Humor
misecmisc1
I am a HinduIndia Veteran
hi all,
a question came to my mind regarding humor, so thought of asking you all.
in spirituality, restrain of senses is usually said. so when it comes to speech, idle chatter is not allowed. but i think when we say jokes or kid around, then usually the talk involves something which is not there actually or extrapolated or making fun of others - but this i think might come under idle chatter.
but i heard few monks like Ajahn Brahm, Thanissaro Bhikku saying in their dhamma talks that we should have humor around us to keep us in a light mood.
so the question is that - is humor (like jokes, comedy etc) allowed in spiritual path? should we try to say jokes or kid around to make us laugh - or - should we try to be serious all the time by speaking no idle talk? please suggest. thanks in advance.
Comments
I think humour is fine within a spiritual practice. Particularly when directed at yourself.
@misecmisc1 humour with good intentions is great for everybody. Life doesn't need to be taken seriously.
I'm not one for sense deprivations least of all humour. Humour is a beautiful aspect of humanity.
None of us are getting out of this alive, that's a joke in itself!!!
Different strokes for different folks.
https://sujato.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/the-ten-funniest-scenes-from-the-pali-canon/
I tend to agree with Ajahn Brahn, Thanissaro Bhikku and others who find that a "good" sense of humour is for many of us part and parcel of 'our' journey...
My teacher who is Tibetan and entered monastic life at age 6 (he is now in his 70s) is always going on about the importance of being happy and having a sense of humour(not malicious humour) and lots of laughter....
Life is serious enough as it 'is' (well the spin many tend to put on it), it pays to take a break and [en]lighten up...
What is idle talk ? One person's idle talk, could be seen as another person's conversation...However I would suppose gossiping about others can be seen as idle talk... But in the long run it all boils down to 'intent'... what lies behind the words....
However if for whatever reason one feels humour has no part in their Dharma practice and everything about Dharma practice 'must' be done with all seriousness, I respect their choice...But I would like to remind them that practising the Dharma leads to long term happiness...so be warned
"Don't practice to become enlightened-Let your practice be the natural expression of your enlightenment"
I think these two gentlemen enjoy a good laugh now and then...
I have always mingled in Tibetan sanghas, and Tibetan monks -including HH the Dalai Lama, conferences of whom I had the chance to see twice- have to be among the happiest people I have ever known. Absolutely anything in life is the perfect excuse for a good chuckle to them.
@lobster once posted a clip on which HH the Dalai Lama was making a joke on "passing gas."
Nothing should be too sacred nor too low as not to deserve a heartfelt laughter.
Nothing is worse than taking oneself and the extensions of our ego that encroach under the guise of beliefs, opinions, taboo subjects, sacred objects, too seriously.
Nothing is worse than not adding a dash of humour to Buddhadharma.
A smile at the right moment adds leniency and self-compassion to our practice.
Though, of course, there's a difference between laughing with people, and at people.
We can have misgivings about abiding by other precepts more or less strictly, but let's relax around humour, our sole respite of sukkha in the dukkha of the samsaric loop.
Idle talk doesn't necessarily equate to humour, nor does seriousness necessarily mean humourless.
It would be a strange thing if humour were not allowed - I can't recall my sense of humour ever asking permission.
Shunryu Suzuki was once asked if Zen practice were serious. He replied, more or less, "it's serious, but it's not that serious."
I always found it interesting that in Christianity the Bible nowhere says, "And Jesus laughed." And maybe the same is true for the heavy-hitters in other persuasions. Personally, I am not persuaded by such persuasions.
Try living life without any laughter and see how you like it.
Be dead serious all the time and see how you like it.
Try them both and see how OTHER people like it.
It's your road. Don't look for permissions on everything. Especially from religion. Be a funny person...or don't.
In my opinion, humor, so long as it isn't mean-spirited, makes the world a better place...
ELIXIR IN THE PURE-LAND
A monk asked Zhaozhou, “What is that which is spiritual?”
The Master replied, “A puddle of piss in the Pure Land [of Amitabha Buddha].”
The monk said, “I ask you to reveal it to me.”
Zhaozhou said, “Don’t tempt me.”
“Since everything is but an apparition, having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection, one may well burst out in laughter.”
― Longchenpa
DEATH
When the family's dog died, a mother tried to gently break the news to her little 5-year-old daughter. “We can all be happy now that little Bo is up in heaven with God.” Replied the little girl: “But mom, what's God going to do with a dead dog?”
http://stottilien.com/2013/04/03/crazy-wisdom-the-archetype-of-the-fool-the-clown-the-jester-and-the-trickster/
Personally I find the sanctified is improved by the postscript, 'only joking'
For example:
The body of Christ ('only joking')
lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāh, muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh
There is no god but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God. ('only joking')
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
('only joking')
... and now back to the serious question ...
only joking
What if we judged our own lives based on how much time we spent laughing and smiling?
"And are you laughing?" Old Age, Dhammapada
The most spiritually advanced people I know all have something to add on the subject at hand and are on the following video.
If one stops to think about it... "Karma" in all its intricate glory determines whether or not ones life is a laughing matter
Buddhist monk pretending to be a pirate:
If I couldn't have a good laugh now and then, if the religion of my choice had teachings which forbade, frowned upon or disapproved of mirth, jollity, good humour and a merry nature - it wouldn't be the religion of my choice for long....
@SpinyNorman .... The funniest part was when the bird lost his footing on the slick dome...hahahaha
Lovely how he takes no notice and carries on talking, like it happens every day and he's used to it.
IKR