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path to truth - diary of a Buddhist nun
The Buddha said:
So hard to see, so very, very subtle, alighting wherever it likes: the mind. The wise should guard it. The mind protected brings ease.
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About
- Phalañānī
- former actrice and comedian for a long time quit stage and audience some years ago to live a peaceful and quiet life in a small village in spain. Actually i'm ordained as a theravada buddhist nun.
Readers
Karania Metta Sutta
This is what should be done By one who is skilled in goodness, And who knows the path of peace: Let them be able and upright, Straightforward and gentle in speech, Humble and not conceited, Contented and easily satisfied, Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways. Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful, Not proud or demanding in nature. Let them not do the slightest thing That the wise would later reprove. Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be; Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, The great or the mighty, medium, short or small, The seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away, Those born and to-be-born — May all beings be at ease! Let none deceive another, Or despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill-will Wish harm upon another. Even as a mother protects with her life Her child, her only child, So with a boundless heart Should one cherish all living beings; Radiating kindness over the entire world: Spreading upwards to the skies, And downwards to the depths; Outwards and unbounded, Freed from hatred and ill-will. Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down Free from drowsiness, One should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views, The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision, Being freed from all sense desires, Is not born again into this world.
5 comments:
You're incredible. I just read your posts in E Sangha and then I was directed here.
I am thinking to enter a monastery too but I cannot abandon my cat.. I am having the same struggle as you had..
May you attain Nibbana in this very life.
In Dhamma,
Andrew
Dear andrew,
the way we walk is difficult and stony. It's not easy to go it. Especially in the beginning one struggles all the time.
Let me entrust you that is getting easier the more you practice.
I still suffer a lot when I think of the "my" dog. It cannot stay with my mother longer then one year which ends in june. I have no idea what to do ...
But! Ordain! Don't let a pet or anything else hold you back. If you want to do it for the practice, for the buddha and the dhamma [and not cause you're just lazy and tired to do your job], don't waste this chance, this life.
You're a man for you it's much easier. well, at least the formal part, being ordained, being accepted. you can go everywhere, choose your teacher as you wish, study dhamma with a teacher without restrictions, be part of the sangha, receive a lot of support, and so forth.
Women can not - and yet I would say it's worth being ordained and live the holy life. [even if I desrobe I would say so]
Where do you want to ordain, in thailand? Have you selected a monastery already?
Thank you for your wishes. May every step you make lead you towards nibbana.
Phalanyani
Dear Phalanyani,
Thank you for your reply.
I hope everything there is going well and I will send blessings to you. Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of any help. I am from Asia but I live in England. If you miss anything from Europe, I will be glad to send it to you in Thailand.
You raised a very interesting and important point about ordain. Mostly I want to ordain because I want to engage in full time practice. However, I must admit partly, I am very tired in seeking all the worldly things like money etc -- After a few months' meditation, I just start to think money, fame, status etc are really pointless.
However, I am really determiend to become a monk. I am trying to get the permissions from my parents and also I'll have to pay off my debt first.
After that, I am thinking to ordain in Thailand. I still don't know which monastery I want to stay. I am planning (when I earn enough money to fly to Thailand!) to visit some monasteries and see what they are like. I will certainly keep you posted.
Regarding your message about female practitioners (Mae Chee?), I will certainly keep this in mind. If I am able to, I will certainly support them, knowing that it is more difficult for them.
No matter if you disrobe or not, you have already entered the right path and you can always practice at home too. We can always lead a holy and simple life even as lay persons. (more difficult though!)
I just want to let you know if you need anything, eg sponsoring your flight etc, please do not hesitate to let me know.
I wish you well.
Yours in Dhamma,
Andrew
Lawstu.uk@gmail.com
Dear andrew,
Thank you very, very much for your offering to support me. I already said some blessings for you. Let's hope i'll never need to make use of it.
Actually, yes, every thing goes well here.
After a few month only of meditation you are almost ready to leave householder's life? You're blessed. May you be able to get rid of your depths and start to live the chaste life soon.
Keep me informed about your plans to come to thailand. You should come to visit us here.
How old are you? What kind of meditation are you practicing?
With grateful greetings and another blessing for you
Phalanyani
Hello Ven. Phalanyani,
Sorry that I have not replied to your message earlier. I have had some allergy and the medication is making me drowsy.
I went to London yesterday to meet a friend and well, London is busy :-) I used to love and love London -- good food, great night life, lots of shopping etc. Now, it is no differece than the town I live in -- sufferings are sufferings no matter where you go.
I am 30 years old. I learned meditation from a local Thai monastery Cittaviveka. They taught me to observe the abdomenal rising and falling in the first thirty minutes. Then I start to feel my body sensation for 30 minutes -- any itch, cold, touch etc. Then I start to be aware of the sounds for thirty minutes -- no matter internal or external, far or close etc. And don't judge. Just take it as it is. In the final 30 minutes, they asked me to note the thoughts coming and going -- I found this the most difficult.
I did that for one hour for a few weeks and then I met a monk who is a student of Mahasi. He told me I should do the walking meditation and that Ananda was enlightened when he did the walking meditation and when he was mindful switching from walking to lying down.
So I started to do walking meditation and togetehr with Mahasi's 'naming method' -- to name something before I do it.
This has proven to be most helpful.. I just felt so strange after doing this for a while, feeling that I am all detached from my body in a way and then I am all detached to the world..
But, I haven't engaged in any formal practice for a few weeks now -- I've had really bad allergy since I came back from Asia to England in Feb...
I always wanted to be a monk even when I was a kid. I felt those monks and nuns were so friendly and approachable. (I am from Taiwan) I just felt very familiar.
But right now, I am more clear about my paths, especially knowing worldly stuff like money and power or reputation. Yesterday's trip to London, made me feel like an alien....
Still, as I mentioned, I need to explore a few things first -- I want to know if I am trying to escape and I still have great attachment to my pet. What's more, my parents have said no to me to become a monk and I will probably need their written permission to become a monk in Thailand.
Which temple/retreat centre are you staying in Thailand? I would be very interested in finding a place where I can practice in Thailand.
Let's keep in touch. Do you have an email address? You can email me your email address to mine at Lawstu.uk@gmail.com
With Dhamma,
Andrew
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