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- 2:28
Now to me so much of what we call education today seems to be merely a conditioning of the mind where we are merely kind of putting suggestions and developing habits and patterns of thought in the minds of students. Mainly to fit them into a society or to a nation, to give them maybe the necessary information and the abilities, say, to deal with a profession or a job or some way to make a living in the future. Also, we see that so much of what we call education now is not really leading anyone forth, but rather driving them.
- 5:29
because leading forth implies a kind of gentleness doesn't it when you lead someone forth you're not driving them forcing them pushing them leading forth always implies a certain responsibility on the one who's leading that if you want to lead somebody you have to be worthy of their respect and trust to where they will follow otherwise you have to drive them forth or drive them out because even children
- 7:39
We've developed our discriminative abilities very highly. So we can conceive of the highest ideas. The finest goals, the ultimate attainments of a human being or of a society. But then the means that we use, how to lead forth, that sometimes we're lacking in the wisdom to know how to lead forth, how to educate the citizens of our country or even our own children or ourselves.
- 28:09
to be that which is worthy of respect. When you're worthy of respect, then what do you do? You have to live in a way that you can respect, that you can respect yourself. So to lead forth also involves a personal leading forth. You have to identify and look in your own self, in your mind, to find that which you can respect and to trust in that.
- 57:54
Education then, right education or perfect education would be that which would lead children, adults, citizens, students, lay people, Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Christians. Hindus, Muslims, the whole lot, lead them toward that which we have in common, rather than this discriminative function, emphasizing this by dwelling on how different we are, how much better or worse we are. Christianity, is it the only way, the only right way? That makes every other way wrong, doesn't it, when we think in terms of our way being the right way.
Transcript
0:00 Good afternoon. We have this opportunity to contemplate. As I've said before in previous talks, the purpose of these talks is to provide a kind of reflection. Report an error in the passage at 0:00
0:22 Reflective thought itself is we're taking a particular angle or position or subject and reflecting. On life, on experience, on existence, on the human problem, on our own humanity, on the society we live in from a particular aspect. So today's subject is on education. Report an error in the passage at 0:22
0:55 So what I will do is just to present some of my own thoughts on education coming from my own practice of the dharma. Report an error in the passage at 0:55
1:11 Because sometimes we never question, we don't look into these very obvious things such as what is education for? What is it supposed to do? What is it doing now for us? What should it be doing? And what can we do in regard to, say, if it's not right the way it is, how we can influence it so that they provide more What is needed? What is truly helpful for those being educated? The word itself is from Latin. Report an error in the passage at 1:11
1:54 To educate means to lead forth. The Latin word educare means to lead forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:54
2:09 Now that in itself is something to reflect on, to lead forth. Something that leads forth from what? What are we leading? When we're educating people, educating children or whoever, what is our intention? Report an error in the passage at 2:09
2:28 Now to me so much of what we call education today seems to be merely a conditioning of the mind where we are merely kind of putting suggestions and developing habits and patterns of thought in the minds of students. Report an error in the passage at 2:28
2:51 Mainly to fit them into a society or to a nation, to give them maybe the necessary information and the abilities, say, to deal with a profession or a job or some way to make a living in the future. Also, we see that so much of what we call education now is not really leading anyone forth, but rather driving them. Report an error in the passage at 2:51
3:22 It becomes compulsory, competitive, we're very much a competitive system where we put our children into situations where they develop competitive spirit. Report an error in the passage at 3:22
3:42 And the result then of this type of education that we have now, what is the result? We reflect on that. Do we like how our society is? The result of modern education please us. Is it of great benefit? Is it partly beneficial? Is it wholly beneficial or not beneficial at all? Report an error in the passage at 3:42
4:10 What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages? Now we can take a stand against say modern education in Britain and just throw up our hands and say it's all wrong, totally from the wrong place. Waste of time. Don't want my children to have anything to do with it. Just corrupts them, influences them in all the wrong ways. We can start from just criticizing and putting down, say, modern education. Report an error in the passage at 4:10
4:43 That's one way of looking at it. Then there's the opposite, where we say there's nothing wrong with it. It's perfectly all right. It's getting better and better. The kind of optimistic view that... Report an error in the passage at 4:43
4:58 just need to provide more of the same thing. Report an error in the passage at 4:58
5:04 there's all kinds of variations in between. Report an error in the passage at 5:04
5:13 criticism what Report an error in the passage at 5:13
5:20 leading forth an interesting Report an error in the passage at 5:20
5:26 isn't it? something to contemplate because leading forth implies a kind of gentleness doesn't it when you lead someone forth you're not driving them forcing them pushing them leading forth always implies a certain responsibility on the one who's leading that if you want to lead somebody you have to be worthy of their respect and trust to where they will follow otherwise you have to drive them forth or drive them out because even children With their innocence and lack of worldly experience have quite a strong intuitive sense and can detect falsity quite easily. Report an error in the passage at 5:26
6:15 So sometimes when those who are educating the students are not, say, in the position to lead forth, then they have to drive them. Report an error in the passage at 6:15
6:29 And so we have compulsory education, compelling them, forcing them, driving them, bribing them. Or appealing to baser instincts such as competition, to outdo, to be the winner, to win the prizes, to prove oneself as somehow superior to the others, which of course creates in the minds of the ones being educated a sense of either they develop strong sense of envy, jealousy, feelings of inferiority or arrogance or superiority. Report an error in the passage at 6:29
7:10 Conditions of the mind which lead to suffering, cause suffering, despair, anguish, depression in the lives of those beings. Report an error in the passage at 7:10
7:29 In the West we seem to be able to conceive ideals. We have very clever minds. We've developed our discriminative abilities very highly. So we can conceive of the highest ideas. The finest goals, the ultimate attainments of a human being or of a society. Report an error in the passage at 7:29
7:58 But then the means that we use, how to lead forth, that sometimes we're lacking in the wisdom to know how to lead forth, how to educate the citizens of our country or even our own children or ourselves. How to lead forth. We can say we should. Be kind and benevolent and generous and loving and fair and just and merciful, compassionate. We know all that. Report an error in the passage at 7:58
8:32 We know the shoulds. We know we shouldn't get angry, lose our tempers and intimidate and bribe and force and compel and scream and yell. Report an error in the passage at 8:32
8:43 We know we shouldn't do that, but yet we find ourselves doing it. Report an error in the passage at 8:43
8:52 So note this, that we do have, in a country like this, people have very strong sense of what they should be or should not be, or should do or should not do. Report an error in the passage at 8:52
