Buddhism 110: Looking for Nirvana, not R & R, r.i.p. Kurt C…
Most religions—except Christianity—discourage music and most other forms of entertainment, Islam most famously, but Buddhism also, at least for monks and priests. So I was somewhat surprised when my temple’s head priest here in northern Thailand decided to put on a CD of American ‘Greatest Hits’ while driving, “for you, Hardie.” Heretofore I’d only heard slow sappy Thai stuff, so this would be interesting, however lame. The hardest part for me as monk will be to leave behind pop music, at least the hard stuff…
The first song was “Everybody’s Talking” by Nilsson—cool. Then came “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash—awesome. “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson? I can dig that. And “Music to Watch Girls By”, Andy Williams’ lyrics version–meh. But “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana? Whoa, I’d almost forgotten them, after our brief but torrid love affair some twenty-plus years ago. And what irony! For mine is a quest for Buddhist Nirvana, but nothing like Seattle’s Nirvana, in which Kurt Cobain apparently died for our sins, for lack of better options. He blew his brains out, so we don’t have to… (More …)
jodie, and 1 other are discussing. 
“…(in) sitting meditation…we free our mind from past experiences and…any anticipation of the future. Instead we abide in the nowness of the present…”–HH the Dalai Lama
…stuff, that is, the more the better, piles and piles of it highly derived and thoroughly contrived, mostly useless adornments and bows of worship to the gods and goddesses of fashion, reflecting the finely manicured thumbnail status of our culture, whatever is trending; that’s most important, much more so than whatever came before and whatever will come after, pesky details best left to historians and our paid apologists…
So this is what it’s like, I guess, to die so alone so far from home with no crib for a bed no greatest hits from the Grateful Dead, just four walls and two sheets and an extra pillow might work I guess in a pinch in a delirious state of mind where a thing anything soft and curvy might satisfy the existential need to put hard things in soft places, beats the current rage of scurvy and influenza, dengue and consumption ravaging my body with its heartless tentacles eating my soul and leaving me alone dying trying…
The ultimate conundrum of life is that we didn’t ask to be born. The ultimate responsibility is that we not dare to risk death, either. For that we never know the reason why, but simply that it—life—is given, and things given must be accepted in the spirit with which they are given, not without question, but definitely without fail…
Dear Readers: If you happen to follow my other (travel) blog, backpackers-flashpackers.net/, then be forewarned that I’ll repeat some of the same material as in my last post there, so I’ll understand if you have other fish to fry. It’s not that I’m lazy, but rather that the issue that presented itself last week I believe is worth repeating, since it affects my future and the future of this blog…
streaming consciousness... 
davekingsbury 3:17 pm on October 30, 2016 Permalink |
Music could be our attempt to play with time, particularly its remorseless onward rush. Maybe religion seeks to do the same … just a thought off the top of my head, may make no sense!
hardie karges 6:41 pm on October 30, 2016 Permalink |
Interesting idea, maybe yes, a vertical movement across a horizontal flow of time, at least…
jodie 6:53 pm on October 31, 2016 Permalink |
Just checking in on …..you……sit well
jodie
hardie karges 8:28 pm on October 31, 2016 Permalink |
thx
Alexia Adder 12:42 am on January 26, 2020 Permalink |
Christianity discourages music in some sects. My mom made me listen to nothing but Christian music and my pastor grandfather doesn’t believe in musical instruments or playing it, besides singing off key in church. (Church of Christ)
hardie karges 8:03 am on January 26, 2020 Permalink |
I was raised as Christian Scientist, so music wasn’t the issue. TBH it’s difficult to listen to Nirvana now. I spend so much time writing that any other words create interference. Jazz and ambient are good, classical too. Tastes change…
Alexia Adder 2:34 pm on January 26, 2020 Permalink
Definitely. I over listened in my youth and now I don’t care for it as much as I used.