Buddhism Travel

Of course it is possible. I'd imagine that you'd start by finding the closest monasteries to you, and then either calling them or visiting in person to ask and join. Unless there is some language problem, or you've found a very unfriendly monastery, I think they'd be all for having additional members.

If you mean join a monastery, as in become a monk, then I think it would be more difficult. There are plenty of American's who got big into Buddhism in the 60's or 70's and became monks though, so it"s definitely possible. I'd start by visiting a bunch of monasteries and talk to the people there about it. They could tell you what this involve and you can gauge their response. I would imagine that more progressive monasteries would be easier to pursue this at but IDK.

Why do you want to join a Zen Buddhist monastery anyways?

>>798400
He probably watched a movie about monks and kung fu and now wants to become one

>>798389
Not sure how much you already know, but the monk pictured is from Thailand, where Zen Buddhism isn't really a thing.
Why Zen in particular?
/r/buddhism on Reddit is actually pretty good if you cant get past being a 4chan elitist.

>>798389
Op be prepared for lots of pussy!

Monks score hot chicks on a regular basis!

>>798424
That has to be a myth

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>>798481
> projecting your sexual incompetence

Why do you think Budda is always smiling?

>>798389
How is this /out/ related?

>>798628
I'm married and have fucked more beautiful women In a month than you have in your life.... also, is this /out related? I mean, is a garden of meditation really /out?

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>>799467
>I'm married and have fucked more beautiful women In a month than you have in your life

>>799467
Is it hard to balance school and marriage? Summer break probably gives you the time you need to fuck more girls than anon.

>>798389
Go out into the woods and sit still for 4 uninterrupted hours to see if the monk life is for you. If you had a good time then do >>798400
start at a small local monastery and once you've established yourself in the community see about joining some higher tier places for farther enlightenment.
Also 10/10 would recommend trying LSD at some point, wouldn't hurt

>>798424
>he lives to be noticed by a few girls


being such a beta. just end your self.

>>799756
>Also 10/10 would recommend trying LSD at some point, wouldn't hurt
The psychedelic experience is a doorway which leads to a hallway which leads to only what you want to find within yourself.

In other terms, a drug is nothing but a high-yield (fast but not perfect) technique to reach partly what your reason and heart cannot achieve fully in your opinion. If anything, it is a total lack of confidence in your reason and in your abilities to philosophy to be at ease with life; ease which remains unlikely, given that the choice of doing these drugs with the goal of opening your awareness and opening your mind is already a sign of close-mindedness and poor ability to reflect.

>>798481
> one night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble

Never forget.

>>799956
I was once given a book titled, "Everything You Need To Know".

I opened it and there was only a mirror.

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>>798389
there is no morality as you think of it in the dhamma.
in the dhamma, there is a polarization of thoughts, speech, act:
-you have the pole of the material hedonist
-you have the pole of the spiritual hedonist
-you have the pole of nibanna

the goal is to understand
-that you begin as material hedonist
-that material hedonism is just here to support spiritual hedonism [=the jhanas, samatha]
-the jhanas are here to support the vision of the dhamma
-so far you have pure faith and you try to understand the dhamma (and fail)
-once you see the dhamma, you lose faith to gain certainty, you stop reflecting on all the dhamma and start practicing the dhamma
you go deeper into tranquility and paramitas, precisely because you know that what you feel and think is rubbish to be happy (and that rituals will never get you anything by themselves, that you must do the work yourself]
-then you have nibanna

what people call morality is ''the tranquility and paramitas towards what they think *is not* their self'' and what people call meditation is ''the tranquility and paramitas towards what they think *is* their self''.

>>800013
*dharma

faggot.

tibetans are smart to dilute the dhamma for the normies, since the theravadan are less appealing to normies.

the goal of Normies is to be tibetans

the goal of tibetans is to be theravadans

the goal of theravadans is nibbana.


normies love to think of themselves as followers of buddhism, while still being total normies

tibetans monk are pleased because they have followers while doing a bit of the dhamma

theravadan monks are pleased because they do not have do deal with most of the normies (especially the western normies who love tibetans)

>>800082
what about vajrayanas
always seemed like the memest buddhist school to me

>>799996
Got handed a similar book by some lady at the mall only it was titled "what Jesus died for"

>>800254
Nice.

Now I want one titled:

"The Man With the Biggest Dick in the WORLD!".

the more I think about nibanna, the more I see it has dump a poo.
at first, you do not know that you have poo in you
then you notice it
you understand that you just need to let it go
then you clearly feel it ready to leave
once it left, you know that it left and you feel light and serene.

