I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by LastLegend »

SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:47 am
KeithA wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:05 am
Tata1 wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:00 am

I love how people tend to think that somehow first world problemas are harder than not having proper shelter, heat and food.
Not to mention the difficulties of actually doing the practice intensively.
My opinion is formed by the words of the people they talked to in the documentary. No assumptions were. I just listened. :)

Not disparaging these monastics. I appreciate their practice. But, my opinion is Bodhisattva's go to where the suffering is, rather than hide in the mountains. There is certainly a time for that for that style of practice, though.

I guess I've always had a dim view of monasticism. Give me Mother Theresa any day.

Ah well, just another opinion. Not worth the pixels it's written on. :jumping:
You do realize that a number of them nearly died from starvation and cold in those mountains?

I bet those hermits realize emptiness much faster than any of us. I think they said in the film, some have their experience after one or two years and then go back into society. Some stay to continue cultivating for decades without interruption.

Buddha himself was a hermit.
Yes Buddha realized it didn’t work to starve himself. 😂

Austerity isn’t the way.
It’s eye blinking.
SilenceMonkey
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by SilenceMonkey »

LastLegend wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:59 am
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:47 am
KeithA wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:05 am

My opinion is formed by the words of the people they talked to in the documentary. No assumptions were. I just listened. :)

Not disparaging these monastics. I appreciate their practice. But, my opinion is Bodhisattva's go to where the suffering is, rather than hide in the mountains. There is certainly a time for that for that style of practice, though.

I guess I've always had a dim view of monasticism. Give me Mother Theresa any day.

Ah well, just another opinion. Not worth the pixels it's written on. :jumping:
You do realize that a number of them nearly died from starvation and cold in those mountains?

I bet those hermits realize emptiness much faster than any of us. I think they said in the film, some have their experience after one or two years and then go back into society. Some stay to continue cultivating for decades without interruption.

Buddha himself was a hermit.
Yes Buddha realized it didn’t work to starve himself. 😂

Austerity isn’t the way.
Well... it is often taught at least in Chinese zen that he would have never become Buddha if he hadn't gone through six years of extreme austerity. We're talking real buddhahood.

And I think few western practitioners would even survive on one alms bowl of food each day. The way the original sangha practiced was a middle way, but still very difficult. Let's not fool ourselves.
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

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SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:31 am
Well... it is often taught at least in Chinese zen that he would have never become Buddha if he hadn't gone through six years of extreme austerity. We're talking real buddhahood.
Sure...but karmic debt can take more time if not paid all at once.
And I think few western practitioners would even survive on one alms bowl of food each day. The way the original sangha practiced was a middle way, but still very difficult. Let's not fool ourselves.
It’s equally difficult to deal with having a job and family responsibilities.

The original carrying alms bowl is seen in Southern Vietnamese Buddhist Sect of mostly Khmer ethnic and some Kinh ethnic (which made up the majority of Vietnamese population).
It’s eye blinking.
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by LastLegend »

They still do it in Cambodia and Thailand maybe Myanmar and Bhutan, and other countries. Mostly Southern Sect (Sravakayana). The Mahayana temples in Vietnam are rich yo! They have a lot of donations. Most follow Pure Land now with a few exceptions.
Last edited by LastLegend on Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SilenceMonkey
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by SilenceMonkey »

LastLegend wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:38 am
It’s equally difficult to deal with having a job and family responsibilities.
That's always a debate, isn't it.

Anyway, I think we should respect practitioners who choose to give up everything to dedicate themselves to the path of enlightenment. Most people aren't really capable of giving up their worldly attachments. (We were originally talking about hermits, by the way.)
jimmi
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by jimmi »

LastLegend wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:38 am
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:31 am
Well... it is often taught at least in Chinese zen that he would have never become Buddha if he hadn't gone through six years of extreme austerity. We're talking real buddhahood.
Sure...but karmic debt can take more time if not paid all at once.
What does it matter how long it takes (for real Buddhahood)?

Hermit-ism is about solitude rather than austerity. Was the Buddha being a hermit, or something else, during those six years? I think that solitude is much more immediate in bringing one to the tipping point than is austerity.
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by LastLegend »

SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:51 am
LastLegend wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:38 am
It’s equally difficult to deal with having a job and family responsibilities.
That's always a debate, isn't it.

Anyway, I think we should respect practitioners who choose to give up everything to dedicate themselves to the path of enlightenment. Most people aren't really capable of giving up their worldly attachments. (We were originally talking about hermits, by the way.)
Sure...why not? I do it’s brave to live in the mountain. The path to enlightenment is just not enlightenment experience itself and then that’s it. It’s know what to do after to benefit beings. It’s not volunteering work it’s not becoming the psychologist or in the market doing charity. It’s the level of work discussed in Sutras.

They might need some Dharma protectors because living in the mountain and meditating there they might encounter demons who would come to mess with them. :lol:
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

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jimmi wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:52 am Hermit-ism is about solitude rather than austerity. Was the Buddha being a hermit, or something else, during those six years? I think that solitude is much more immediate in bringing one to the tipping point than is austerity.
Yeah because you have time just to practice alone.

In the movie Buddha starves himself.
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SilenceMonkey
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by SilenceMonkey »

Then again, austerity is a powerful way to let go of attachments.

There's a saying in the practice lineages: "Without undergoing hardship, you won't accomplish much."
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

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Not if you die.

