Ask Amani_Bhava anything (within reason)

[Amani_Bhava]

I am new here but have written little too many controversial posts.

In both cases (both in General Debates) I was responding to questions or allegations and the replies I wrote were too strongly worded. I do not come from a culture known for political correctness .. I am learning about it and not very comfortable with the more extreme aspects of it.

I am usually a mild mannered man .. rather unusually so .. and my posts really do not represent who I am ..

From Denzel to Morgan Freeman to West Indian cricketers .. I have always thought well of black people .. Harry Bellafonte is my favorite singer ..

I have been thoroughly westernised from my birth and think that west is a great civilisation having contributed to discovery of everything from Euclid's geometry to antibiotics. But yes my "West" sort of stops at 1995 and Forrest Gump. Back in 1992 I would have been considered a liberal but now I would be considered a conservative.

This wrong impression of me that I have projected has caused me some anguish (although we are disembodied cluster of electrons in cyberspace writing under anonymous usernames and at end of the day it honestly does not matter)

This is a last ditch effort to repair my relationship with this forum.

I would be glad to answer any questions anybody has

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[sayak83]

I am new here but have written little too many controversial posts.

In both cases (both in General Debates) I was responding to questions or allegations and the replies I wrote were too strongly worded. I do not come from a culture known for political correctness .. I am learning about it and not very comfortable with the more extreme aspects of it.

I am usually a mild mannered man .. rather unusually so .. and my posts really do not represent who I am ..

From Denzel to Morgan Freeman to West Indian cricketers .. I have always thought well of black people .. Harry Bellafonte is my favorite singer ..

I have been thoroughly westernised from my birth and think that west is a great civilisation having contributed to discovery of everything from Euclid's geometry to antibiotics. But yes my "West" sort of stops at 1995 and Forrest Gump. Back in 1992 I would have been considered a liberal but now I would be considered a conservative.

This wrong impression of me that I have projected has caused me some anguish (although we are disembodied cluster of electrons in cyberspace writing under anonymous usernames and at end of the say it honestly does not matter)

This is a last ditch effort to repair my relationship with this forum.

I would be glad to answer any questions anybody has

namaste

amani_bhava

Debate section is meant to be contentious, within limits of the forum rules of course. You don't have to go with the flow or be politically correct. Don't worry overmuch about it.

What's your hobby, passion, favorite book, etc.?

 

[Amani_Bhava]

Debate section is meant to be contentious, within limits of the forum rules of course. You don't have to go with the flow or be politically correct. Don't worry overmuch about it.

What's your hobby, passion, favorite book, etc.?

Hobby - for past few years it has been study of Theravada Buddhism and Vedanta (in about 80:20 ratio)

Passion - currently none .. I am a sadhak Sādhanā - Wikipedia My passion is not have any passion

Favorite book - Hmm .. At this stage of my life .. Rupert Gethin's "The Foundations of Buddhism" and Surendranath Dasgupta's "A History of Indian Philosophy" (Vol I and II)

Political view - centrist but faintly leaning to conservatism (view deficit budgets poorly)

Favorite tv show - Breaking Bad

If I could be one person - an ascetic without a home or a monastery .. truly free

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think I know which poster's threads you're referring to. My advice would be to put them on ignore if they upset you. (I have them on ignore, myself.) It's also best not to say things that you may not really mean and will make you look bad, just to make someone else mad. Just my two cents.

 

[sayak83]

Hobby - for past few years it has been study of Theravada Buddhism and Vedanta (in about 80:20 ratio)

Passion - currently none .. I am a sadhak Sādhanā - Wikipedia My passion is not have any passion

Favorite book - Hmm .. At this stage of my life .. Rupert Gethin's "The Foundations of Buddhism" and Surendranath Dasgupta's "A History of Indian Philosophy" (Vol I and II)

Political view - centrist but faintly leaning to conservatism (view deficit budgets poorly)

Favorite tv show - Breaking Bad

If I could be one person - an ascetic without a home or a monastery .. truly free

namaste

amani_bhava

Do you do Vipassana meditation?

 

[Jesster]

What's your family life like? (if any)

 

[Amani_Bhava]

Do you do Vipassana meditation?

Self taught. I do not have the time to attend 10 day retreats

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[Amani_Bhava]

What's your family life like? (if any)

I am single by choice. I always knew that at some point in my life spirituality was going to play a very large part and hence never married. Would have been hard on my wife and kid(s).

I have two sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces (who have been married recently .. so their husbands too form apart of my immediate family) .. Couple of cousins in other cities .. meet them at times .. maybe once a year or little less

My mother lives with me .. we share a great bond (some of it because she understands that I do not want to marry and never forced me .. someone remaining a bachelor by choice is pretty big deal here and quite hard for a parent to accept .. especially since I am the male bloodline and only son .. oops lack of political correctness )

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[Sunstone]

...I am the male bloodline and only son .. oops lack of political correctness )

It can be hard to tell somethings over the net. Were you attempting to make a joke or do you really think it isn't "politically correct" to state that you are the male bloodline and only son?

 

[Woberts]

It can be hard to tell somethings over the net. Were you attempting to make a joke or do you really think it isn't "politically correct" to state that you are the male bloodline and only son?

Ok, @Sunstone, it's time for a lesson in smilies. Usually, the "" smilie means that it's a joke.

 

[Sunstone]

Ok, @Sunstone, it's time for a lesson in smilies. Usually, the "" smilie means that it's a joke.