>>800463
(You)

>>800481
I do not display the you.
but here is yours
(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)(You)

>>799756
Size or popularity has nothing to do with the quality of the teaching. Find somewhere that seems legit and has a teacher you can understand.

>>798389
Enjoy hell you heretic

The one I know of in San Diego lets people try it out. They really emphasize that it's not as awesome as it sounds, and let you try becoming a monastic for a year before really committing.

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>>798389
I have a rich cousin who's grandmother knew a very wealthy doctor that opened a clinic at a Tibetan Monestary in northern India. He's there for 6 months teachig english and learning to be a buddhist Monk, shaved head and everything. His brother died of cancer last year so he's really trying to "find himself" as he told me. We joke that he's going away to Bhutan to join the League of Shadows like Bruce Wayne.

He had to wait a couple years to do so because the bearacracy of the Indian government is so fucking corrupt, that getting a long stay visa there is next to impossible, and the situation is similar in other surrounding countries.

So basically connections and a lot of money are very helpful.

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There is actually a Buddhist monastery in one of the best regions in my province for hiking/camping. Shambala not Zen though. South is a large national park, and north is basically pristine uninhabited wilderness and undeveloped rocky coast.

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Hi Anon, your topic made me think of a book I read. "A Search In Secret India" by Paul Brunton. In it the author describes his search for real spiritual masters. He finally encounters Sri Ramana Maharshi, the enlightened Indian sage. You might enjoy the book,as well as Ramanas teachings.

>>801629
Not OP here but id like to know more about your monastery. What's its name. What is it like living there, if you know. Nice pic too. Wouldn't mind going /out there.

>>801837
http://desu-usergeneratedcontent.xyz/his/image/1460/55/1460550159737.png


The_Mind_Illuminated_A_Complete_Meditation_Guide_Integrating_Buddhist_Wisdom_and_Brain_Science_-_Yates,_Culadasa_John

One day religious people will learn the dhamma and samatha mediation, instead of analyzing whatever they feel and think through their deities, so that they will go beyond their fist and second jhanas. Fourth jhana is the the best pleasure that you can reach before nibanna and too many people, religious or no, stay stuck at the first two.

>>799956
Spoken like a true person who has never tried psychedelic drugs.

>>801843
>but MAN you SO don't GET it ! I saw the light and like, it went into my brain and I Like was GOD you know ???

>>799954
> hostile in a Buddism thread

Somebody isn't getting laid.

>>801832
Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton.

>>801880
Doesn't it sound fun? How utterly boring if everyone followed your "open-mindedness"

You don't need drugs to become closer to God.

Drugs only increase your separation from God.

Drugs only feed your ego.

>>801920
>Drugs only feed your ego.

Explain.

>>798389
When I went to Nepal there were a bunch of foreign monks at a monastery I visited in Kathmandu, I have no idea if it was Zen though.

>>801920
>Drugs only feed your ego.
from someone whos never done mushrooms

>>801926
There is only one issue, your separation from God.

Your ego tells ypu every lie it knows you want to believe to reenforce that separation.

Including telling you that you can't find God just by being yourself. You aren't good enough, smart enough, complete enough to be closer to God as you are.

When your separation from God is diminished, you don't need drugs to see God in all others.

is the only goal.

>>801931
Actually, many times. And LSD and peyote.

Clean since 2008.

>>801880
That's not it.

You won't understand without trying psychedelics though.

>>801920
>>801933

God isn't real.The fact you need to believe in God reinforces just how strongly your ego exists.

Psychedelics have a shared common experience called "ego death"; through psychedelics you will learn that everything is connected. Your consciousness is literally just a byproduct of your body; you are just a hallucination. Everything is interconnected as one big whole; we believe we're all "seperate" because of our consciousness but consciousness is an illusion; ultimately we're all just food for the next link in the chain; we are small cogs in a huge self sustaining framework of life.


If you believe in God then you must believe in a soul right?

>>801937
I for one refuse to argue with drug addict heathens.

However, your ego is telling you there is no God because it wants you to remain here and do it all over again in the next life.

> protip: your ego is not your friend

>>801940
How I can do it all again the next life? What do you define as "me"?

What reincarnates? Please enlighten me. I study neuroscience so lets debate this.

What exactly reincarnates and where is the evidence? How is reincarnation relevant to new life being born?

>>801942
Pass.

I am not disposed to feed my ego by proving anything or by disproving you.

If I can see the Light of Christ shining through you, I'm ok.

>>801947
Exactly what I thought. Bury your head in the sand Bruv.

