to be able to enjoy the smell of flowers, I got to have some in front of my nose, not walls. You do what ever you want and I respect your actual needs and dreams completely. That you can't enjoy life with an ego is something I don't agree with, to live with an ego is not bad, nothing is bad, it just is. To realize how priceless life is, I decided to be mindful the best I can. Not to run away from everything which, at the end, I know, would not have saved me from myself, but that's just me, it might be different for you.

I had one of those Aw moments just today again when I pass by a flowering tree. Time literally stopped, absolutely priceless, just because of a smell, yesterday it was a man's smile... life is priceless. A pleasure is not something bad, only the fact of making your happiness rely on pleasure is doing the suffering. 

I believe you could do something better with your life than watching walls for the next X amount of years. To go live in front of a wall, isn't that selfish? Personally I don't really know... do you?

You want to be free from desire? What about making others happy? You want hardcore Zen, why not join a humanitarian agency that helps people in need? Absolute selfless work. What about putting smiles on everyones faces? What about mastering an instrument, being creative? These are not "bad" desires to have. In my eyes, enlightenment is not something one should aim for, my personal goal is just being able to express the emotion of love at will.

As I see it, learn to change perspective first, this is everything you need to know and master for now. Don't change the surroundings, change the way you look at things. When you have mastered it, only after I would advise you to take into consideration if you still want to go there.

There is no wrong or right, do what your intuition is calling you towards. Whatever you do it's gonna be fine, but I hope you can see that you might have other options than to run away from everything sitting in an irradiated country in front of a wall not laughing for the next years.

 

 

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

8 hours ago, Nic said:

@Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj  Hi man, can I ask you the question, what do you want to run away from? Suffering, society and/or yourself or do you have anymore motives? What are you hoping to find there? Discipline, peace, happiness, enlightenment, answers, are you looking for your true nature, a fulfilled life? What can you find there that you cannot find right here, right now?

For me to be able to enjoy the smell of flowers, I got to have some in front of my nose, not walls. You do what ever you want and I respect your actual needs and dreams completely. That you can't enjoy life with an ego is something I don't agree with, to live with an ego is not bad, nothing is bad, it just is. To realize how priceless life is, I decided to be mindful the best I can. Not to run away from everything which, at the end, I know, would not have saved me from myself, but that's just me, it might be different for you.

I had one of those Aw moments just today again when I pass by a flowering tree. Time literally stopped, absolutely priceless, just because of a smell, yesterday it was a man's smile... life is priceless. A pleasure is not something bad, only the fact of making your happiness rely on pleasure is doing the suffering. 

I believe you could do something better with your life than watching walls for the next X amount of years. To go live in front of a wall, isn't that selfish? Personally I don't really know... do you?

You want to be free from desire? What about making others happy? You want hardcore Zen, why not join a humanitarian agency that helps people in need? Absolute selfless work. What about putting smiles on everyones faces? What about mastering an instrument, being creative? These are not "bad" desires to have. In my eyes, enlightenment is not something one should aim for, my personal goal is just being able to express the emotion of love at will.

As I see it, learn to change perspective first, this is everything you need to know and master for now. Don't change the surroundings, change the way you look at things. When you have mastered it, only after I would advise you to take into consideration if you still want to go there.

There is no wrong or right, do what your intuition is calling you towards. Whatever you do it's gonna be fine, but I hope you can see that you might have other options than to run away from everything sitting in an irradiated country in front of a wall not laughing for the next years.

 

 

Hmm... What do I want to run away from? Currently I'm procrastinating a little in school but that will be over in about five weeks, it's more that I wanna focus on self-trancendence more than self-actualization because doing self-inquiry drives me WAYYY more nowadays than finding my "life purpose" so to say. The more conscious I become the more I realize that spending your time becomming more concious is probably the most important thing me. Hard to explain, I really can't but if I am honest it's just an intuition.

 

So in a nutshell: I want a quiet place where I can live for a while where you can just sit down, shut up and ask myself "Who am I?" and from what I understand is that going to a monestary is probably the best place to be if that is what you want to do. Ultimately I just want to have a good life. Thats about it!

Edited April 3, 2016 by Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj