Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

supercilious buddhist teachers

aingaing
edited May 2006 in Buddhism Basics
supercilious. • adjective having an air of contemptuous superiority

I find a myself distracted often by those who teach from a superior position. When I meantion this the retort is often along the lines of that i should examine my resistance to the intructions.

I am not finding this from formal teachings but from the lay buddhists farther along the path than I.

Any one else having the same problems?

Comments

  • harlanharlan
    edited May 2006
    Guess what? An eye-opener to me: there are a lot of snotty, self-important Buddhists. Whoops...guess being Buddhist doesn't necessarily make someone more likable.

    What I find disturbing, is that the really intelligent ones don't realize that having to climb over the attitude turns newbies off of Buddhism entirely. If it wasn't for this nice website and the gentle folks here...I probably wouldn't have the 'stuff' to keep trying elsewhere.

    So...thank you for NewBuddhist.com! :)
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Our ego and desires make it sooooo easy for any of us to stray from the Path. Young or old. Neophyte or long time practicioner.

    -bf
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited May 2006
    It's important to keep in mind that, "advanced" practitioner or not, these are still ignorant sentient beings (like ourselves!) who fall into the same traps that all ignorant sentient beings fall into. More than likely they're not even aware they're doing it and think they're doing good. So I'd recommend feeling compassion for them and trying to think of ways to help them see what they're doing with compassion and loving kindness. And yeah, I know what you're talking about...

    Palzang
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Great post, Palzang. A very good reminder.

    Thanks.

    Brigid
  • KnightofBuddhaKnightofBuddha
    edited May 2006
    That is why I love reading books by Thich Naht Hanh. He is so down to earth and practical. He too often expresses his discontent with lofty ivory tower buddhism which had/has become out of touch with society. He was after all a part of the reform buddhism movement in Vietnam before the war started and even during.
  • IawaIawa
    edited May 2006
    It bothers me when others put him (THN) down as mainstream.
    I wish compassion was mainstream!
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Thankfully I haven't heard that yet, Iawa. If I ever heard anyone call THN mainstream I wouldn't know what to say. But I know I would be thinking "Now that is supercilious." Or just plain silly, really.
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Iawa wrote:
    It bothers me when others put him (THN) down as mainstream.
    I wish compassion was mainstream!

    Maybe THN IS becoming mainstream.

    So what?

    Maybe that just means that compassion for others and happiness for ourselves and others is becoming mainsteam.

    Wouldn't THAT be nice! :)

    -bf
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Yeah, that's a good point, BF. It would be great if he was mainstream.
Sign In or Register to comment.