The Secret Lives of Monks?!

[Martial Development]

[goldisheavy]

Suppressing human sexuality is generally a very dumb idea. It's no wonder people fail.

 

From a Buddhist point of view, those monks are not necessarily going to hell, but they will be reborn as humans again, in the realm of desire.

 

Celibacy is not for everyone. It's really dumb to push it on people.

Edited January 17, 2010 by goldisheavy

[Capital]

Why do people expect monks to be buddhas?

 

Also, having children is no 'more natural' than anything else- No one made us to have babies. No one made us for anything, besides to be ourselves; likewise homosexuality is no 'less natural' than anything else (and that's all I'll say about that). If one believes in Karma, then one believes in the importance of intent within action, yes? As it pertains to both personal and inter-personal consequences?

 

Do you really think these monks and/or nuns all had ill intent? Does having sex truly count as a sin? It's not like someone (any someone) is being maligned by the action, in any way, as long as it is all fully mutual.

 

EDIT: Am I in the realm of desire? I certainly feel desires, even if I try not to act on those that I feel are inter-personally negative. Are realms within the minds of the individual, so everyone in this world is on different realms all at once? Am I within a realm, but I realize not? Are you all in my 'realm', and we have some fatal flaw or hubris that we cannot see, for it so thoroughly defines us?

 

To be frank, I don't understand the idea of 'realms' at all.

 

EDIT2: Agreed with Drew: no matter what, the account sounded false.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Capital

[voidisyinyang]

[xyz]

he sucked me off in the night -- SPIRITUALLY -- not physically.

 

give it a day or 2 and he would have done it physicaly

[bindo]

Monks and sex

[Sarnyn]

Monks and sex

 

lol, thanks for that link it was a very enjoyable read, though I have never experienced anything like that on any retreats I have been too, sadly.

 

I will say that it goes both ways. The sexual urge is a powerful one, and I can't tell you how many times I have imagined what any number of nuns would look like with hair, and appreciated them in a sexual way, even if it has always been restricted to the domain of my imagination. I always felt some amount of shame thinking about the nuns in this way, as though I was defiling some sacred religious symbol. Part of me enjoys the fantasy of perverting something that is supposed to be so austere.

 

But the mind is like that, it will round its way back to the sexual, I don't think there is any avoiding this. Its why concentration is so important to this path. I agree with Gold is heavy. Sexual repression is very dangerous. If you take a healthy plant and put it in a closet, it will grow crooked in the dark looking for any way to sate its need. SO the response is to deal with our impulses with a calm equanimity mind, without judging.

 

Very little changes about a person when you shave their head and put some robes on them. It is a ritual that is meant to help us affirm a great determination. And that is pretty much it. It is very easy to shave a head, much more difficult to make the kind of personal transformation into this strange, almost inhuman asexual being that most of us have floating around in our heads, that we like to supper impose upon our religious role models. Remember that the difference between a lay person and a monastic is simply that the monastic has made a commitment to walking a path. A lay person can have just as much commitment, but doesn't have the benefit of the ritual to give them an added stick for their determination to lean against.

 

The real mystery is not that these sexual encounters happen. The real mystery is that we as human animals manage to spend any time at all, that we are able to allocate any time at all to our spiritual purification. That is the real marvel, and is a testament to those who dedicate their lives to this end!

 

 

with metta!

Edited January 17, 2010 by Sarnyn

[suninmyeyes]

about 10 years ago we have squattted this place that used to be a buddhist "hotel".

a place for monks that are visting from abroad to come and stay.nice place with massive puja room and beutiful green tara painting on the wall.

but when we moved in place was INFESTED with japonese porn magazines in every room.

naughty monks.

during my long travel in asia ive been approached by sadhus/monks on few occasions and saw gay burmese monks flirting openly.and tibetan monks doing parikarma in kathamandu while holding the bottle of beer. but also the thing is that a lot of monks and sadhus in poorer countries take on that way of life not becouse its ideals.but out of having nowhere else to go.

and also eveyone is just trying, i think, one way or another to do best for themselves ,just maybe not (what they consider or is considered) so succesfull sometimes.

and in india many ex criminals actually turn sadhus so they can escape imprisoment etc...

i think celibacy is meant to be understanding,not suppresion.understanding how body works and methamorphosising sexual urge into something more satisfiying and being able to dwell on that mostly.

sun

[Pietro]

The problem is an economic one. For many people monkhood is an easy way to solve the basic human necessities. So people in some countries just chose to be monks to have a place to sleep, and to receive food. Plus of course a better social status than beggers. All together people who have nothing to do with their life, will be very tempted to just get into monkhood in some places.

 

I keep on thinking that the gov should provide basic food and a sleeping place for everybody. Nothing fancy, dormitories, and basic food. But enough to survive. So people are not forced to go into work against their principles, or into slavery just to survive.

[forestofclarity]

This is not an economic or "Asian" problem. Google Stuart Lachs to find the scandals and problems in American Zen. No one should lose their common sense on the spiritual path, no matter what their route.

[Pero]

Suppressing human sexuality is generally a very dumb idea. It's no wonder people fail.

 

Celibacy is not for everyone. It's really dumb to push it on people.

 

I agree. However, if you become a monk then that's what you should expect. It's not being pushed on people if that's what people chose. If people can't take it then they shouldn't become monks.

[doc benway]

It seems to me that many people choose a path of priesthood or the monastery because of inner demons or conflict. It's no great surprise then when "holy" people commit such acts. The only real difference between the laity and the clergy is the amount of time spent praying (meditating) and there's probably a reason why they feel the need to pray so hard.