9:05 And so from that, we have very fine ideals many times in, say, Western democratic systems. They're not lacking in high-minded ideas. Report an error in the passage at 9:05
9:22 fostering Report an error in the passage at 9:22
9:32 me to be from the not understanding the ignorance in regards to the means how to do that to educate. Report an error in the passage at 9:32
9:46 to lead forth, not only the children, the students, but also the... Report an error in the passage at 9:46
10:18 wants to learn, even the finest ideals. the finest goals from anyone who they themselves are not living in that way I mean it's hypocrisy we feel averse and rebellious Report an error in the passage at 10:18
10:35 And we see when somebody tells us to be good and they themselves are not being good. Report an error in the passage at 10:35
10:43 least I feel kind of nauseated when hear this wise advice and good thoughts from people who are not practicing it. One just wants to, want to hear it. Report an error in the passage at 10:43
11:10 Something that is for a lifetime, living within the life of our human lifespan. Where now education oftentimes means to many people merely the kind of conditioning education process of preparing students to read and write, to pass examinations and to get jobs, have professions, to make money. While they are young. But often times offers nothing for them. Outside of that. Report an error in the passage at 11:10
11:47 For when they get old. Or if they can't get jobs. Such as in present time. When there is so much unemployment. Education somehow seems irrelevant. To the needs of many people. To train them to be just competitive. To be able to pass examinations. And then not be able to even. Report an error in the passage at 11:47
12:25 we find now it's just the general attitude of the youth in this country that doesn't matter, you can always go on the dole, can't you? Report an error in the passage at 12:25
12:37 you can't get a job, don't even try because you don't even have to try to get employment. Or do anything really, but if once you finish your schooling you can sign on to the dole and you get paid for not doing anything. Report an error in the passage at 12:37
13:00 So we call that welfare, which is a certain advantage. Yes, it's not totally wrong, but it's also something that gives the wrong impression. It is not a way of leading anyone forth, is it? It's a way of kind of pacifying. Report an error in the passage at 13:00
13:20 Those who can't make it, those who can't get the job, those who can't compete, those who somehow are not able to be the winners in the society, or those who just don't want to be bothered, couldn't be bothered. Report an error in the passage at 13:20
13:44 Leading forth also implies that the individual has to be taken into account. It's to say that every single student has the same ability, the same aptitude, and should be doing the same thing. They should all be working for the same goal. Report an error in the passage at 13:44
14:05 Sometimes modern education, I know it tries to meet the needs of a variety of individuals, but Report an error in the passage at 14:05
14:18 in the long run we see the whole thing is really based on competitiveness, not on cooperativeness. In a competitive system, winning is the important thing, isn't it? There's certainly, if you're going to enter a competition, the emphasis these days is to win. Your aim is to be the winner. In a cooperative system, then the aim is to, all capabilities can be included because we realize that only one can be the winner. Report an error in the passage at 14:18
14:59 So that in a cooperative system we can help support each other in a way that can lead many people, lead them forth, to develop in their own way, Report an error in the passage at 14:59
15:18 develop their own potential, their own capabilities, to be able to use their lives in a way that is of benefit to themselves and to the society. The Report an error in the passage at 15:18
15:37 practice of dharma... The reflection on dharma that we do as Buddhists is a way that we can understand the conditions that we have to live with. Report an error in the passage at 15:37
15:57 With modern education they don't really educate you to investigate the limitations of being a human being. They have ideas of what you should be and should attain and strive for and achieve. And then there are those who feel that have tremendous initiative and drive and ambition to try to reach up to those lofty goals and achievements or not so lofty goals and achievements. Report an error in the passage at 15:57
16:30 But what is life about? What is it for? What does it mean to be a human being living on a planet? And this of course takes the reflective Type of thinking. We have to think in a reflective way. Ask the questions and open the mind to what we're actually feeling and thinking and experiencing and sensing. Report an error in the passage at 16:30
17:03 The limitations of our own humanity. And if you don't know your limitations then of course you tend to overextend yourself, drive yourself and that leads to all kinds of Other emotional neurotic problems or you maybe limit yourself too much with just feelings of inferiority and inability to cope and so you spend your time mainly in states of depression, lethargy, laziness. Report an error in the passage at 17:03
17:40 But as we awaken the mind of individual human beings and this awakening process is using our ability to To be alert and contemplate the way things are, the way we're feeling and sensing and experiencing life. Report an error in the passage at 17:40
18:13 Modern education, from my experience of it anyway, was mainly a conditioning to compare yourself with other students which you're always coming out either better than or worse than. It was giving you skills definitely to That were very helpful and useful such as reading and writing, maths and they had art classes and music appreciation and history and all these things were quite appreciated really. Report an error in the passage at 18:13
18:54 Some of them were interesting and helpful in some ways. The subject matter itself can be quite... Report an error in the passage at 18:54
19:05 Well presented and meaningful to students so that that form of education, say, does have certain advantages. But what was lacking in it was that one developed no sense for one's own to try to understand oneself in any way at all. Report an error in the passage at 19:05
19:25 By the time I graduated from secondary school, I had so many I developed so many fears and anxieties about myself through having to compete and compare myself with others. The inevitable envies and jealousies that I felt, the fears, intimidations, anxieties that one ended up with going through a school system. Report an error in the passage at 19:25
20:00 Many of the teachers themselves, the teaching profession oftentimes is involved in Sometimes teachers are not the educators and not the ones who are really leading. Sometimes when one has to make a living one is doing it only for the salary involved or because it is a way to make a living. Report an error in the passage at 20:00
20:28 And so sometimes the standards are not particularly high in school systems to try to encourage even the teachers to be that which... Report an error in the passage at 20:28
20:49 the certain hours and then the time off. begins to look at it as a job something you do to make money rather than as that one is offering, giving the society Report an error in the passage at 20:49
21:06 that's not with all teachers, obviously there's always When I reflect back, when I remember my own experience in schools, there are always a few outstanding teachers who gave to their students, gave occasions for learning and were themselves worthy of respect. And, of course, one tended to gravitate to those particular teachers. One felt a sense of trust, Report an error in the passage at 21:06
21:49 preparing one for life. is having a job and working is only a part of one's life, isn't it? We only work so much, so many hours a day, so many years of our lifetime, and even though now we find that the society is developing in such a way that possibly we won't have to work such long hours or for so many years. Report an error in the passage at 21:49
22:19 is a position Possibility now of early retirement, which frightens many people. What will I do with my time if they retire me at 55? Buddhist monks can't retire at 55. Report an error in the passage at 22:19
