Years ago, I read an interview with Leonard Cohen who, as you might remember, became a Buddhist monk. He stated that in the monastery, you’re free to do pretty much anything - in your free time. Listen to rock music, take drugs, no-one cares.
It’s just that you don’t have any free time because every day is 100% structured.
It’s way more complicated than that. Can depend on the sect, or even the individual. There’s a lot of Buddhist stereotypes that persist from how westerners first reported back about Buddhists to other westerners.
I know, but still, the oldest schools of Buddhism don’t have anything that would equate to what we in the west consider a god, or gods.
I know that in east asia, south-east Asia etc., there are schools of Buddhism that do have gods.
But Buddhism being in many ways a rejection of brahamical religion in north india/nepal, also rejected the idea of gods when it first started to develop. I think that’s pretty uncontroversial no?
If only there was a way to be a non-religious monk.
i’m pretty sure a nonreligious monasteary is just a commune
Study and talking to other people about a fringe hobby is the closest you can get to becoming a modern monk.
I wonder if in the future there would be monasteries dedicated to retrocomputers or fungi enthusiasts.
Years ago, I read an interview with Leonard Cohen who, as you might remember, became a Buddhist monk. He stated that in the monastery, you’re free to do pretty much anything - in your free time. Listen to rock music, take drugs, no-one cares.
It’s just that you don’t have any free time because every day is 100% structured.
Not non-religious, but Buddhists don’t believe in god 🤷♂️ it’s something
It’s way more complicated than that. Can depend on the sect, or even the individual. There’s a lot of Buddhist stereotypes that persist from how westerners first reported back about Buddhists to other westerners.
I know, but still, the oldest schools of Buddhism don’t have anything that would equate to what we in the west consider a god, or gods.
I know that in east asia, south-east Asia etc., there are schools of Buddhism that do have gods.
But Buddhism being in many ways a rejection of brahamical religion in north india/nepal, also rejected the idea of gods when it first started to develop. I think that’s pretty uncontroversial no?
they dont believe in capital g God but buddhism has plenty of gods for sure
Depends on the school of Buddhism sure. That’s true. Some don’t have anything resembling what we call God or even gods tho.