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New Buddhist searching for instruction. Discouraging to find only paid instruction.
A couple of months back I became fed up with the hypocracy of Christianity. Everything I experienced was one form or another of competition. I studied the basics of Buddhism and found that this was my path. To date I have conducted self study through books and video. In the past couple of weeks I have sought guidance from the few Buddhist temples in my area and there seems to be a lack of interest in teaching unless I want to pay for it. I have a serious issue with this and would like to hear what others think about paying for guidance.
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In 24/7 centers I think it is reasonable to make a donation. Someone's got to keep the lights on and the furnace running even before we start to talk about feeding the residents.
Since westerners sometimes grow crabby when the topic of money comes up (although they seldom are willing to tell anyone they are short of cash and give the residents a chance to find an accommodation), one of the teachers in the lineage I studied with once commented about requests for money, "Oh yes," he said, laughing, "charge them a lot! That way they will think the Dharma is worth something!"
I think it is good always to make a donation ... and make it a penny more than the maximum amount you decide to donate.
As for the rip-off artists with their $10,000, $20,000 and $50,000 fees ... well, find another venue.
Policies and practices on this vary widely. I've had to pay (very reasonable fee) to receive instruction in Shantideva's "The Bodhisattva Way of Life". On the other hand, I've received instruction in the entire Lam Rim text for free (a 6-12 month course). If a charitable foundation or other funding source has paid to bring a lama to the community to teach specific material, the course is offered for free.
Everything depends on the circumstances. But most centers do have that once per week teaching open to the public for a voluntary donation.
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/North_America
If you tried to run a center, you would see then the cost. Gas, electricity, plumbing, fridge broken down, water, furniture.
The fact is that people who do these things devote their time, money, energy, focus and love into it.
Unless us (or at least me whom I can speak for
I have seen many of these and unless that person is Warren Buffet, they also need sustenance and some rice to eat themself.
Lord Buddha set up a system and that was based on a society of dana. In Thailand it is part of the culture to donate and donate merrily for various reasons. In the West, people seem to shirk and become all suspicious when they have to pay, but I think, as I said initially this is far too flippant.
Depending on context, fees are probably just very ordinary, and probably right. Depending on the center they may have arrangements to allow people to pay less etc and I have not seen places that will now 'allow' you to enter/sit/listen if one does not pay. But asking for fees is not a joke. As genkaku says though, the exorbitant ones need not be looked into so much.
Best wishes,
Abu
Please do not be discouraged, ask at a few more places. Which area do you live in (If you do not want to say, this is also OK)
I would be surprised if no centers in your area allow you to sit/listen without paying. I presume membership is an option but for now, it should be OK for you to find this.
On this thread, you will find the BuddhaNet directory provided already by Cloud as well as a directory to Zen Centers of the World - http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/7365/buddhist-resources#Item_13
I wish you well and a good journey into the road of Dharma/Truth.
Namaste,
Abu
At my first Zen Center, many many years ago, we had a policy that anyone who could not afford weekend retreats could come for free. No one ever abused that. But the center eventually fell apart because no one was willing to contribute anything. The teacher did it all himself out of a wish to make a place for people to come and practice, and he pretty much went broke personally.
I think that in the west, unless you happen to have a massive personal trust fund, you're going to have a hard time just getting by.
And one last thing... Because someone asks for dana (donations) does not mean that they are any less committed to teaching the Dharma and helping you. They may want to do it free, but they may also know that "keeping the lights on" is important for many many people.
Obviously, if someone is charging outrageous prices, run for your life. But, I think that we need to look at our OWN minds about this money thing. Do we just have a very strong OPINION that "spiritual stuff should be free" and because we can't get past our own opinion, we blame the temple/teacher/zendo?
It's worth thinking about.
I don't know what actually occurred in these dialogues that transpired. How much money was being asked for? How was the money asked for (timing, tone of voice, body language, etc.). Was it said to be a "fee" or paying for supplies (books perhaps) or a donation?
So, yes. How the money issue is presented is an important aspect.
But yes, we pay for kung fu lessons, and everything else - including the books that we all buy.
Namaste,
Abu
My lay dharma teacher will not take money in any form, as it is against her vows. But we try to help her with gifts and money for her favourite causes.
I became angry that he had stuffed animals because I was paying money and I was resentful. Isn't that silly for me with my expensive computer to be resentful of a man who lead a group of nuns over the mountains of Tibet and who practiced dilegently his entire life including living in charnel grounds of the dead to practice chod?
I resent a stuffed animal! Its really funny... And again I have my dog who I fix a tiny hamburger for while I have my special tobacco and pipe and video games and computer. Heat and nice clothes.
My lama talks about only taking the bare necessities of dhana when she lived in katmandu (or wherever) as a nun or whatever it is. She only took the bare minimum. But she changed that to take a little more. Because if a poor stray dog came by she couldn't give him any food or else she would go hungry.
Don't let your imaginations run wild, folks. Yeah there are some corrupt teachers. There are corrupt charities also. Do your homework folks!
I agree that nobody should live in poverty and I also have no issue with giving donations to teachers and temples. The idea of asking for money, up front, for spiritual guidance, to me, throws up a big red flag.
Thanks again to everyone for your feedback. For now, I will continue my studies on my own and I am sure that down the road, I will find a guide/teacher that I trust and value.