22:36 I've asked the song if I could retire at 55. They said no. Report an error in the passage at 22:36
22:47 But non-Buddhist monks can. Many say that potential now to not have to spend all one's life working in jobs or professions is possible. Report an error in the passage at 22:47
23:01 And even the unemployment of the present time could be seen in a totally different way than generally regarded as a blight on the society, something really wrong with this society, that there's such high unemployment. It's terrible. We say, how many percent now are unemployed in Britain? And we all, isn't that horrible? Report an error in the passage at 23:01
23:24 We don't say, isn't that wonderful? That many people don't have to work in factories and in boring old offices. Report an error in the passage at 23:24
23:37 Doing routine kind of mind pacifying and dallying kind of professions or jobs. We don't think how wonderful that is, we think how terrible. We're not being fair to our youth, are we? By having unemployment because they don't have work to do like working in factories and doing really boring routine. Report an error in the passage at 23:37
24:14 terribly important our education is one that makes us believe if we aren't making money we aren't anything if we're not making money, we're not making a salary, we're somehow inferior, Report an error in the passage at 24:14
24:40 One time, some people many times think Buddhist monks are just kind of parasites on the society. Buddhist monks, what do they do? You don't work? You just sit there? They have this image of us just sitting, watching our breaths or contemplating our navels all day. Can't do anything. Report an error in the passage at 24:40
25:01 So that they think that all we expect is people to feed us and give us nice things so we can just sit all day and meditate. Which means doing nothing. Report an error in the passage at 25:01
25:17 So I said to one of these people, I said, well, you know, like the local vicar, you have to pay him a salary, don't you? Report an error in the passage at 25:17
25:29 He said, yes. And what does he do? What does he do to earn that salary? Well, he visits hospitals, visits the sick, and performs the duties of the vicar. So what makes you think that we don't do those things, but we don't have salaries? Somehow it's different, isn't it? We're worthless if we're not getting paid. If I had a fantastic salary, if I asked the English Saṅgha Trust to give me like 20,000 tons a year to be abbot of Amaravati, many people would think he's a very successful Buddhist monk. Report an error in the passage at 25:29
26:17 Ajahn Sumedho, really, he's marvelous. Not like those Buddhist monks in Thailand, they don't get a cent. Report an error in the passage at 26:17
26:34 But then when you think, what is... Ajahn Sumedho's story, one meal a day, roof over the head, a robe. Not very impressive, are they? Not terribly. So he must not be worth very much. Report an error in the passage at 26:34
26:51 Because sometimes that's what many people equate worth as being, in how much money you make. Yet in Thailand and Buddhist monasteries here in Britain, or anywhere really, so many of them are. Constantly dealing with the problems of the society and trying to, the monks themselves, many of them, with their intention to be worthy of leading forth, of being examples to the society, of being that which arouses, that kind of being which arouses the respect and trust and that people will follow, people will seek to follow. Report an error in the passage at 26:51
27:34 And this is an important Reflection for our own society here, isn't it? To see that the society itself very much needs to have exemplary citizens, not just monks, but teachers, all professional people, MPs, from the prime minister down to whoever, to all adults. adults encourage Report an error in the passage at 27:34
28:09 to be that which is worthy of respect. Report an error in the passage at 28:09
28:18 When you're worthy of respect, then what do you do? You have to live in a way that you can respect, that you can respect yourself. Report an error in the passage at 28:18
28:30 So to lead forth also involves a personal leading forth. You have to identify and look in your own self, in your mind, to find that which you can respect and to trust in that. Report an error in the passage at 28:30
28:47 Now in the human mind we have many kinds of impulses, some worthy of respect, some not. From the highest and most noble impulses, conditions to the meanest. All of us are capable of producing in our minds this range from the most noble to the meanest. Report an error in the passage at 28:47
29:14 So in our own, say, meditation life, in our own practice of dharma, We become acquainted with that in ourselves which we can respect. And this is very important, to find out in yourself, in your own mind, and to live in a way that you find worthy of respect. Report an error in the passage at 29:14
29:36 And that's a choice you have to make, isn't it? To contemplate and reflect, how should I live as a human being in this society? What should I do as a mother or father? Report an error in the passage at 29:36
29:52 As a husband or as a wife, as a teacher, as a lawyer, as a businessman, merchant, craftsman or whatever, how can I use my abilities, these qualities that I have, for that which I can respect? Report an error in the passage at 29:52
30:18 Now if we live in a way that we don't respect, then of course it's making it impossible for others to respect us. Report an error in the passage at 30:18
30:29 We find this in the Buddhist Saṅgha sometimes. Sometimes in Thailand you have a say a monk who's newly ordained a foreign monk goes to Thailand puts on the robe and then everybody's respecting him there in Thailand just because you have a robe you have an orange robe and a shaven head and then you suddenly find everybody kind of become paying you such Devotion, such attention. They get down on their knees and they bow to you. They look at you as if you were a completely enlightened being. Report an error in the passage at 30:29
31:10 And maybe you've only been a monk for a week and still not such high-minded thoughts running through your mind while these people are bowing to you, paying respect to you. So then you think, I'm not worthy of respect. I remember feeling that. I wish they wouldn't do that. It embarrasses me. Report an error in the passage at 31:10
31:33 Because I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy of that. So at first I found it quite difficult. It wasn't something I really liked at all. Because it suddenly made me, put me in a position that I had to say suddenly, if I have to, if this is what's going to happen to me, then I have to, well at least I have to put forth the effort to at least be worthy of it. Report an error in the passage at 31:33
31:59 At least try to be worthy of the respect I'm receiving. So that helped in one way, just by the respect that the Buddhists of Thailand would show to me, made me feel very much more kind of an urgent need to be worthy of that. Report an error in the passage at 31:59
32:23 But with some, there's always a feeling that if that respect is not shown, then they get very upset. They demand that people respect them. Report an error in the passage at 32:23
32:35 Now, by coming to England, I realized when I came to England that I couldn't expect the English people to just respect me because I was a Buddhist monk. As soon as I landed in Heathrow Airport, I began to realize that I was out of that paradisiacal situation. Nobody was getting down on their knees. Report an error in the passage at 32:35
33:06 In fact, it looked rather... Upset and a bit disturbed and shocked in rude remarks I could overhear being said. So then I realized that this was another opportunity here that any respect would have to come through being worthy of it. Because I certainly wasn't getting it just by being a Buddhist monk. They didn't even know I was a Buddhist monk. Report an error in the passage at 33:06
33:35 They thought I was Hare Krishna. Also Report an error in the passage at 33:35
33:48 was an important reflection. was the fact that in a country where they don't respect you for being a Buddhist monk that makes it necessary for you to be worthy of respect but you can't demand it. Report an error in the passage at 33:48