>>801950
> ego driven to prove

Your ego won't let you believe I just don't care what you think you know.

I don't.

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>>801986
It's nothing to do with my ego; it's simply total disdain at the fact you can live your life completely ignoring reality.

But hey believe in whatever fairytales help you sleep at night Bruv.

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>>802005

>>802007
Charles Whitman went on a shooting spree, before being shot dead by Police. Up until this point he had been a model citizen.

He left a note asking for his brain to be examined after his death because recently he didn't feel himself and was plagued by dark thoughts.

It turned out he had a brain tumor which was pressing against his amygdala; this was making him more aggressive and was responsible for turning him into a murderer.


Would he still be going to hell seeing as how he wasn't actually willfully responsible for his actions? Would your god condemn him in such a way? Would his ghost no longer be so angry seeing as how he was seperate from his physical body thus making him seperate from his tumor?

Your prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision making; if it's damaged it can changed your ENTIRE character including impulse control and decision making. Would this mean your soul has fundamentally changed? If you died in this state what happens to your ghost? Is he still affected by brain damage? What about if you die while under the influence of psychedelics or anti depressents?

Your entire identity is made up of neurons.

Please explain, where is your soul?

>>802013
You would have so many questions if you weren't feeling your separation.

Your ego is causing your doubt.

>>802013
It's almost like your consciousness is a result of many systems you don't have control over. Weird, huh?

>>802018
My doubt in what? God?

You've already referred to Jesus Christ so I'm assuming we're going with the christian version of God.

The lack of solid evidence is responsible for the mass disbelief in God. I have no questions about my own belief; I am questioning your belief and how you can completely ignore modern science and instead bury your head in the sand.

It's that kind of thinking which got our species into this mess. Religion has slowed our progression drastically throughout history; and you're actively encouraging belief in something which has absolutely no evidence relative to something like neuroscience and biology which can completely explain the facts of life.

>>802029
Yes! Thats exactly it.

We have absolutely no control over our consciousness; our brain has completely control over "us" and our ego/consciousness is just a hallucination, an illusion making us think we're actively making a choice when in reality our brain is making that choice for us based on past experiences and the strength of different neural pathways.

I do not understand how that could extend to a soul though? Especially when parts of our brain can be pinpointed to explain different parts of our identity.

The same for biology; the entire process of the creation of life and the creation of consciousness could be explained through reproduction in biology. There is absolutely no evidence for a soul or a spirit at all.

>>802013
There is no point arguing with them, they believe in magic.

It is like yelling at a dog to not be scared during a thunderstorm, you will just scared them further into thinking the way they do.

>>802030
> completely

>>802042
Yes completely. Open a book faggot.

>>802046
> I know all

Ego ego ego...

>>802050
You've been saying the exact same thing. The hypocrisy is hilarious.

When I first started to read about dhyana meditation, the very first thing I wanted to know about was: "What did it feel like when one had accessed a dhyana state." Because I knew that if I could answer that question, then I would be able to gain access to it AT WILL. I just needed to KNOW (from direct experience) what they were talking about. Then I could figure out how to get there.
>
>Oddly enough, one of the best clues as to what this state was like came from reading the Mahasaccaka Sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya (MN 36). It told about the occasion when Gotama himself first realized that the dhyana state might be a pathway to enlightenment. But it also gave me a clue as to how that state was materialized, and just exactly what it was! An extract from that passage follows below:
>
>31. "I considered: 'I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.[389] Could that be the path to enlightenment?' Then, following on that memory, came the realization: 'That is the path to enlightenment.'
>32. "I thought: 'Why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states?' I thought: 'I am not afraid of that pleasure since it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures and unwholesome states.'[390]
>

>>802074
>Footnotes
>389. MA: During the Bodhisatta's boyhood as a prince, on one occasion his father led a ceremonial ploughing at a traditional festival of the Sakyans. The prince was brought to the festival and a place was prepared for him under a rose-apple tree. When his attendants left him to watch the ploughing ceremony, the prince, finding himself all alone, spontaneously sat up in the meditation posture and attained the first jhana through mindfulness of breathing.
>
>390. This passage marks a change in the Bodhisatta's evaluation of pleasure;now it is no longer regarded as something to be feared and banished by the practice of austerities, but, when born of seclusion and detachment, is seen as a valuable accompaniment of the higher stages along the path to enlightenment. See MN 139.9 on the twofold division of pleasure.
>
>I recalled experiences from my childhood when I experienced a pleasant sensation in my head when I would swing on those leather saddle swings in a park that allowed you a nice long back swing and a long forward swing. It gave the sensation of being able to fly through the air. There were other instances where I recalled just calmly watching something (some peaceful event or other, could be just about anything) which I became absorbed in and a tingling sensation would arise inside the top of my head. That was what Gotama was talking about. (You see what I mean about reading the suttas; there are little clues there that can help you put two and two together.)

