Bothering

Isis SG

Hi something has been bothering me for long...

Refreshing to see different perspectives frm what i feel

I have been having this strong urge to renounce but then i worry that i cant tahan the hardships of keeping percepts for i even have difficulties to follow the rules. For nun, Ladies can only renounce once.

But in my heart i know...... 'Reality is not what it seems sometime '...

it becos my heart simply know.... i cant lie to myself....

that all the pleasure in life does not give me the kind of pleasure that i can enjoy anymore... i dun pursue them as much as i will previously

the way i deal w things are simply different but sometime i find it impractical in the way society function in some sense

paperflower SG

our lives are conditioned...
we study to get good grades, stable jobs, support families further education, expenses, splurging etc... how far further can I go once I got what I want materialistically? I wasn't really satisfied, it just stopped there monotonously.

I do thought about renounce. to me its a serious cultivation yet not holding too tight. I thought about it but not thinking too much either. let nature take its own course...
i've wanted to be buddhist scholar besides the choice of renounce. reason simply cos of wanting to know the deep real true meaning of buddhism thru studies investigations observations & finally speaking them authentically by my own understanding & not blindly quoting or copying what others say....

marcteng SG

You dun have to renounce, you can still practise abeit as a lay follower.

If you have a family,ie husband and children, it is advisable not to renounce as your obligation is to them in this lifetime.

There are quite a number of lay followers whose knowledge and practise are very good.

For ladies, its only once and if you return to lay life, you cant renounce anymore.

marcteng SG

if one really wan to renounce. where to go renouncing for nuns?

what abt for guys who wants to renounce as a monk, mahayana and theravada?

maggot SG

Go for those short term monkhood Laughing

Some do not know what they really want in their life

Experience is needed in all decision making Cool

Cenarious SG

why that rule for ladies?

An Eternal Now SG

I think the only tradition that does not have nuns is Sri Lanka Theravada, because it sort of died off after the 'nun lineage' is not continued around a thousand years ago, but Sri Lankans are entering nunhood through Mahayana in Sri Lanka. all other Buddhist traditions have monk and nuns.

Isis SG

i have thought of practising and learning dhamma as a lay follower cos in this world, we 'can fall down' easily and learn. It's much more challenging.

but i guess i could be happier to renounce.

bohiruci SG

yes indeed , but do think is there any dependent living on ur morale support ,becos the reason why Buddha set this rule of woman can only renounce once , is due to the importance of woman in a family .and Ancient Indian society potray woman as the weaker in terms of practice ,as they have
periods and months of discomfort ..

much to the wisdom of Buddha Sakyamuni

but ,...but ,in the anecdotes of the Pureland Sages by ancient master of modern Republic China

most of the rebirth in Pureland is woman Smile

paperflower SG

renunciation: giving things up and away.....

leaving one's homeland is accomplishing half the Dharma.
- Milarepa

Trungpa Rinpoche said, "usually we think of renunciation as celibacy, poverty, obedience, shaving your head, going off somewhere and leaving everything behind."
he then gave a wider tantric interpretation of renunciation:
"renunciation means to let go of holding back."

it does mean abandoning our intense emotional attachments and compulsive preoccupations. do we really have to turn our backs on family, friends and work in order to practice Dharma? don't think so......

if there is clinging, the practitioner's view is not the vast view.
if there is resistence, the meditation is weak.
if there is partiality, the activity is not enlightened action.
free from these three is the way of the Natural Great Perfection.
- Dzogchen Verse

Isis, may you be well and liberated and attain enlightenment soon one day. Smile