34:07 So sometimes monks might think you have to respect me because I'm a senior monk and I am an abbot of a monastery but then you contemplate you can't respect people for that. Respect, I mean, you can maybe intimidate people by saying, by kind of coming on strong as somebody terribly important, but respect is something that has to grow in the minds of people, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 34:07
34:37 It's not something you can force. They can maybe show outward sign of respect because they're frightened of you, because maybe they think you'll humiliate them or look down on them. That's not real respect, isn't it? That's just going through the form, the motion, the symbol. But respect is something that one has to be worthy of. Report an error in the passage at 34:37
35:02 It's something within your own life. If you do not respect yourself, then you must ask yourself, what am I doing? How am I living that I cannot respect? And then you have to admit that to yourself. That's a way of leading forth. Report an error in the passage at 35:02
35:24 Leading yourself, Report an error in the passage at 35:24
35:28 educating yourself to learn about life. That you can't respect yourself if you're living in a way that is not worthy of respect. Report an error in the passage at 35:28
35:46 Now in, say, on the individual plane, just we're talking, say, from the perspective of individual beings, to, say, the whole human race, the whole human population on the planet. Report an error in the passage at 35:46
36:05 Leading force now, say, leading or educating the human population. Now in modern times, modern age, we can actually now perceive and think in these universal, with these universal perceptions. The human population, not just Britain, we can't just isolate ourselves with saying we're going to educate Report an error in the passage at 36:05
37:04 Conception, perception, ability to say name and believe and hold on to say ideas, have opinions, have viewpoints. This is all a conditioning process. You can condition an individual human being and a whole nation of people to believe in the wrong things. Report an error in the passage at 37:04
37:34 We can all be filled with superstitions, beliefs, perceptions of the world we live in that are totally wrong, misguided. Report an error in the passage at 37:34
37:49 And this is even increasingly more possible with modern humanity, more so than with primitive humanity. Because as we live more in an artificial environment and lose our connection to the natural processes of planetary life, we can live in ivory towers of delusion. We can live in worlds of total falsity and make-believe and fantasy that have... Report an error in the passage at 37:49
38:18 No reality whatsoever. Let's say primitive superstitions, even though we might have contempt for it, say tribal people in the Amazon jungle or something, we might feel that they are living in a world of superstition. But if you've ever studied tribal people to an extent, you realize that they're very much in contact with their environment. They might perceive it in slightly different ways or in very different ways than we tend to. Report an error in the passage at 38:18
38:51 But they are very much aware of the environment they're living in and oftentimes live very much in harmony with it. But as human civilization develops and people are educated, conditioned with ideas and can read and write and now we have such we've become slaves to mass media where we can just Report an error in the passage at 38:51
39:30 we can fill our minds with utter trivia with things of no value things totally false, totally unreal live in a world of complete falsity and artifice and forget natural flow and movement of planetary life, of our own bodies lose contact even with our own bodies Report an error in the passage at 39:30
39:54 lose our sense truth. The divinity, the sacredness of life. We become bound to maybe just to gross sensual distraction and endless intellectual distraction and emotional indulgence. Report an error in the passage at 39:54
40:16 And of course we become, through that, increasingly neurotic, depressed. All the problems of modern society can be traced to this, to the delusions and beliefs. beliefs and blind acceptance of the artifices that our society provides for. The Report an error in the passage at 40:16
40:43 Buddha, when a monk ordained, would always say, go off to the forest, live in the forest. Report an error in the passage at 40:43
40:54 Now why, I would contemplate, why did the Buddha regard the forest? What was the purpose, say, what does that do to the mind? The symbol of the forest, when you go out and look at a forest. Report an error in the passage at 40:54
41:12 Now from my own experience looking at nature that has been uncorrupted, untouched or as little not terribly corrupted anyway by humanity's desires and fears when you just look at nature's productions that man hasn't interfered with they tend to calm us down our minds tend to move toward a calm Feeling of calm, tranquility. Like living in a forest. If you live in a forest for very long, you begin to feel calm. Report an error in the passage at 41:12
41:52 Trees and the things that grow there, even though they're beautiful and impressive, they're not the kind of conditions that are, say, deluding to us. They are only what they are. They're just what they are. They're not pretending to be otherwise. Report an error in the passage at 41:52
42:14 So much of what humanity creates, builds, recreates is false, isn't it? It's pretending it's something it isn't. Report an error in the passage at 42:14
42:26 It's artificial. And so, so much of what humanity does produce and reproduce tends to be distractive or deluding or depressing or overexciting or overstimulating or demanding or whatever. ...affect us in many different ways, but always more towards extremes. We tend to be caught up in a feeling of extreme, of extremity. Report an error in the passage at 42:26
42:58 Either terribly interested, fascinated, or repelled, or bored, or whatever. But we seldom feel the sense of calm. Report an error in the passage at 42:58
43:23 Modern society has advantages, though, in a time like this, because of the technology. That modern civilization has produced, we now can very much perceive the world in universal ways. Report an error in the passage at 43:23
43:46 Like London now is not very far away from Bangkok, or from Washington DC, or from any other place on the planet. We now think of a multicultural society, where at one time Britain was for the British, England was for the English. Report an error in the passage at 43:46
44:06 And everybody was Christian. Most people were Christian. The majority were Church of England Christians. And when you have that perception, you have a sense of unity, don't you? It was easy in those days to have a sense of national unity, of oneness, of everybody in some way having a common bond, having the same kind of cultural attitudes. Report an error in the passage at 44:06
44:37 Same religious values, moral values. And that gives a certain sense of security to a society that we don't have anymore in Britain. We don't know what anyone else is thinking or what the majority of people want or feel or cherish anymore. Report an error in the passage at 44:37
45:01 We can't think that nobody agrees on what religion. It's multi-religious, multi-racial. Multi-everything, isn't it? When you think of Britain now, it's multi-everything. This one little island off the coast of Europe is multi, multinational, I guess, multiracial, multireligious. Report an error in the passage at 45:01
45:33 But then that is happening in every country to a certain extent, in Britain very much so. In the United States, it was always multireligious, multiracial, multicultural. Report an error in the passage at 45:33
45:47 Canada, Australia, these are, even though the dominant groups were always the European elements, but now we cannot call the United States, we can't say it's a Christian country or a country for white people or anything like that. Report an error in the passage at 45:47
46:22 It's multi, multinational, I guess, multiracial, multireligious. But then that is happening in every country to a certain extent, in Britain very much so. In the United States it was always multi-religious, multi-racial, multicultural. Report an error in the passage at 46:22
46:45 Canada, Australia, these are, even though the dominant groups were always the European elements, but now we cannot call the United States, we can't say it is a Christian country or... or a country for white people or anything like that. It is multiracial, multicultural, multilinguistic, multireligious. Report an error in the passage at 46:45