The path towards enlightenment isn’t easy whether you are in the mountain or out here you’ll always encounter karma.
It’s eye blinking.
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by Budai »

I certainly only heard wise words from the hermits in the documentary, and noticed they were all on the Path meditating on Buddha and Emptiness, trying to Teach each other what they learned. I think it’s certainly a paradigm for the Path to Enlightenment, like Shakyamuni’s. And His is there.
Tata1
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by Tata1 »

LastLegend wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:59 am
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:47 am
KeithA wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:05 am

My opinion is formed by the words of the people they talked to in the documentary. No assumptions were. I just listened. :)

Not disparaging these monastics. I appreciate their practice. But, my opinion is Bodhisattva's go to where the suffering is, rather than hide in the mountains. There is certainly a time for that for that style of practice, though.

I guess I've always had a dim view of monasticism. Give me Mother Theresa any day.

Ah well, just another opinion. Not worth the pixels it's written on. :jumping:
You do realize that a number of them nearly died from starvation and cold in those mountains?

I bet those hermits realize emptiness much faster than any of us. I think they said in the film, some have their experience after one or two years and then go back into society. Some stay to continue cultivating for decades without interruption.

Buddha himself was a hermit.
Yes Buddha realized it didn’t work to starve himself. 😂

Austerity isn’t the way.
Eating once a day if you manage to get some food from someone seems pretty austere to me
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JoaoRodrigues
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by JoaoRodrigues »

Tata1 wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:00 am I love how people tend to think that somehow first world problemas are harder than not having proper shelter, heat and food.
Not to mention the difficulties of actually doing the practice intensively.
I'm not sure if you saw the video I posted, they say clothing, food, those necessities are no longer a problem there.

Those necessities are provided at the moment, by those having the "first world problems".

But, I invite you to work like a robot six days a week, twelve-sixteen hours a day, away from your family, children.

If you think that's living, not a hardship... if you think that "first world problem" are minor, than, do it, please...

Is the practice supposed to be a hardship? I'm sorry, I never noticed.

You sound like someone who never worked in is life, receiving money from the papa and mama.
Könchok Chödrak wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:46 am I certainly only heard wise words from the hermits in the documentary
I didn't, at least the documentary I posted. No wise words were said.
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:26 am Then again, austerity is a powerful way to let go of attachments.
Letting go of basic material attachments is austerity.

Also, please, again, see the video, they do not live in austerity.
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:47 am You do realize that a number of them nearly died from starvation and cold in those mountains?
I don't realize. Please tell me numbers, cases. Recent ones, please...
SilenceMonkey wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 3:31 am it is often taught at least in Chinese zen that he would have never become Buddha if he hadn't gone through six years of extreme austerity. We're talking real buddhahood.
Where's that? In Ch'an texts? Please quote it...
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LastLegend
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by LastLegend »

It’s known in Chan that one has to endure hardship before enlightenment. In general the path to enlightenment isn’t easy, precisely because we encounter karma.
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SilenceMonkey
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

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Working six days a week with a family to provide for of course is a hardship. It’s a meaningless hardship from the perspective of a monk. That’s why renunciants leave it all behind so they can go and practice the path to enlightenment. Even Buddha left his wife and child.

Anyway... those basic necessities are most likely not a problem for them because they’ve transcended the need for basic comfort.

This is all so basic to Buddhism, it’s really not worth arguing about. But it’s strange that many Buddhists these days don’t seem to have respect for the way of renunciants. It’s what Buddhism was founded on.
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by Nemo »

Capitalism has made being a hermit illegal. The police will come beat you and destroy your belongings. You have no peace. Being poor is now a criminal act. Temples are run like businesses to survive. Taxes, building codes, municipal busybodies working for property developers, land speculation, etc. Capitalism can't bear for a single hermit to live quietly by another way. All must bend a knee and work or inherit wealth. Even though we have more wealth per person than ever in history. This is progress? It feels like subjugation.
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by Arnoud »

Nemo wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:32 pm Capitalism has made being a hermit illegal. The police will come beat you and destroy your belongings. You have no peace. Being poor is now a criminal act. Temples are run like businesses to survive. Taxes, building codes, municipal busybodies working for property developers, land speculation, etc. Capitalism can't bear for a single hermit to live quietly by another way. All must bend a knee and work or inherit wealth. Even though we have more wealth per person than ever in history. This is progress? It feels like subjugation.
How is it illegal to live alone? Plenty of homeless people who don’t get attacked.
There seem to be quite a few people who live off the grid and do just fine. Maybe if you want to make camp at a UNESCO heritage site or someone else’s property you would be escorted out but otherwise I think most people leave others well enough alone.
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Re: I'm looking for documentaries about hermits

Post by kirtu »

Cien dias de soledad - 100 Days of Solitude - on Netflix

Not precisely a documentary about a hermit - a Spanish photographer spends 100 days alone in a cabin photographing nature - this is also partly a memorial for his brother who had taken him to the cabin years ago.
José Díaz secludes himself in his cabin in the Redes Natural Park (Asturias, northwest Spain) for 100 days, being self-sufficient and completely disconnected from the real world and its advances. He will have no electricity, no cell phone, no television, no computer, no watch ... Only man with nature.
He does have a camera and a drone through ...

In Spanish with English subtitles


Kirt
Kirt's Tibetan Translation Notes

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche

"Most all-knowing Mañjuśrī, ...
Please illuminate the radiant wisdom spirit
Of my precious Buddha nature."
HH Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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