Similar experiences of concentration occurred when I would be reading an interesting book and became unmindful of the time that had passed because I had become so absorbed in reading the book. Just this is CONCENTRATION (also known as samadhi)! That pleasant absorption in an object of interest. Most people can point to having experienced similar occurrences.
>

>>802075
>Of course you are correct in saying that you "can't force it," meaning dropping down into an absorption state, or a similar state known as appana samadhi or fixed concentration. Appana samadhi is what I practice now. It allows one to use contemplation (insight meditation) in order to examine and analyze any object (or mental subject, like the teachings of the Dhamma) that one wishes to observe in order to gather more details about it.
>
>In order to reach a state of appana samadhi, the best foreplay for that state is being able to attain to the fourth dhyana. The fourth dhyana is extremely quiet and profoundly peaceful and is the doorway to being able to attain to the four (or five, the fifth being the "cessation of perception and feeling" or sanna-vedayita-nirodha) immaterial dhyanas. Incidently, it is not necessary that one necessarily experience the immaterial dhyanas in pursuit of awakening. Being able to attain the first four are all that is necessary. Because they help one develop samadhi.
>
>In order to have access to these states, as a meditator, one just has to be patient and relaxed and allow them to come to you, then not become overly excited when they do occur because you might upset them if you allow the mind too much movement. Once a meditator has experienced the fourth dhyana, it may occur to him that this is a stable enough state from which to use contemplation (or insight methods of meditation). And he may grow weary of having to go through the previous three stages of dhyana in order to obtain that fourth state. That is when he figures out that he can go directly to appana samadhi at the very start of his sit, and be there within two or three breaths. And then he is off to the races!

>The fourth dhyana (from my experience) is a state where the meditator enters a profound state of tranquility where, unless the mind provokes them into existence, thoughts do not arise and one's awareness is only focused on the utter non-movement of the mind and the peace that this brings. When you get enough of that, though, mental inertia carries you over into something more meaningful wherein the mind is encouraged to engage in movement and thought. And this is when one can begin a practice in a more profound insight contemplation on matters pertaining to the Dhamma that Gotama taught.
>
>Yet, it stands to reason that one should be able to contemplate these subtle teachings by just applying their own waking consciousness to these matters and to reap the same rewards as during meditation contemplation. So, it seems to me that any attention at all directed toward the Dhamma and its deeper understanding would be well worth the time spent, no matter whether one was a master in meditation or not. If you get around to reading Bhikkhu Bodhi's writings, you will find someone who understands the Dhamma quite well from an academic standpoint. I find it hard to believe that that hasn't also translated into a profound integration of the Dhamma into his psyche and personality. It is well known that Bodhi has suffered from migraine headaches all his life, and as a result has not always been able to perform a fruitful meditation practice. Do you see the implication? (I'm certain you do.)
>

>The cultivation (bhavana) of the mind in meditation practice, however, is useful in helping the practitioner carry forward that tranquility into his waking consciousness in the form of a state called passaddhi which just means "calmness" or "tranquility" which permeates the mind of the practitioner after sitting meditation. When I experienced this in my own practice, the description of "a profound inner peace" came to mind as a better definition of this word. When you can extend this passaddhi or calmness for one, two, three hours or more after meditation and between sits, then you are in the midst of mastering mindfulness on a more or less uninterrupted basis in your conscious life. This, from my personal experience, is the pinnacle of the fruit of a meaningful practice in meditation.

>So you see meditation, in and of itself, does not guarantee anyone enlightenment. It is what one does (in terms of investigation into the Dhamma) with the condition that these states provide for the stable mental landscape of the mind as a result of a fruitful practice in meditation that makes the difference!

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>>802051
> lying

This is why it is so pointless to even try with drug addict, heathen egomaniacs.

At no point have I ever claimed complete knowledge, as you have.