47:17 Now Report an error in the passage at 47:17
47:23 this has advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages is that at this time we find ourselves terribly confused, don't we? The society here in Britain seems to me to be very, very confused. It has... It has ideals, it wants to do the right thing. It's certainly not a mean or selfish or uncaring society. Report an error in the passage at 47:23
47:47 But it's very confused because there's no kind of common ground anymore. There's the endless bickerings, quarrels among classes, among different groups, among different groups of just British people, of just... Different racial groups, religious groups. Report an error in the passage at 47:47
48:12 Nobody knows how to agree on anything. There's no common factor except our humanity. We're human beings. We all experience the same kind of suffering. When we all get old, get sick and die. We all experience anguish and despair, grief and sorrow. Even though we might speak different languages, look very different. Report an error in the passage at 48:12
48:42 Eat in different ways and react to things in slightly different ways. But the common ground now, we need to bring forth into consciousness of our people the common ground of humanity. Report an error in the passage at 48:42
49:02 And it's on a worldwide level. When we think of the United States and the Soviet Union, we think of two giant superpowers totally opposed to each other. Report an error in the passage at 49:02
49:15 Totally committed to being opposite, being contentious in almost every way, it seems to us anyway. And yet there is the common ground of humanity. This needs to be emphasized in education. We need to bring up into the minds of, into our own mind, in the minds of students and citizens, the common ground of humanity. Report an error in the passage at 49:15
49:49 That suffering is a common human experience, whether it's in Ethiopia or in Buckingham Palace, whether it's in the White House or in the Kremlin, that the suffering is exactly the same. Report an error in the passage at 49:49
50:05 Russians don't suffer any differently than do Americans, do they? It's all the same. Men and women, all races, all nationalities, we have this same experience of birth, Of pain, of sickness, of aging, of death, of separation from the loved. We're involved, we're limited to being in a state of continuous discomfort. Report an error in the passage at 50:05
50:40 Most of our life is just a struggle to be comfortable, isn't it? How we try so desperately to be happy and be comfortable. That becomes maybe the purpose of our whole life, is to feel safe. Be happy and be comfortable. But even when that is at its best, when we feel safe and have happiness and are comfortable, we still have the same anxieties, fears. Report an error in the passage at 50:40
51:12 Now this is common to all human beings. In the Western world, during this past century, we've developed the ability to discriminate to a very high level. Report an error in the passage at 51:12
51:31 now our intellect we can abstract ourselves from our bodies our emotions and live in a world of ideas and we can suppress emotions now very easily deny them and live in a world of ideas Report an error in the passage at 51:31
51:50 just not notice anymore, try to not the limitations of our human So, Report an error in the passage at 51:50
52:01 intellectual knowledge has been highly developed. Report an error in the passage at 52:01
52:13 And that leaves us in this position of, say, living with a critical mind that goes inward. This discriminative consciousness that we've become so attached to, so involved with, becomes self-accusing. We feel guilty just about breathing air sometimes. This is about saying a word that might have upset somebody. This is about being a human being, living, breathing. We can hate ourselves for just not being perfect all the time. Report an error in the passage at 52:13
52:59 So that our perfectionist ideals, as fine as those might be, we've become so attached to that all we can do is feel guilty and frightened and anxious about ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 52:59
53:17 And what we've forgotten is the common ground, say, of loving kindness, of compassion. Now these perceptions, say, the Buddhist conception of mettā, or loving kindness, this is the common, this is, say, in all human beings, is our ability to be patient and bear with the imperfections. Report an error in the passage at 53:17
53:59 develop more of the mettā, attitude of mettā, -kindness, It's a balance to this extremity of attachment to discriminative consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 53:59
54:17 this is where the imbalance lies in saying The human situation at this time is that we have carried intellectual knowledge and discriminative learning to ultimate absurdity. It's absurd now. It's becoming a monster. It's becoming neurotic. We're becoming neurotic. Out of touch. Report an error in the passage at 54:17
54:44 So we can actually think in terms of using nuclear weapons to blow up one part of the earth. To preserve our liberty and freedom. That's how absurd, I mean absurd, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 54:44
55:02 And yet some people believe that that is an option that we have. We could actually think in terms of blowing up the Soviet Union first. Report an error in the passage at 55:02
55:15 Hopefully they would be so clever, so quick, that they wouldn't have a chance to fight back. But that's a great risk, isn't it? And even if we did that, I'm sure... That we would regret it. Report an error in the passage at 55:15
55:28 All the freedom we had left and liberty would be kind of meaningless, wouldn't it? Because it's all coming from fear, from ignorance, from artificial values, from paranoia, from all that is unpleasant, unkind, unloving, biased and limited in the human mind. Report an error in the passage at 55:28
55:53 The attitude of loving kindness or mettā is... is a universal value. Report an error in the passage at 55:53
56:02 You can have mettā for Christians, for Buddhists, for Jews, for the whole lot, for every religion, every race, every political group, all classes, the gifted, the dull, the beautiful, the ugly, everything, even the unseen, the unknown ones, as well as the known and the seen. So mettā, this attitude of mettā, As we come in contact with that within ourselves it's not missing in any of us it's just we tend to overlook in our frantic drives and compulsions habit Report an error in the passage at 56:02
56:46 conditioning that we're so involved with so blindly caught up with that we miss that very level of levelling quality of patience forgiveness kindness gentleness Report an error in the passage at 56:46
57:16 that is universal, whether you're educated, uneducated, male or female. is not the prerogative of any elite group, any religious group. Report an error in the passage at 57:16
57:32 Theravadan Buddhists. Report an error in the passage at 57:32
57:39 the common ground. Report an error in the passage at 57:39
57:43 That is spacious, all-embracing and where we begin to see things in perspective rather than from extremity. Education then, right education or perfect education would be that which would lead children, adults, citizens, students, lay people, Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Christians. Hindus, Muslims, the whole lot, lead them toward that which we have in common, rather than this discriminative function, emphasizing this by dwelling on how different we are, how much better or worse we are. Report an error in the passage at 57:43
58:36 Christianity, is it the only way, the only right way? That makes every other way wrong, doesn't it, when we think in terms of our way being the right way. Report an error in the passage at 58:36
58:48 is just making everything else the wrong way. When we think of ourselves as superior, that makes everyone else inferior. Report an error in the passage at 58:48
59:01 Whatever position we take, if I am, if being a Theravadan Buddhist monk is the right way, the right way, the only right way, that makes every other way wrong. Report an error in the passage at 59:01
59:14 And then what do I do? That's not loving kindness anymore, that's division, separation, conflict. What I do when I take a position out of ignorance, out of fear, then I am dividing the world. I'm dividing it within myself and from that I divide externally. I create conflicts and divisions in the people that I talk to, that I live with, that I influence. Report an error in the passage at 59:14