Rolling eyes can mean sarcasm, even heavy sarcasm. Not necessarily quite the same thing as, say, making gentle fun of something.

 

[Vinayaka]

I am single by choice. I always knew that at some point in my life spirituality was going to play a very large part and hence never married. Would have been hard on my wife and kid(s).

What about getting married and raising children isn't spiritual, and how did you come to the idea that being single would help with spirituality? (I understand the 'all in' approach of monasticism, but this doesn't really sound like that.)

Which country, (state?) cultural background are you from, and which languages do you speak?

 

[Amani_Bhava]

It can be hard to tell somethings over the net. Were you attempting to make a joke or do you really think it isn't "politically correct" to state that you are the male bloodline and only son?

While it is accurate to state - I am the male bloodline and only son and most other parents would have forced me to marry and beget an offspring but my mother didn't - it is not politically correct ..

So while I needed to convey the information, I was acutely aware that it maybe misconstrued by its audience .. thus I pointed out that it was politically incorrect information (and I was aware of it) .. the rolling eyes was to indicate "here we go again" and I was correct since "here we are going again"

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[Amani_Bhava]

What about getting married and raising children isn't spiritual, and how did you come to the idea that being single would help with spirituality? (I understand the 'all in' approach of monasticism, but this doesn't really sound like that.)

Which country, (state?) cultural background are you from, and which languages do you speak?

Marriage means responsibility to provide at average consumption levels - I cannot say I will not earn $x more to provide my wife and child average life since I can use that time to listen to a bhajan or meditate, I cannot say my wife has to lead a simple life because I do .. I maybe spiritual but she may long for material objects.

As a bachelor I can live very simple life and buy only bare essentials (both because I am against consumerism and because being spiritual means certain lack of motivation to work more and earn more .. no one can be spiritual and say I want to earn 3x what I am doing now .. they are antithetical views) One 120 ml after shave lasts me three years and I describe myself as "urban monk" .. I do not think a woman should have that kind of husband .. my tv is an 11 year old CRT .. I do not think a kid should have that kind of father.

Note - I never claim that I am a person taking optimal decisions or writing optimal answers. I will never claim my point is correct nor expect anyone be influenced by my thoughts. I am what I am and my answer is what it is.

E.g. I wrote Britain is responsible taking bad decisions in colonial era the end result of which are the conflicts we see today - Kashmir, Syria, Palestine-Israel, Rohingya.

I believe in it and I presented my thoughts. Does not mean I am trying to persuade others to believe in it. If they wish they will pursue it .. google "Britain cause of Rohingya problem" and learn for themselves. (I forgot my own maxim and explained to exchemist how the west is becoming weak and everything went out of control from that point in the Cultural Marxism thread)

To answer the other part of your question I am from Calcutta, Bengal. I speak English, Bengali and Hindi.

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[Sunstone]

it is not politically correct ..

That's news to me. Might be an Indian thing.

 

[sayak83]

I am new here but have written little too many controversial posts.

In both cases (both in General Debates) I was responding to questions or allegations and the replies I wrote were too strongly worded. I do not come from a culture known for political correctness .. I am learning about it and not very comfortable with the more extreme aspects of it.

I am usually a mild mannered man .. rather unusually so .. and my posts really do not represent who I am ..

From Denzel to Morgan Freeman to West Indian cricketers .. I have always thought well of black people .. Harry Bellafonte is my favorite singer ..

I have been thoroughly westernised from my birth and think that west is a great civilisation having contributed to discovery of everything from Euclid's geometry to antibiotics. But yes my "West" sort of stops at 1995 and Forrest Gump. Back in 1992 I would have been considered a liberal but now I would be considered a conservative.

This wrong impression of me that I have projected has caused me some anguish (although we are disembodied cluster of electrons in cyberspace writing under anonymous usernames and at end of the day it honestly does not matter)

This is a last ditch effort to repair my relationship with this forum.

I would be glad to answer any questions anybody has

namaste

amani_bhava

What are your key take aways from Buddhism?

 

[Amani_Bhava]

What are your key take aways from Buddhism?

I have been studying it for five years. Will tell you in another forty.

I am not avoiding the answer. Just that the answer is complex and difficult to understand, one has to verify that it makes sense when one is 40, 50, 60, 70 ..... and almost impossible to put into words.

Add to it problem of understanding which are the Early Buddhist Texts, which are the later additions that are passed of as his teachings .. what did he really mean by some very difficult to understand suttas and concepts e.g. self vs non-self .. and really hard to say what one takes away.

But one feels that someone very wise (and with a sense of tongue-in-cheek humour) is speaking through the suttas. There is lot of wisdom in his teachings .. but what wisdom .. hmm

namaste

amani_bhava

 

[sayak83]

I have been studying it for five years. Will tell you in another forty.

I am not avoiding the answer. Just that the answer is complex and difficult to understand, one has to verify that it makes sense when one is 40, 50, 60, 70 ..... and almost impossible to put into words.

Add to it problem of understanding which are the Early Buddhist Texts, which are the later additions that are passed of as his teachings .. what did he really mean by some very difficult to understand suttas and concepts e.g. self vs non-self .. and really hard to say what one takes away.

But one feels that someone very wise (and with a sense of tongue-in-cheek humour) is speaking through the suttas. There is lot of wisdom in his teachings .. but what wisdom .. hmm

namaste

amani_bhava

Good answer. You are welcome to consider writing some reflective posts on your thoughts on the sutras when you feel like it.