Every-day teachings from life

Friend, i can accept this as response to question asked, and let it go. Metta to all.

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I don’t know what you let go of, but any letting go goes fine, friend :slight_smile:

I’ve altered one word in the below quote, to make it fit my own experience in a monastery

Noble Silence :slight_smile: Absence of gossip and chit chat :slight_smile:

Being used to absolute quiet, the meal time dana was pretty overwhelming. Many people used the occasion to catch up with each other and share the ‘gossip’. I also noticed that there were far more women than men present, especially on the weekdays. The chit chat is not restricted to women, men do it just as much, but there were more women present, as they mostly (80%+) undertook the duty of cooking and providing food for the monks. Earning much merit :slight_smile:

But lay visitors to the monastery are not arahats, many do not even keep the precepts, but they all admire and support the monks. They are at the beginning of the journey, and they provide ample opportunity for the monks to develop their skills in practice. Or one can block the ears or stay away etc :slight_smile: I’ve noticed that individuals (Bikkhus and Bikkhunis) use different methods at different times.

As far as stereotyping for humour, I’ve been ‘guilty’ of that too. such as Man-Flu, Man-cleaning, a Man-look (ie not finding something when it’s in front of ones face), Man-splaining… Of course, while these have enough of an echo of truth to be recognisable, they are only stereotypes, and don’t really exist.

I’ve recently been considering humour, and wondering why my sense of humour has almost disappeared. I’ve come to the conclusion that, while meant to be light-hearted and amusing, most humour has at it’s core a seed of negativity. It is only a small proportion of humour that is wholly pure.

A teaching from life for me has been to become more mindful, recognise types humour for what it is, and to become altered to such an extent, that I no longer share in the type of humour that most of my friends and family do. However, I still laugh and laugh at funny (non-harmful) animal videos :joy: And of course I get to have a good laugh at my sometimes silly self! :upside_down_face:

Metta to all beings
:anjal::dharmawheel:

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It’s just adorable … and now, when the system is working perfect, God made an even bigger idiot, just to prove me wrong

Close to enlightenment last winter, and after a long stretch of deep meditations (insights swarming like bees), - deciding to visit my ajahn in the forest - you know, “reporting back to base” … And as all of us enlightened, or close to the same, I kept myself very noble and silent when i exchanged greetings with base camp - one look should do it! :anjal:
The ajahn and abbot did see something …, but maybe not what i was seeing so clearly and dearly, felt like a little parsley leaf, very sweet … oh, it’s so blissful …"bla bla bla in the sky " … :wink:
The abbot suggested that I wanted a cup of tea, and invited me to his kuti for a some noble chit chat, I guessed … (oh yes, he knows, tralala …:slight_smile: )

And there, outside his kuti a little mountain of snow colored in many shades of yellow’ish, and in a perfect distance from the door … I almost threw up inside my perfect world … all that was noble gone, and the only thing left was “piss” - the ajahn pissed on my enlightenment … oh, my god … how disappointing
I don’t remember the taste of the tea, or what we talked about, - where so busy with contemplating “piss”, you see … And on my drive home, I was pretty upset with such a useless monk …

Maybe this is not funny, and maybe there is no such thing as good honest humor, but when I sit writing stuff like this, I smile all the way - maybe a happy idiot, there are a few of us also … And I don’t intend to make people smile, I just hope they are able to use their scrolling function, if things feels not right …

Have a nice day!

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Dear one, what i let go of was, why did you share the stoey of the question you asked and for which a monk gave you an answer. I did not understand the point, so i asked. :slight_smile: Perhaps not a good habit.

Thank you for causing examination of concern. Not quite done, but may it be of benefit, or harmless. :slight_smile:

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I still don’t get it, and it seems like it wont be let go of either … :wink:

The op is: Every-day teachings from life

And maybe add that making oneself absolutely clear when the language is a bit of a struggle is a constant “fear” when trying to express one’s heart. Maybe this place isn’t the right place for directness, or a bit of fierceness, , or God forbid; humor (no Arahat smile), - and that is very fine, because it just confirms this ongoing stream of consciousness that already prefers solitude (maybe to much, maybe not …), - your on course!, just like our Doctor has prescribed :slight_smile:

And then it’s time for saying thank you to all of you who scrutinizes me, because it makes me hurry up!, some more …
:anjal:

My aim is true!

  • Elvis Costello
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I was certainly chuckling along with you… :rofl: Your story reminded me of Ajahn Chah’s story via Ajahn Brahm of ‘3 little farts’!

I hope that this can still be the case - it just gets difficult because of the diverse cultural differences in these areas. These things tend to get misunderstood across cultures and by individuals within their cultural context.
I try to wear it lightly and when I don’t understand, and before making a judgement, decide to skim over it. After-all others may understand it and derive benefit.

Sometimes it is astonishing to me how well we all communicate - given the vast differences between each of us :grinning: It is a wonderful thing.
:anjal::dharmawheel:

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with moderators like a :peach:, how could it be permanent :cloud: here,
and with minds as empty as a :wastebasket:, possibilities of reaching a being :unlock:, doesn’t seam unrealistic to this little :egg:

Have a nice day!
:slight_smile:

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There is one returning situation I tend to present when i meet somebody with a clear and firm understanding of what is the solutions for the world we stumble around in, - trying to grab ourselves some happiness and off course, be on the winning team

In this western country of mine, we seem to agree on stopping evil deeds, like barrel bombs in Syria …

https://img.thebaghdadpost.com/Content/Upload/slider/12201726122841797902417.jpg

And who could or would disagree to this?

But later we cheer each other forward (like on facebook) in doing a collective effort in correcting the world a bit closer to where we really experiences our reality, - murdering these little creatures:
https://www.viivilla.no/contentassets/a9e21c710fd742b28b8f251689504f4d/brunsnegle_felle.jpg

After the carnage, we meet again on facebook, and the one with most “scalps” get applause and likes.

I haven’t met one single person in this old country of mine, who could explain his or her way out of this mess, a mess you and I make every day. We say that violence is over there somewhere, and bypasses that that which sees the violence sees violence through tainted glasses smeared with bits and pieces from slugs blown up in my own backyard …

Never experienced war directly, only by screens and loudspeakers have i heard of such hell, but they drive me mad and scares the hell in me …

Edit: sat thinking about “meet again” … yeah, how many more times, and what number is this meeting for consciousness spiraling on and on …