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Question and Answer 10: Mindfulness, Love, Free Will (etc.)
Well, here it is folks: A long and detailed Q&A session with lots of good queries. Questions include: learning meditation from YouTube; the Navakavada “movement”; western vs. eastern monasticism; head coverings; Free Will; science vs. metaphysical idealism; mindfulness of body and mind; the ascetic lifestyle; falling from a high incarnation; enlightened laypeople; morality of enlightened beings; magick; subtleties of karma; recollection of Buddha/Dhamma/Sangha; venerable Vimalaramsi; geographical relocation for preppers and conservative Buddhists; the origins of Mahayana; “love is acceptance”; the origin of Dharma; Buddhist use of weapons; venerable Wirathu; Buddhists in South Carolina; barbecue sauce; enlightened insects; liking bad habits; the Brian Ruhe Show; mindfulness of breathing; no-mind in Zen; publishing my books; my largest challenge after disrobing; how I met my sweetheart; and attainments for laypeople vs. attainments for monks.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/csnSwsRtWidW/
https://www.bitchute.com/video/csnSwsRtWidW/
Thank you for the Q&A- good session! Your thoughts about love were quite helpful. Regarding recollection of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha as leading to full awakening the sutta reference I found is in the Anguttara Nikaya I.XVI-296-305 (page 116 in the Bodhi ed)- a quick paraphrase "There is one thing that leads exclusively to enlightenment to nibbana. What is that one thing? Recollection of the Buddha." It also then covers the Dhamma and Sangha in the following suttas. Will have to take a look at the Visuddhimagga as well.
With regard Navakavada - run with it, I mean run - from the number of comments you’ve had about it there definitely seems to be a demand already - running a course or two in the woods isn’t going to sustain you financially, however a movement will - you can also start streaming classes or retreats on eventbrite - there’s the learning/teaching component that would result in a couple of courses at least (foundation, beginner, etc.) and you could have both Navakavadans and anagarika-navakavadans - or whatever form that takes in the West - these are things you can charge for, and before baulking at the idea of charging for the Dhamma aren’t all forms of spirituality a form of spiritual materialism? And anyway, bills to be paid - well you said you were open to comments on the vid so that’s my input - run with it, or what, you prefer selling sheet metal?