59:47 But with, as one, say, moves towards the common ground of loving kindness. Patience. Wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 59:47
1:00:00 Then the differences we find are in perspective. Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, a whole lot are seen in a perspective. They relate to each other on the common ground rather than polarized as opposites, as extremes. When we see from the common ground of wisdom, of loving kindness, then we can solve the problems. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:00
1:00:29 The economic problems, political, social problems that arise in human existence. Those are solvable problems. All of them solvable from that perspective. From wisdom, from compassion, loving kindness. But there's no way we can solve the problems from taking sides and just imposing, oppressing, causing more division. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:29
1:01:00 That's just creating. Endless problems. The more we do that, the more problems we create rather than solve them. So the problems, by the fact that we have a problem, means that it can be solved, let's hope. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:00
1:01:19 And to me, what I've seen from my experience with life is that the only way problems can truly be solved is letting go of personal interest, personal demand, personal position, a viewpoint. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:19
1:01:39 position that one takes on issues attachment to any convention form Report an error in the passage at 1:01:39
1:01:47 religious or political. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:47
1:02:04 other talks I shall open the remaining time up for questions. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:04
1:02:37 there are changes taking place. know, it's not that are totally unaware. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:37
1:02:48 any institution you have vested interests and conservative attitudes that want to things under control and so there's always a great deal of resistance to change. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:48
1:03:00 the change has to evolve. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:00
1:03:18 that people need to just a clearer understanding of how of what direction to take. You see, the confusion lies that most people in education aren't really sure of what education should be anymore. They've lost, maybe many teachers have lost their belief in education as it has been. But they aren't sure of which way to go. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:18
1:03:45 Because there are so many conflicting views and opinions about it. And this is really a lack in the fact that People themselves don't know themselves. The experts from outside can sound terribly impressive and convincing. And if you don't know yourself and understand the nature of mind at all, then you get very confused by hearing all these different very intelligent alternatives. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:45
1:04:20 And one just feels confused by it. But as more people awaken to themselves, then the educational system will follow in that way. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:20
1:04:37 One can say, try to give suggestions. But one thing, what we can do, definitely do as individual beings, is to live in a way that is worthy of respect. So then people begin to notice. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:37
1:04:55 You know, they might notice and then people would listen to any suggestions we might make. That is what we can definitely do to help the society and to improve, say, try to encourage more enlightened practices in education is for our own conduct will be of great benefit and great influence. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:55
1:05:27 Then if we find ourselves in any position of leadership, then we have even more opportunity for leading force, for educating. But education needs to be seen as something that is not just the conditioning of a mind, not just programming people and making them into kind of robots. robots and just ciphers in a system this is oftentimes what education does it is a merely conditioning process Report an error in the passage at 1:05:27
1:06:11 it can be, education can be used to corrupt, know, to make people believe in the wrong things, the power to suggest. because of the nature of mind Report an error in the passage at 1:06:11
1:06:33 Tremendous effect. Good suggestions or bad suggestions. Now the suggestions now of the present time seem to be very gloomy ones. The gloom doom nuclear disaster suggestions. And so you find many students, children in fact, quite upset by all this because it's affecting them. They hear it and the violence of the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:33
1:07:05 I was talking, I went to the Lambeth Palace the other evening, kind of a reception with the Archbishop of Canterbury. And they, there were some vicars talking about children now. They found like, when asking children, what would you do if beings from outer space landed on the planet? And all of them said they'd kill them. And this was a common response of violence to something outside coming onto the planet. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:05
1:07:51 Rather than thinking, well maybe they would be benevolent, kindly loving creatures. We always think of something coming outside as something invading and destructive and evil. That's our perception, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:51
1:08:07 How many of us would think that maybe the Martians are great loving, wonderful type of beings that come to teach us how to spread loving kindness. Instead we kill them as soon as they land. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:07
1:08:27 I mean children, I think our children like many of their programs on television and stories are teaching them to be violent. To kill anything that's foreign or strange, that invades, that comes in, that is different, non-wanted. And yet you can suggest to the same children, and they'll pick up on the suggestion of being kind to them, of being welcoming and kind to strangers, rather than shooting them. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:27
1:09:02 Because children are quite open. you know but we what What we give to our children is so important because they are open and they're innocent. They can take on anything. You can put the most horrendous ideas into their minds and that can affect their whole life in a very unfortunate way. It's important to see that the minds of children need to be respected. They're delicate. They're sensitive. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:02
1:09:34 sensitive that Out of compassion, out of loving kindness, we should be very attentive to try to put suggestions into their mind that are going to help them in their life, to learn to come to terms with their humanity, living in the society, living on the planet. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:34
1:09:54 But sometimes we think, I've heard many parents say, well there's this argument among Buddhist parents these days about whether you should allow your children to go to the schools, the government schools, Report an error in the passage at 1:09:54
1:10:13 suggestions and bad habits that may be that and so some there's the one group they think you shouldn't let expose them to that and educate them at home by itself Report an error in the passage at 1:10:13
1:10:26 there's the other sign that you should put them in these government schools so that they can learn about reality, life as it really is which means being able to Report an error in the passage at 1:10:26
1:10:53 considering that the children now in a country like this are exposed to so many horrible suggestions that you can't really have control. Parents, how can you control it? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:53
1:11:05 mean, if you don't have a television set in your house, they'll go to the neighbors, won't they? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:05
1:11:13 And then no matter how you know careful and protective you might be the society doesn't help support that. The society definitely pulls the children into all kinds of wrong views and illusions about themselves and what should and shouldn't be. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:13
