The Monastery On TLC

Bunny_Here

I've been watching the t.v. program, The Monastery, on TLC. I find it quite interesting that there seems to be a lot of similarity between Christianity and Buddhism.

Has anyone else been watching this show? Do you also find that the program shows that Christianity and Buddhism are alike in many ways?

Thanks!

P.S. I really enjoy reading Thich Nhat Hanh's books, but I have never read, "Living Buddha, Living Christ". Maybe I'll pick it up sometime.

Simonthepilgrim

Bunny_Here wrote:

I've been watching the t.v. program, The Monastery, on TLC. I find it quite interesting that there seems to be a lot of similarity between Christianity and Buddhism.

Has anyone else been watching this show? Do you also find that the program shows that Christianity and Buddhism are alike in many ways?

Thanks!

P.S. I really enjoy reading Thich Nhat Hanh's books, but I have never read, "Living Buddha, Living Christ". Maybe I'll pick it up sometime.

You might find interest in The Ground We Share, a dialogue between Brother David Stendl-Rast OSB and Roshi Robert Aitken.

YogaMama

Bunny - I have not heard of this show...what is it about? And when is it on?

Kim

Bunny_Here

Thanks for the suggestion Simon. I'll consider it!

YogaMama- the show is on Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. This is what the show's website says,

Five men struggling to find their way make the choice to give up the good life ... for a life of good. A former gang member, a recovering alcoholic, a cynic, a former Marine and an aspiring Episcopal priest take a leap of faith and join a Benedictine monastery for 40 days.

It is been interesting to learn about the men's struggles. One young man has already left the monastery to what I felt was because of the internal struggles he had, rather than his complaints about the rules he had to follow.

I guess on this coming episode, the men have to take a vow of silence for a day. Might make for a quiet episode huh?

Brigid

LOL!!

Simonthepilgrim

I managed to miss The Monastery, although I did watch The Convent which was similar: a group of women in a convent of Poor Clares. The only problem that I found was their self-consciousness. My own memory of the noviciate was that it was incredibly hard, despite our conviction that we had been called, and unbelievably rewarding.

I'm not sure how you could portray on television, which demands action and sound, that silence and immobility sing.

Vacchagotta

I was actually fortunate enough for a friend to show this to me, and I also was struck by some of the Abbot's words, which could be imagined to have come from a Buddhist.

If you found the show interesting, you would probably be very appreciative of the works of the late Thomas Merton, especially his journals, which give a very vivid, fascinating portrait of monastic life as he lived it (he was a trappist), and particularly Asian Journals, which focus on his travels in Asia and contact with eastern religions. Also some other published collections which are more more closely pertinent to Buddhism, such as Zen and the Birds of Appetite, and Mystics and Zen Masters. Merton was very solidly a Christian throughout his life with no clear stated intentions of converting to Buddhism; however he had an outspoken interest and sense of camaraderie with Buddhist monastic traditions and teachings.

in friendliness,
V.

Bunny_Here

Hi Vacchagotta,

I'm actually not a Christian, but I do very much appreciate your suggestions.