Friday, October 28, 2011

Interview with Ven. Luon Sovath in Sydney, Australia (Part 1 & 2)

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S99kWP-tFTc

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyPV5vFSRlo

Please donate to help Ven. Luon Sovath pursue his work to assist the poor and the evicted people in Cambodia. Please visit: 
http://luonsovath.blogspot.com/p/appealing.html

4 comments:

  1. Dear friends,

    Its better to say: "Please donate to help those poor people, we had listen to the talks of Ven. Luon Sovath and would like to take care of the worldly things.

    Ven. Luon Sovath often gives us help in doing it in a good way and is our refuge if we need spiritual support.

    Even we see Ven. Luon Sovath as our wise advice, our acts and failure would have nothing to do with him. So please don't see him as the intention for our deeps. We just try to do the best out of what we understand."

    This would give Ven. Luon Sovath the needed space to stay neutral and to act as efficient as possible from a worldly view.

    Don't make a Bhikkhu to your cow, pulling the cart.

    For the sake of help of the people in need and for the peace around all this work.

    _()_
    with metta
    Hanzze

    ReplyDelete
  2. "And how is a monk consummate in virtue? Abandoning the taking of life, he abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his rod laid down, his knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings. This is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. He takes only what is given, accepts only what is given, lives not by stealth but by means of a self that has become pure. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act that is the villager's way. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech. What he has heard here he does not tell there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not tell here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing and pleasing to people at large. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal. This, too, is part of his virtue.

    "He abstains from damaging seed and plant life.

    "He eats only once a day, refraining from the evening meal and from food at the wrong time of day.

    "He abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and from watching shows.

    "He abstains from wearing garlands and from beautifying himself with scents and cosmetics.

    "He abstains from high and luxurious beds and seats.

    "He abstains from accepting gold and money.

    "He abstains from accepting uncooked grain... raw meat... women and girls... male and female slaves... goats and sheep... fowl and pigs... elephants, cattle, steeds, and mares... fields and property.

    "He abstains from running messages... from buying and selling... from dealing with false scales, false metals, and false measures... from bribery, deception, and fraud.

    "He abstains from mutilating, executing, imprisoning, highway robbery, plunder, and violence.

    "This, too, is part of his virtue.


    from Samaññaphala Sutta:
    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html#virtue

    _()_
    with metta

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Hanzze;

    What did you mean neutral in here? It is neutral of Upekaa in Buddhism or neutral in other concept that you want to explain?

    Dhammadutta,

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Dhammadutta,

    there is no equanimity if one takes side. As long there is attachment to one side, there is no equanimity.

    I guess we are mature enough to understand that worldly life not easy lived with equanimity. Everybody struggles for his "I", "we" or "our"... So in this surrounding its difficult to get not attached to opinions and ideas out of wrong view.

    A noble disciple has left this kind of life and done well, he is able to stay neutral and to see the truth in every situation. He is no more part of his or her struggle and he just sees the reasons of this struggles and if there is a possibility he is able to teach the reasons of suffering and also the way out of it.

    But if normal people like to pull wisdom on their side, use it to as a tool for their opinion while grasping the wrong ideas, they are able to pull a shakeable uncompleted trainee to their side use him as long as he would fit to their interests and later as naturally would turn away from him again if he is no more useful for their ideas.

    Out of compassion toward somebody who seeks for the truth, we do not pull him to our side, do not use him for our interests, but provide him the freedom he needs to develop his wisdom and skills to the highest level.

    So we make him independent from us, do not wrap him in our network of wrong views as we know, even we like to do it good, our view is full of dust and we are not free of defilement.

    In giving him freedom we will gain our self's benefit form it. When ever it would be a good time, when ever the right situation may come he could give us good advices, and even if he does not give us advices in return or our support, we know that he follows the right way and we trust in him to make the best he is actually able to do.

    So the connection between the laity and an disciple who left this worldly quarrel is without strings and out of that a noble disciple would be able to act. He might solve the problem far far away, where ordinary people would not see the cause of it, but he strives to do the best.

    When we stay on topics which are worthy for a noble follower, a noble disciple whe would not have the danger to fall into delusion on worldly right and wrong caused by "I" "we" "our" and so on.

    I had posted some good material of explainings before, but there seems to be an Asura who always delete some quotes. If you like to have more explaining I guess its needed that you write me so that the Asura is not able take things away to keep a struggle alive. :-)

    _()_
    with metta

    ReplyDelete