and nasty merle me thinks that the diamond lady has a "rich hubby" bringing in more loot than you can poke a stick at..
after all the suburb of mosman is exclusive sydney.. where all the rich dudes hang out and daddy's girl's and boys all go to the very best of private schools. mummy hangs out at coffee shops, weight reducing classes gyms and charity work so they can get the feel good after they have spent the morning purchasing the $250 handbag and $550 dress..the must have items so so fashionable to be in zen too...it screams of "......... " all sucked in by the new wave of seeing the "eternal light" we all know what i am talking about! saying that in april i'm off to a buddhist temple for the water festival with my buddhist thai lady friend.. that will be fun! and i'll be wearing my "silk dress" NOT merle No way! I just choked on my oysters and Chardonnay! Maybe there's a special offer on Zen inc(a), too.. Seriously, $120 an hour?... --- In [email protected], Merle Lester wrote: > > > > 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!... > > Â i ask again the question why did not jesus charge for his teachings?... > > merle > > > Â > > 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'. > > >
