Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
Would you trade your current lifestyle for a monastic life?
Think about it. Don't just answer yet. A monastic life style includes lots of free time to read, study, eat healthy, meditate, teach, recite, travel, friendship, peace, and lots of knowledge. Would you be willing to give up your life for the pursuit of wisdom?
Ever thought about becoming a monk? (which religion doesn't matter) Would you consider renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote one's life to spiritual work?
Note: Do not include the subject of love in the discussion. Let's make the discussion challenging.
Gender: Male Location: Southern Oregon,
Looking at you.
I have given it thought and it would be very challenging for me, I am so flawed, but it would be a chance for me to become less flawed. So, at this time in my life, I do not know.
Re: Would you trade your current lifestyle for a monastic life?
I think I did that in my last life....OH...you mean now?
Eating healthy.....done
Free time to read, study......done
Meditate......done
Teach.........ah, done
Travel......would like to do more.
Friendship, peace and lots of knowledge....well, it depends on who you talk to.....
I don't want to be a monk, But I watch him on TV....
Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
With today's fast pace world and work hours some people don't have all those things deb.
Not that I'm encouraging people to become monks. But rather ask the question. Would you be willing to trade your current lifestyle for a full spiritual experience?
The only thing in life that keeps us all equal is how much time we have in a day. At the end of the day its all about who you share it with and what you do with that that truly defines you.
I would not become a monk because that's not how I would define fullfillment for me. Alot of what you defined in a monastic life can be achieved with being a "monk."
I think being a Bhikkhuni would have its great rewards. But even though a Buddhist, I am a woman, and I would encounter much prejudice and discrimination based on my sex.
I would like to give up all and persue life of knowledge and enlightement - helping people, meditating, reading, udnerstanding myself as well as others.
I don't know if I would be able to, but I believe it would be nice idea. Possibly untill i master dettachment and understanding of impermanace of everything, I would not be a good candidate.
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في هذا العالم ثلاثة أشخاص أفسدوا البشرية : راعي غنم , طبيب و راكب الجمال , و راكب الجمال هو أسوأ نشال و أسوأ مشعوذ بين الثلاثة
I think every aspect of this life is about spirituality itself, it is not something reserved to monks only. Everything I do in my life has something to do with spirituality, and I would become a monk if the only thing in question was spirituality, but I think some of us have spiritual work to do here outside temples too.
To achieve spiritual fulfillment we must learn with the challenges that mundane life brings to us... sometimes I feel that becoming a monk and staying in a monastery all the day will be like fleeing from our challenges. Maybe thats not valid to everyone, but in my case it is.
Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
What? there is discrimination and prejudice in the Buddhist religion? Hmm...but even despite the odds. I'm sure that wouldn't stop anyone from their pursuit of spirituality.
As for me and the idea of becoming a monk...well, when I was 24 it was consider and even had an interest in a christian monaticism. However, I had to recognize myself and then reconsider that there is no way I would fit in. I'm usually materialistic and also passionate about certain things. I feel that becoming a monk requires a great amount of discipline and dedication. Even though, I like the former and the latter. I just couldn't do it. Not because I'm not up to the challenge...but because I feel it wasn't meant for me to do it in the first place.
Besides, wherever I would travel, as a female monk, i would be discriminated, be it a Hinbdu country, Muslim country or Christian country there would be many things that would be restricted to me as a woman. Thats a fact.
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في هذا العالم ثلاثة أشخاص أفسدوا البشرية : راعي غنم , طبيب و راكب الجمال , و راكب الجمال هو أسوأ نشال و أسوأ مشعوذ بين الثلاثة
no, no wanking lifestyle for any ideology would substitute the real life, those who choose to go into solitary living are nothing but big ass looses of life
Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
Nice to see finti back. But I'll disagree...those who choose to be monks aren't losers in life...they happen to be humble people. At least the couple of ones I met in my life. Can't really make a case for the rest.
KMC Community Forums
Nov 22nd, 2005 05:21 PM
Not at all! There are probaley certain good points about it... But I wouldn't consider it at all 
