Marketing Gurus - Do You Need One
BN: Laughing. We may be getting some goats soon. You know the economics of this? They milk the goats. The female goats give birth to billy goats, but there is no use for the billy goats. So after 40 days, they kill the male goat to eat. So we are going to adopt a male goat. And see from there if we can add more. We do eat seafood here, but I'd like the monastery to become completely vegetarian. We still follow the practice of not eating after noon.
BN: Yes, the more I live here, the more I understand the problems unique to the people here. I connect more and I am more sympathetic. And I also learn. During the retreats we have the interview. I come to see that people have a wide variety of problems. Sometimes, I feel like a psychologist. I listen. I realize that people do not come here only to learn about Buddhism, but to address some problem. I notice that many people want to know what's behind their dissatisfaction with so many areas of life, with the government, the economy, family, inner turmoil.
The main symbols associated with the Buddhist religion can be viewed through what is called the "eight auspicious symbols." It is through these significant items that offerings are made to Buddha. These symbols also correspond to the Noble Eightfold Path. They include: the mirror, medicine, yogurt, durva grass, bilva fruit, conch shell, mustard seed and vermilion powder.
BN: The word Buddha can mean knowing, knowing something. The five skandas may be the object of meditation (and we come to see their impermanent and dependent characteristics) and there is the awareness of them. Yet still the awareness is part of the characteristics of phenomena. I agree. I don't think that awareness can be truly separated from the characteristics of phenomena. Of course awareness is fundamental and essential to mindfulness.
There are many different religious concepts related to the Buddhist religion, but the main teachings deal with the Four Noble Truths; the Noble Eightfold Path; as well as the Five Precepts. Basic moral guidelines are presented through the Five Precepts, while the Noble Eightfold Path deals with the spiritual growth of a Buddhist. The Four Noble Truths offer insight into the main ideas associated with the Buddha's teachings.
The empire was then restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, the capital was then re-established and the state temple was established as well. However in the 13th century the temple originally Hindu, became a temple for theravada Buddhism, and has remained as such to this day. What is unique about Angkor Wat is that it was never completely abandoned and it has remained preserved despite neglect. Scholars argue that this is because of the protection of the moat that keeps the jungle from encroaching upon it.
Janet returned from the U.K. (over my protests) and we eventually moved from Johnstown to Winchester, Virginia, hoping for a better chance for employment, even though none of these small Appalachian towns could offer much. Winchester was only an hour's drive from the Bhavana Society and Bhante G, who was just over the line in West Virginia and a couple of hours from my mother's nursing home in Pennsylvania, so we were able to deepen our practice and at the same time keep an eye on Mom.