1:11:36 So we have to recognize that the society is like this and not be frightened of it but to Try to educate children so that they can cope with it. They have the ability to adapt and to have the confidence within themselves to be able to make proper adaptations. And that's the best you can do. You can just try to protect the child and cut the child off totally from any unwholesome suggestions. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:36
1:12:12 And that might just breed more kind of fear into the child. You know, they think that the world outside is a very dangerous place. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12
1:12:24 Or you might just throw them in and tell them all the gloom, doom, nuclear destruction predictions and say this is what the world is about. It's law of the jungle, survival of the fittest. Go out there and fight and get yours and on and on like that. That's not true because the world isn't like that either. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:24
1:12:48 But that's why the reflective, the ability to reflect, to know the society, other than to condemn it totally, to cut yourself off from it, reject it, because that breeds a certain, that suggests something to children also, as well as just going along with everything. But children will pick up on the stability around them, if they have... Report an error in the passage at 1:12:48
1:13:16 Some form of stability and guidance leading them forth and that will inevitably be the kindest, most compassionate thing one can do for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:16
1:13:30 Because, you know, when you look around, I look at the monks and nuns here at Amaravati, some of them have been through all kinds of unwholesome experiences and ups and downs and all over the place and yet they come out quite alright. Somehow quite undamaged by it all. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:30
1:13:51 So we're not just helpless victims of fate, actually. In all of us. And this is why the awakening of a human being, it's important to see that as an important experience. Because like in the Buddhist, when we celebrate the Vesakha Puja festival, in the Theravāda tradition, you celebrate the birth, enlightenment, death of the Buddha all on the same day. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:51
1:14:24 I like to reflect on that. Why do they have those three, the birth, enlightenment, death, all on the same day? Surely he wasn't born on the full moon of May, enlightened on the full moon of May, died on the full moon of May. That's just too perfect. I mean, that's a set-up. Buddhist propaganda is what it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:24
1:14:49 But yet, for... is. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:49
1:14:52 Reflection, you realize that you're celebrating a lifespan of an enlightened being. Now all of us are born, all of us have been born, haven't we? We all share that. We've all been born already. Otherwise we wouldn't be here. You notice the ones that haven't been born yet haven't come here. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:52
1:15:16 So we can accept that as a common human experience, being born. And we know we will die. All of us will die. How many of us will be enlightened? And so enlightenment is between those two points, isn't it? Between birth and death. And so the awakening, say, awakening of a human being is done during the lifespan between birth and death. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:16
1:15:46 And that awakening of a human being is the potential for a human being to see things clearly and not be deluded. And it's not a matter of everything being perfect for, like only the most privileged human beings, only the ones who had the very wise parents, those that have gone to the best schools and those that have had very wise teachers and priests and monks influencing their lives and have all the social advantages and have never had any wrong suggestions placed into their minds, have never watched television. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:46
1:16:34 unfortunate beings can be awakened this is important to see that it's not a lost cause that our society isn't a hopeless place it's just going the dogs but I mean there's many You know, it's important to weigh the advantages, to see both the advantages and disadvantages of, say, Britain as it is today. Then that gives us a perspective on it. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:34
1:17:03 If we just see the gloom doom and the horrible things here that go on in Britain and how degenerate and how confused and all that, then we tend to put into the minds of our children those images. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:03
1:17:21 If your mind, when you're young, is absorbing that negativity, then of course it tends to, you just, you know, you tend toward depression. Because every, you know, your future, it looks meaningless and horrendous. Sin Report an error in the passage at 1:17:21
· · · silence, 1 minute
1:18:25 and guilt thing is one of, it's a very neurotic problem, isn't it? In Christian Jewish culture. Because, Report an error in the passage at 1:18:25
1:18:40 Maybe at one time it wasn't. You know, sin actually means separation. Except now, say, for most of us who grew up in Western society, sin means being evil, doesn't it? A kind of evilness. You're born as a kind of evil, something wrong with you. And then the tendency to take everything personally. Everything that we experience tends to be very personalized all the time. Like sexual desire in all of us tends to be taken on a very personal level. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:40
1:19:25 It's something that we feel, say if you're coming from that sin and guilt background, then you feel guilty about sexual desire that you have, you're feeling. And yet that is a natural thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:25
1:19:42 of the body it's a natural condition to a human body and rather than seeing it as it really is we take it as a personal fault you know I shouldn't have these sexual desires if you're brought up in a kind of sin and guilt background We think if it's not sexual desire then we would like to be say if you're very idealistic we'd like to be loving kind of saintly people, people full of compassion and love for everyone and then we feel mean and nasty and angry half the time or three quarters of the time and so then we think oh I'm a terrible person because I should be loving and kind instead I'm angry and mean and Report an error in the passage at 1:19:42
1:20:37 this comes from taking what is like anger which is a natural reaction It's part of nature. Anger and greed are just natural to the human condition, the unenlightened human being, that we begin to take this as a personal failure, something we're frightened of. All our emotions, the emotions we have and thoughts, unpleasant thoughts and all this that come up we take as personal kind of sin guilt about it we feel guilty about it because of this strong view of self and personality and it's very strong in western people but in seeing it as it is you see these are conditions that are impersonal like the Buddhist reflection on anattā you begin to see that these are Just like the sexual desire in the body is a natural kind of experience for a human body, but it's not a personal thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:37
1:21:50 It's common to every one of us. It's not like... It's seen as it really is. Then the tendency to get angry is... We all... If somebody insults us, we tend to feel anger. If somebody praises us, we tend to feel happy. When we... are successful. We feel glad at success and we feel sad at failure and so forth. These are just common human experiences that have nothing to do with being this person or this type or this personality. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:50
1:22:28 But because of sin and guilt and the emphasis on individuality and personality then of course we become caught in a very tight world of fear and guilt. and anxiety. But in actual, when you take the word sin, and correct me if I'm wrong, somebody here knows better, but I'm sure that means like the separation. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:28
