I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

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taidangau
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:51 pm

I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

Post by taidangau »

Last six to seven years, big change in my life (I took this as a bad one), health (tumour), work (failure of business) and family (loss of my beloved ones).

Thanks to my lover who's been supporting me all the way, I made to struggle to live on. Having been unemployed for 2 years, lucky me I found a job in a Chinese Buddhist NGO where I could earn myself a humble living.

I told myself not to think too much about restarting business or my original career, just take a good rest and work in that NGO, while carrying on my own practice of Dharma.

I naively thought at first colleagues working there and monks and nuns I encounter are all Bodhisattvas who have kind heart and are merciful to others. BUT, I was wrong!

Having worked there for almost 2 years, I have not encountered any monks and nuns whom I feel they are kind. Take for instance recently, I picked up a call for a colleague who just left his seat for other stuff, at first I did not know who there was on the phone, until a moment later I asked if I might take a message for him so that I could leave a note to that colleague. The caller was in fact one of our organisation's directors and he was a monk, and he wanted to asked my colleague to do something for him, and I had no idea about that something, thus I could not help coz that something is particularly handled by my colleague.

Yet that monk director apparently yelled on the phone, complaining that why I could not reach out to locate my colleague with a fact that our organisation occupies two floors and each floor occupy about 3000 SF, not too big, yet neither small. I had a very bad feeling about his yelling and complaining, coz, first, I found out later that the thing he wanted my colleague to is NOT URGENT at all, he in fact could just tell me what he actually wanted so that I could write a message to my colleague who could then follow up later. Second, he just did not need to yell and shout over the phone, he could have told me with a "normal" tone, I dun even need him to talk gently and not to mention kindly! So my point is, is it true that one should act and talk and cheat others with kindness? Not to mention this is a universal principle to me for Buddhist or not, and he is a MONK!!!!!!!

Above is just one of the many examples that I have encountered personally, gradually, I lost my faith and trust in so-called monks and nuns!!!!!!

I mean I still believe in Buddha and his teachings, BUT NOT TO SANGHA!!!!! Despite the fact that I had taken refuge in front of the 3 jewels, Buddha of course, Dharma naturally, BUT SANGHA? Sorry, after all those unpleasant experiences, I could hardly believe any sangha, though frankly I really am longing for meeting Kalyāṇa-mittatā, and luckily my root-guru!!!!! Yet, I dare not to go to any centres coz I dun want to be disappointed by any unpleasant encounters with the lamas (I am a tantric Buddhist, and I had gone for quite a few centres since I had taken refuge 3 years ago, perhaps due to my karma, up till now I have not met any lamas and gurus whom I feel I want to get close and learn more dharma teachings from them coz my experience so far I had had is only that they deliver puja perfectly, yet I am longing for dharma that could touch my heart so that I can follow it to practise!)

Due to my experience mentioned above, plus the fact that I did not have pleasant co-operation with my colleagues (who may not necessarily a Buddhist, though again, I naviely thought all my colleagues are kind and easy-going whether he/ she is a Buddhist or not, so long as they work here in this Buddhist NGO, but this again is WRONG!), I had been feeling lost and down, coz feeling alone to do my practice (despite the fact I on and on turned to seek for dharma passages in the web to read and learn, yet, as one may understand, having an actual teaching from others is far more different and effective than my just reading from online), and eventually I gave up, I mean for now since last year, just bcoz I could not settle my mind!!!!!!

Really kind of tired, feeling like a fish on the hook, and struggling to get away from the hook, if anyone can understand what I mean!?

If you read on this line till now, I thank you for your kindness and may my best prayer be dedicated to you for your kindness! Namo Ambitabha!
AlexMcLeod
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 2:54 am

Re: I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

Post by AlexMcLeod »

You have to remember that the Sangha of refuge is not the monastic sangha but the Arya Sangha. I think the solution is exactly as you have outlined. You must find a teacher you can trust. I would suggest that you try looking everywhere, not just Vajrayana. The teacher's character and teaching ability are more important at your stage.
Relax! Smile From The Heart!
There is a difference between the Mundane and the Transcendental. If you purposefully confuse them, I will ignore you, you nihilist.
There is no Emotion, there is Peace. There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge. There is no Passion, there is Serenity. There is no Death, there is the Force.
Malcolm
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Re: I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

Post by Malcolm »

taidangau wrote:
I mean I still believe in Buddha and his teachings, BUT NOT TO SANGHA!!!!! Despite the fact that I had taken refuge in front of the 3 jewels, Buddha of course, Dharma naturally, BUT SANGHA?
When you are a Mahāyānist, you only take refuge in the Ārya Bodhisattva Sangha, not the sangha of monks and nuns, nor even the Sangha of Ārya Śrāvakas.
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Grigoris
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Re: I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

Post by Grigoris »

If I may be so bold to ask which organisation you work for?
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha
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Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:01 am

Re: I'm lost in my practice, someone can help enlighten me?

Post by A Ah Sha Sa Ma Ha »

Read Milarepa's biography ...it will make whatever we experience by sangha, fluff . You are your own refuge, guru & sangha too... :heart:
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