the payment to see the diamond lady is $120..for one hour...
i am thinking the average person does not have that in their wallet... does she offer help for the needy?... mosman is an exclusive suburb of sydney...very exclusive... who's going to go there?... those with pockets full of loot and "problems"..manifested because they have too much loot and too much time on their hands.. mainly i bet middle class women who's hubby brings in the pay cheque and they have nothing better to do .. cynical yes!... i ask again the question why did not jesus charge for his teachings?... merle Joe, I'm no purist, believe me. And I willingly give dana for receiving the teaching of the Dharma and to help in the promulgation of it. I'm not suggesting that every teacher is simply teaching in order to make a living, but it's a slippery slope towards the corruption of the Dharma (not that the True Dharma can be corrupted). And I know I'm in good company in being concerned about this. Mike --- In [email protected], "Joe" wrote: > > And, Mike, let's not mix metaphors and Metamucil. > > Those teachers who are not supported by the Monastic infrastructure, who are > independent, free, and house-holders, OF COURSE need support from students, > or else from their own independent means. One or the other, or both. > > Even if they DON'T need this support, they charge something anyway, because > they KNOW it is ***GOOD PSYCHOLOGY***. Get sumpthin' for nuthin', and that's > just how you'll value it (you Cheapskates... whoever you are). > > I charge $45 US for my 6 weeks series in "Buddhist Yoga for Meditators". > Yet, I am Rich. Even the students can see unabashedly that I drive a pretty > high-class 30-year-old 12-speed bicycle, with 18,000 miles on it. > > I've never practiced anywhere and paid NOTHING to support the Sangha, or > Center. Why would I? > > If you do -- not YOU!, Mike -- you are a fool. > > Who'll pay for the Sandals? > > Ask Edgar. > > --Joe > > --- In [email protected], "mike" wrote: > > > > Merle, > > > > Don't be so harsh on yourself. I think you're right to be somewhat > > skeptical about teachers who receive an income, or make a living, out of > > the Dharma. Joe is also correct that so often we listen to our > > discriminating mind and hence create points of view that are just not true > > reflections of reality. But there has to be a balance. I don't know > > Subhana, but if it's true she is a practicing doctor, then my feeling would > > be she shouldn't be charging money for teaching the Dharma. Where, for > > example, would she know that trip overseas was paid from - her doctor's > > salary or from a talk on the Lotus Sutra? (I'm not necessarily impugning > > Subhana as I know nothing of her circumstances. But I think my concerns > > still stand). > > > > I also think it's wrong if a person makes a living teaching the Dharma, but > > could be earning a living in other ways. Let's not forget that Buddha > > forbade his monks from even * handling* money! In the Vipassana tradition > > of S.N.Goenka (the one I follow), all retreats are free of charge, and all > > teachers are volunteers. Simply put, no one should receive financial > > compensation for teaching the Dharma, at least not beyond reimbursement for > > travelling expenses etc. sometimes 'wage' can conveniently be interpreted > > as 'Dana'. >