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hedonism is the opposite of the dhamma

>Is hedonism a "valid" philosophy as long as the person practicing it has enough foresight?


the dhamma is about the failure of hedonism. what is hedonism ?
-to have pleasures
-to have pains
-to fancy pleasures
-to hate pains
- fancy pleasures and hate pains to the point of taking them seriously, in saying that they matter.
because you take seriously what you feel, your deliriums form your mind and your consciousness. you choose to care about all this, about what you think and feel, to the point that you choose to identify with all this.


once you understand that, in order to be happy, there is no point in clinging to your desires which are always fading, and uncontrollable, once you understand that no matter your behavior, there will never ever be a fix to your discomfort nor to your boredom, you dive deeper and deeper into a state of of stillness which installs equanimity+compassion (these words are the usual words describing the states).


for people saying that hedonism is relevant,
>life=what you feel+what you think+what you expect from your desires from what you feel and think
therefore,
>grade your desires
and
>non acting on your favorite desires = non life = death


hedonism is not an effective doctrine to be happy. Hedonists believe that you literally die if you ''do not think nor do feel''. They have faith that 'no moving' is death.

of course, doing the opposite brings you a better life:
>perpetual evanescence and lack of control of what you think and feel, therefore cannot be taken seriously (to be happy) => stay still towards what you think and feel.

Once you try to reach stillness, you are more equanimous and benevolent.

>>798389
Yes, if you are serious. Things to consider:

You will be agreeing to essentially disown your family, abstain from sex or masturbation, abstain from food prepared with spices, etc. to disown pleasure for the rest of your life.

Or you could just get a nice garden and meditate there while still enjoying material pleasures.

There is no point to persue bhuddism as an escapist fantasy, especially if you know nothing about it.

>>801906
Thank you for this. :-)

>>799996
I was once given a book with the same title.

I opened it and it said that you're gay, bitch.

Too much pastas in one thread

>>801934
If you really learned a lesson from LSD or shrooms you'd tell people it's something they have to experience personally instead of "drugs are bad mmkay".

>>799956
>what you want to find
Quit reading there. Also, LSD<Shrooms for a first timer. Acid can make you feel really fucked in the head..

>>801920
Bait... How does DMT remove you from God faggot?

>>802366
It's not permanent, you can leave whenever you want.

LSD really helps me personally. It is psychologically jarring, but it helps me wake up some thought processes that are normally shut off. I am bad with drugs though. I need to really quit them, and going back to LSD thinking it is helping me spiritually is wrong. All it does is stave off depression and angry, selfish thoughts.

If I was even a remotely good buddhist I would meditate in morning and night when I could, but I always find myself doing other things to keep myself distracted, drugs being one of them. I feel like once I finally have kicked this terrible lifelong weed habit I will be able to start doing other things with my time then sit on my couch confused looking at the computer and waiting for my next hit.

You guys are forgetting the importance of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the only thing that makes life worth living, most people do that by having children, and making as much money as they can to pass on to them. It's not the most spiritual path, but it isn't fully selfish either. Be prepared to sacrifice a lot more if you want to become a buddhist without children. You have to be mentally aware that you wish to end suffering in the world, which also means not creating more life.

>>803077
good goy

>>803162
>>803079
>>803077
D R U G G I E S
http://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/5731034

http://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/5373596

>>803165
https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/1qk7y9/having_children/

>>803318
>white normies trying to follow the dharma

>>801937
>God isn't real
stopped reading right there. Not even religious, but anyone that makes such a claim like this so easily is a moron

>>798389
Read "The Way of a Pilgrim". Christian but same idea.

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Op if you're serious about this I'd recommend first that you read some books about the different branches of buddhism, start going to a local center and don't get your infos on buddhism on 4chan.
If you still wanna do it, learn the language of the monastry you're going to.

Also remember that being a monk is not the only way to achieve enlightenment.

>>800054
Dhamma is the spelling used typically when referring to Theravadin doctrines as it is a phonetic translation of the Pali pronunciation while Dharma is with regards to those texts written in Sanskrit and so is typically referring Mahayana or later Buddhist texts.

>>798389
Hi Op, I've studied Buddhism for a while and I have a share a similar interest in joining the monastic community. Firstly, I suggest that you read up on actual Buddhist philosophy and the founding scriptures of each sect to really give you an idea of what Buddhism is really about and how each sect interprets the Buddha Dharma. Bhikkhu Bodhi is an invaluable resource for Buddhism as he is a Westerner who gained a doctorate in philosophy before becoming a Monk in the Theravadin school, and while he is a part of the Theravadin school he seems to be quite open to elaborating on ideas in the Mahayana.

Outside of reading I suggest that you take up meditation practice and even attempt a 10 day vipassana course which is the main form of Meditation used in Zen schools. I've heard from people that have gone through this course say it was the hardest thing they have ever done in their life and these were people that had climbed mountains, suffered severe paralysis and so on. If you can get through that and you get something worthwhile out of it that you wish to pursue further then do so.

A final thing that I have recognized is that most Monastic communities tend to have one for westerners and one for the locals.