In Laos I followed monks on their early- morning begging rounds, and chatted up some young ones at Angkor Wat. That way of life is definitely, uh, not the same as most Americans' piggishness. Also not as pure and simple as we outsiders like to portray it.
I get the sense that monk is a slightly more mainstream life choice in those parts of the world. If that's the case, you'd end up with more worldly monks.
This post is making me re-evaluate one of my favorite lines from a Neil Young song, "I Am A Child." The line is "What is the color when black is burrrrrn-ed?" I always knew it wasn't meant to be literal; now I'm wondering if he meant it as a koan of sorts.
(Another favorite Neil line, from "The Old Laughing Lady":
"You can't have a cupboard if there ain't no wall". That's so brilliant.
I digress)
p.s. "John Wesley Harding" is probably my favorite Dylan album, if one must pick.
Black coal turns grey when it's burned, so grey is the answer. This, of course, is the wrong answer. Neil was surely in Buddhist phase during Buffalo Springfield days. Blood on the Tracks for me. The obvious choice, I know. I'm astounded how Watchtower manifests in so many odd places. It's central to the Watchmen comic books and was a jaw-dropper in Battlestar Galactica.
In Laos I followed monks on their early- morning begging rounds, and chatted up some young ones at Angkor Wat. That way of life is definitely, uh, not the same as most Americans' piggishness. Also not as pure and simple as we outsiders like to portray it.
I get the sense that monk is a slightly more mainstream life choice in those parts of the world. If that's the case, you'd end up with more worldly monks.
This post is making me re-evaluate one of my favorite lines from a Neil Young song, "I Am A Child." The line is "What is the color when black is burrrrrn-ed?" I always knew it wasn't meant to be literal; now I'm wondering if he meant it as a koan of sorts.
(Another favorite Neil line, from "The Old Laughing Lady":
"You can't have a cupboard if there ain't no wall". That's so brilliant.
I digress)
p.s. "John Wesley Harding" is probably my favorite Dylan album, if one must pick.
Black coal turns grey when it's burned, so grey is the answer. This, of course, is the wrong answer. Neil was surely in Buddhist phase during Buffalo Springfield days. Blood on the Tracks for me. The obvious choice, I know. I'm astounded how Watchtower manifests in so many odd places. It's central to the Watchmen comic books and was a jaw-dropper in Battlestar Galactica.
May you be happy
May you be healthy
May you be safe
May you be peaceful