1:22:57 And this is, like when you say we're born in sin, to many people that means we're born as kind of evil beings. But that's not, I'm sure, what they meant. It meant that being born means we're in a separate form now. We're exposed to influences from the universe we're living in. We're no longer, we're thrown out as a separate thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:57
1:23:24 And that we have to live this lifespan in this illusion of separateness. And if we don't investigate that illusion, then we just are bound into being separate and frightened and anxious about life and death. But as you... Penetrate the illusion of separateness. And this is what we do in meditation. We're penetrating, investigating that illusion of separateness, of sin or separateness, or suffering in Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:24
1:24:01 We call it dukkha. Then, by penetrating that, we free ourselves from the illusion of being separate just because we're incarcerated. and influenced by the human body and the sensual and the sense organs that we have and the sensual world that surrounds it Report an error in the passage at 1:24:01
1:24:24 but you know the initial probably the initial where Christianity and Judaism once at one time you know these things people forget what that actually means like the word sin now tends to to be equated with I used to say she's a sinful woman usually means she's She's promiscuous. I mean you say she's a sinful woman you don't think that maybe she's told a lie. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:24
1:24:56 The mind tends to go towards say sexual conditioning and so forth. The word sin is associated with kind of low things and then this idea that we were born in sin you see it's still there. But when we To investigate the word itself, it again becomes quite meaningful to us. But religion, Christianity and Judaism, you see, have become encrusted with belief. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:56
1:25:33 And Christians, for one thing, were never encouraged or seldom ever encouraged to investigate. They're always told to believe. So the mind is just merely conditioned to be Christian. It's not awakened mind. But that's because of the delusions of, say, Christians, not because of Christianity or Judaism in themselves. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:33
1:26:01 And Buddhism, you can see Buddhism in Thailand in many ways, just merely conditioning, cultural conditioning. You know, they have, in Thailand, they have very wise, some very wise monks there. Even then, with even that as a kind of advantage, many Buddhists are still very much bound into superstition and things that are put into their mind, the suggestions from monks or from teachers, and that oftentimes is based on ignorance. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:01
1:26:35 And this is where, at this time now, we need to question, to look into, like all these Buddhist teachings are for investigation, not for belief. Because then you're awakening yourself. You're not just saying Ajahn Sumedho says and then quote or quote from the scripture and I believe this. But you're taking the words from the scripture or anything I'm saying and using it for looking at your own experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:35
1:27:08 Then that you'll find an awakening of the mind. Sense of the mind with life of being In touch with it again, with nature, with the natural flow, with dharma as it is, then truth is revealed to you more and more as the mind is receptive rather than closed off with fear and desire. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:08
1:27:36 Guilt is an amazing problem, isn't it, in a country like this. And some people, you ask people, I ask people like when in meditation, Report an error in the passage at 1:27:36
1:27:51 retreats and interviews and you know have you done anything that bad to feel guilty about you know majority haven't done anything all that anything really bad it's just just a kind of emotional obsession condition to feel guilty and oftentimes feeling guilty if they don't feel guilty that somehow feeling guilty is your responsibility Report an error in the passage at 1:27:51
1:28:41 read is of the victories killing thousands of Report an error in the passage at 1:28:41
1:28:52 teacher me that. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:52
1:29:15 I Report an error in the passage at 1:29:15
1:29:20 remember as a child asking this question about the idolization of Jesus Christ and sacrifice and crucifixion and all this and then the teaching that we should be like Christ. Jesus Christ. And then the church I went to was always, there were always these fights going on. And so I remember nothing but continuous battles taking place and my parents being in the middle of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:20
1:30:01 So I'd ask, I'd say, you know, I thought we were supposed to be Christ-like and I don't think, you know, Christ would be doing this. And my parents would say, well, I mean, that's... You have to face reality after all. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:01
1:30:21 I couldn't equate why we'd be adulating being Christ-like and then not really doing it, especially in a church where your people are supposed to be kind of reminded at least of that more than they would be reminded in a business. business or a political arena. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:21
1:30:48 being Christ like also meant you had to give up a lot and that find very difficult sacrificing things like many people say one time a man said Report an error in the passage at 1:30:48
1:31:02 Ajahn Sumedho. What is the quick way to enlightenment? Report an error in the passage at 1:31:02
1:31:10 And I said, what do you mean? And he said, well, you know, I don't want to be a monk and I don't want to have to... You know, give up very much. I just want to get enlightened. That's all. What is the shortcut? What is the quick way? And so I pointed to my robe and I said, this is the quick way to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:10
1:31:40 And he said, oh, that's what I was afraid of. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:40
1:31:46 I Report an error in the passage at 1:31:46
1:31:55 know, like in affluent, in the affluent world, West, it's difficult. life. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:55
1:31:42 know. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:42
1:32:02 For people to think about relinquishment of things. And it's like a country like Switzerland, where the monks go every year. And there you find, I mean, it's probably one of the most affluent countries I've ever seen. It's a much higher standard of living than the United States. And it doesn't seem to have any real problems. I mean, great problems. And it's well... Report an error in the passage at 1:32:02
1:32:43 when people find the idea of becoming, of giving up anything almost, you know, very threatening lowering the standard is a great threat and the high standard is very high like one day we were, we were Going on a ride, we passed some place where there were kind of Spanish and Italian fruit pickers. And the Swiss people I was with were telling me that many Swiss people don't like these immigrants coming in because they're afraid they might lower the standard of living, you see. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:43
1:33:19 And then you think, the people so mean in their heart that they would begrudge even their neighbouring countries a chance to maybe make a little bit of money. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:19
1:33:31 they might lower a standard that's Report an error in the passage at 1:33:31
1:33:36 kind of luxury, and that is very blinding to people, and it's so mean, can make you so mean. yet when, joy can only spring from giving and sharing. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:36
1:33:54 that, you know, you can see that the affluent western world needs to give its wealth. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:54
1:34:02 Make deals. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:02
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Talk by Ajahn Sumedho. Original at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery via Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/ajahn-sumedho-dhamma-talks. Licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Transcript generated automatically and may contain errors; the audio is the authoritative version.
Talks of Ajahn Sumedho, archived on Internet Archive. More from Amaravati