my buddhist encounter

by Hortensia 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Hortensia

  So, we have a buddhist abbey in the woods near here. Lots of Americans with shaved heads,wearing Tibetan buddhist costumes. They do a walk around town once a month with begging bowls, pretending they are sadhus. The difference, of course, is that they live on donations from others in a beautiful building in a beautiful area while real sadhus genuinely have nothing but a loincloth and begging bowl. No cushy abbey to go back to at night. So, being the rude person I am, when they wander by me with their begging bowls (BTW they put an ad in the paper letting everyone know when they'll be doing their begging) I usually say something like, "get a job."

  Waiting at the mechanic's yesterday I spied one of these gals coming into the shop. She gave me several minutes of how wonderful everything is, how great life is, what a beautiful morning, etc. Since she started the conversation, I said, "I've got a question for you but you might think it's rude." She took off her hat, and looked at me with a big smile. So I said, "what's the point of the begging bowls?" She gave me a little sermon on how they do it in India, how they do it in Japan, why buddhists don't do it in China -- which was revealing. She said, well they don't do it in China because anyone who asks for donations is looked down upon.

  Eventually she got around to the point. She said while they walk around town collecting donations, they are blessing everyone in town. So they do the begging for OUR benefit! She also said people mostly gave food, but nowadays often gave cash and they had decided that was OK as they live on donations. She also corrected me, it's not a begging bowl, it's an alms bowl.

  So, I said it puzzles me that people have to wear special clothes and do rituals like that in order to be holy. Couldn't they be holy without it? She flinched a bit and stepped back. She said they don't consider themselves holy. Then she said they wear the clothing to set themselves apart a bit, to draw attention to what they are doing. I thought that was good enough, and thanked her for answering my questions so sincerely.

  I hope she thinks about the conversation a bit. Did I want to give them a different point of view? Did I want to prick their balloon? Do I have contempt for people who beg for a living under the pretense of being something special? Yeah, I suppose so. Do I think they are in it for the love of drama? Do I think they feel a little bit more special than anyone else? Yeah, probably so.
• 

  Hortensia

  BTW, I am sick as a dog. Coughing constantly, and every cough hurts all the way down to my toes. Fxxxing pollen count. I know in the larger scheme of things this is only transitory and I shouldn't complain but I am feeling very sorry for myself.

  [Edited for language, guideline 3 - jgnat]
• 

  Satanus

  It kind of bugs me when people invoke god during their begging. Do beggars have special clout w god?

  S
• 

  jgnat

  I've taken the last few years to learn what other religions have to offer. I enjoyed the first few chapters of Confucious. Then it degenerated in to the sayings of his disciples, and I began to lose interest.

  The Buddhist mindfulness techniques are clinically proven to help with depression, pain reduction, and control over obsessive and anxious disorders. (Happiest Man on Earth) But do we need to take on all the trappings of the religion to obtain those benefits? Perhaps not.

  My Sikh girlfriend explained the origins of her faith (it is a reaction to Muslim injustice) and I began to understand her particular distaste for injustice of any kind, the importance of the ritual dagger (kind of like a Never Again, or the American obsession with packing a gun), and the Sikh willingess to demonstrate. This is not a namby-pamby Lord Flauntleroy religion. It's got teeth. (Bearded Sikh Woman teaches Reddit about Tolerance) But this very bright Sikh woman, who had remained faithful to its precepts (vegetarian, never cutting her hair), is not satisfied with her religion. Her deeply religious father, strict in all behavior, refused to answer her questions, "it's tradition." For an intelligent woman, that is simply not enough.
• 

  Hortensia

  The Buddhist mindfulness techniques are clinically proven to help with depression, pain reduction, and control over obsessive and anxious disorders. (Happiest Man on Earth) But do we need to take on all the trappings of the religion to obtain those benefits? Perhaps not.

  That's the point. I know/have known lots of American Buddhists and it's interesting to see how they have to have all the trappings -- robes, scarves, rituals, meditation pillows, beads, blah blah blah. It's more like a shopping catalog than a religion. When I see them playacting in the street, with their shaved heads, costumes, bowls and so on, it makes me think of kids and dress-up games.
• 

  Hortensia

  Plus, I think it's everyone's obligation to try to carry their own loads. Get a job, pay your bills, pay your taxes and so on. If you have something to spare, don't give it to actors pretending to be spiritually special. Give it to people who genuinely can't help themselves. The idea that they deserve handouts because they are walking around "blessing" everyone is very shallow. It also removes them from the community -- and I think community is important. They remind me a lot of JWs.
• 

  crmsicl

  Sorry you're feeling crummy Hortensia. I just got over a pollen induced sinus infection. First one I've had since I quit drinking wine so much. I don't even like it anymore.

  I also eschew those that wear their superfine faith so blatantly. I'm impressed that you restrained yourself with the orange cloaked lady.

  You said: (People should) give it (handouts) to people who genuinly can't help themselves.

  I felt good giving a guy outsitde of Trader Joes some money, which is something I would have NEVER done as a JW, he was asking money for tents and tarps and other essentials for homeless vets. I talked to him for awhile. I asked him where do they (homeless guys) stay. He said: anywhere there are some woods, especially near a Walmart or a conveinance store where they can get a little something to drink (smiles). But, he said, we don't just want to give them the tent, we try to pull them in so we can help change their life around.

  I was glad he didn't say God Bless you when I left. He said We love ya.
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  doofdaddy

  I agree Hortensia. The "Tibetan" buddhists in my town walking around with their loud robes and noses in the air always give me a giggle. The same with the sad looking monks they bring out from India to chant like side show acts for the Westerners. Why can't us Westerners just let religion go and strive to be moral individuals without all the ridiculous trappings? I could guess and say no ego petting in that.

  From my travels in buddhist countries I have seen women treated as very second class, including the buddhists nuns who eat when the men are finished (Thailand) and who hold no positions of power. I didn't see too many women in the Dalai Lama's temple in Daramsala either (like none in the ceremony), so do these maroon robed women (Tibetan and as I recall the women wear white not orange like the men in Thailand) realise they have joined the Eastern equivalent of the catholic church?
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  sooner7nc

  Thanks Jgnat Now I'm going to have to go to the knifemaking shop (my garage) and make one of the things.

  It's called a Kiran by the way.

  

  Regarding the OP, Buddhism is the only religion I've looked at that ever appealed to me.
• 

  Satanus

  Another facet of buddhism is the vipassana centers. Its a 10 or 11 day meditation program. It can be free, from what i was told, ie, at the end, the person gives what they want. This program is credited w helping a lot of people. It was used in some prisons, until there were complaints about religion being promoted by govt. Apparently, many prisoners' lives were improved by the methods used.

  S