Panhandlers Dressed as Monks Confound New Yorkers
Vastmind
Memphis, TN Veteran
from The NY Times, a couple days ago.....
In Times Square, amid the dozens of Elmos, Mickey Mouses and superheroes who work the crowds for loose bills, new costumed characters have come to seek their fortunes.
But merely begging in the streets is not against the law. The police have largely left these men alone, to the consternation of Buddhist leaders in New York’s Chinese neighborhoods, who portray them as nothing more than beggars who undermine Buddhists’ credibility.
“They are damaging the reputation of real monks and damaging the reputation of Buddhists in America,” said Shi Ruifa, a monk in Brooklyn who is president of a confederation of nearly 50 temples ....
In New York, the men have inspired a Fake Monks in New York City page on Facebook, documenting its subjects’ whereabouts, from Central Park to the city’s Chinese neighborhoods, where local monks have mostly driven them away. Last year, Mr. Shi confronted a man in orange robes in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and quizzed him on the Five Precepts of Buddhism.
The man “didn’t know even one,” he said.
Here's the full article.....
Comments
Panhandlers Dressed as Monks Confound New Yorkers
has me ask????
Why do we donate to some costumes and pass by others?
Is the donating or not, for them or for us?
Is the panhandler who says they just wants money for food when it is really for an addictive habit any different than a fake monk or nun?
It's the way they're doing it.....that I think have people upset in the Temples. According to the article...they are reaching out and putting bracelets/amulets on people and if they don't get 'enough' money, they reach out and take the stuff off....9 have been arrested so far....anyway...so not the average giving situation....but as usual....you give thoughts to chew on.
Always glad to see you back! ...
....
So what if monks dressed like New Yorkers and begged for alms?
The problem we have here is one of transposing a culture, which views Monks begging for Alms as normal convention, onto a society where begging is associated with an undesirable aspect of city living.
You can have multi-national.
You can't have multi-cultural.
That way lies confusion.
In my opinion, the Monks' behaviour is equally questionable.
This would be a lesser problem if people knew that monks are not allowed to touch money at all. At least in the theravada tradition.
Dude, most non-Buddhists, wouldn't know the difference between a Theravedin monk and a fungo bat, and don't care, either.
For those who don't know what a fungo is..
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_bat
Then they will get fooled and suffer.
What can I say. Ignorance is after all the root of all suffering. That's what we've been saying all along.
Sort of.
Eer what you say?
In Thailand the taboo against monks handling some small amounts of money has faded somewhat. I've personally seen monks shopping for small things...even computer equipment.
Personally I think it's a better sign of not being attached to money to be able to carry some money, rather than not being able to carry it at all.
Yeah you are right not only faded in SL but more or less totally circumvented. But still dana is one thing and begging for money in the street is another thing...
And in the western world we could dictate what it should mean.
/Victor
No they'll carry on, not knowing the monk was false, blissfully aware that they've done a good thing, until some do-gooder comes along to set everything to rights.
They will suffer regardless. On and on. A beggar masquerading as a monk won't change that.
I think that is what I said?
Ignorance is the root of all suffering... they will suffer regardless.
All states of mind lead to suffering, blissfull or no, as long as they are based on ignorance.
@Victorious said:
I didn't get that, actually. I thought that what you were writing made their suffering dependent on being fooled by fake monks.
Cleverrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I am unwillingly impressed with the polymorphous perversity of the human mind.
@Chaz sorry it is ambiguous, was trying to be funny not clear in meaning.
Second line is not connected to first.
Kia Ora,
They were doing the rounds in NZ (well it was just one Chinese mock monk) and a Buddhist friend gave $20..
I guess Dana is Dana....Even when giving the benefit of the doubt....
Metta Shoshin .
..