Sunday, February 7, 2010

Hanging out with Bhikkhus (and Bhikkhunis)

An important aspect of the Buddhist tradition is the intercourse between monastics and lay people, which is a powerful devotional and ritualized practice that might be compared to a dance between lay and monastic partners. In the West it is hard to appreciate that this has been a cornerstone of Buddhist practice for 2600 years because, well, we just have't had enough monastics to illustrate it. I'm doing my part to change that. Now, you can do your part!

 I would like to provide the following link for those who would like to learn more about the tradition of lay-monastic intercourse. This is by of inviting you to join me and others in enacting what we can of this after I am back in Austin. It is a wonderful practice opportunity, and very beautiful as I see enacted here in Burma.

"Discipline and Conventions of Theravada Buddhist Renunciate Communities"
http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha116.htm

This is a very accessible and short  presentation on this topic. Much of what it says about "Theravada" conventions carry over to Mahayana, and in fact can be recognized in Japanese Zen.

For those who like  to get the full story:

"The Bhikkhus' Rules: A Guide for Laypeople"
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyesako/layguide.html


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