I'm finding that there's something I really need to work on. I seem to be balanced and mindful at home and at work (though there's still plenty of room for improvement), but when I break my routine I often fall right back to my old bad habits. It's not a big deal, and in fact I'd be very surprised if I had achieved that kind of balance in every environment so quickly and easily. At least I know what I have to work on.
I still don't fully understand the idea of becoming a monk. To me, it seems like stepping away from conventional life in order to better cope with it, then never coming back. Couldn't you do more good for the world by being more involved in it? I guess if I understood, I'd be a monk myself.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I think you're confusing "the" with "a". I'm sure the monks have a world also. It may be just a little different, and maybe not even so much. Just because someone isn't experiencing your life, doesn't mean that they're not experiencing life.
I doubt their world is separate from ours. We're all here.
-nathan
No confusion, just a terminology difference. They are experiencing a life in a world, but it's a much more controlled and limited life than most of us experience. It could be a very good life, in its way, but I suspect most of us get a lot more variety in our lives than they do.
Again, it's a different choice than I'd make, which doesn't necessarily make it a wrong choice for someone else.
I don't see their life as completely different than anyone elses. heck, you and I are probably as "controlled" by whatever forces, as much as they are. Heck, 'specially now, the "modern world" and monks, buddhist monks in particular are kinda meeting it head on. I don't see them as always existing in this ivory tower where nothing can ever harm them. I'm not going to call anyone's life limited or limtless. We're all creatures of habit, I'm not sure how varied my daily or weekly experiences are. I'm not sure how much variety we really do get, and how much "they" don't. You could go to the furthest reaches of the earth and still take nothing from it. You've got to really look at it from a person to person basis. I don't think all monks behave in "one true way". I'm sure alot of monks get called to do it, they may not view their decision as a "choice". I'd think you'd almost have to have a really strong commitment. I doubt there are just monks out there who dig the robes, but who knows, maybe their are?
I wonder if your life(Scott's) would really have to change all that much in order to become a monk. They're allowed to marry, and have sex. I'm sure you'd have to commit more time to service, but I just wonder to "qualify" for such a thing, if there is even a qualification, would ya have to change all that much what you're doing now? Hmm
-Nathan
Post a Comment