Interviews Videos
Interviews Videos
Bhante Subhuti 2003: What caused you to be Buddhist and a Monk?
2024-06-08
I recently found this DVD and extracted the MP4 from it. Then I extracted the \"story\" of how I became a monk. This is actually old information if you have been following my posts. However, this is from 20 years ago. It gives a glimpse of what the kuti was like and how I was at the time. At the very end, I was so grateful to the fact that I made it as a monk that I began to cry. However, the interview was cut at that point for privacy reasons. This is actually a book called Going For Broke: Travelogs on Becoming A Buddhist Monk \"I once had a visitor from America. He brought a video camera with him and asked me the David Byrne Question, \"Well, how did I get here?\" So I proceeded to tell him the story about how I first got turned on to meditation, how I decided to leave my job, the watch story, the Sai Babba slipper story, WPN and of course The Ordination Story. I completed the 30 minute saga with the phrase \"So…Here I am Bhikkhu Subhūti!\" while stroking the robes that I was wearing. I then thought about how I would explain the different adventures that I've had and all the exciting things I've done and then say that this experience has surely been the best. So I followed that thought and started to say, \"You know…I've done a lot of …\" but something happened at that moment. A big lump formed in my throat and I felt my eyes start to well up. I couldn't go on much longer. I cut everything short and finished abruptly with, \"… But this has made me the most happy!\" with a quivering voice. At this time, tears were falling down my face and I couldn't speak any more. I couldn't even tell the person who was filming me to stop. I could only wave my hand and do some \"cut\" director sign language to tell him to stop.\"
Most Important Lesson 2
2019-08-18
Part 2 of 2: Bhante Subhuti was asked what was the most important lesson he has learned and the most important lesson he teaches. They were the same, because one should teach the most important thing he has learned. For more information on Bhante Subhuti subscribe to https://americanmonk.org The original video was posted at Lifestyle Choices channel at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwqxpmyFsNc
Most Important Lesson1
2019-08-18
Part 1 of 2: A Bhante Subhuti was asked what was the most important lesson he has learned and the most important lesson he teaches. They were the same, because one should teach the most important thing he has learned. The original file can be viewed at Lifestyle Choices Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGj58M0g1TM&t=11s
American Monk: Interview 3 (deeper topics)
2019-06-23
Interview 3 with Nikita who was monk at Pa-Auk Forest Monastery for one year. Original interview can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUInyERnZmc
American Monk: Interview 2 (alms stories in Hawaii)
2019-06-23
Interview 2 from Nikita who was a monk at Pa-Auk Forest Monastery for one year. More stories of alms in Hawaii and practices. Original video (the same exact video) can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YApvayx-Jfk
American Monk: Interview 1 (alms stories in Hawaii)
2019-06-23
This interview talks about alms and life in Hawaii. Interview from Nikita who was a monk for one year at Pa-Auk Forest Monastery. The original link is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUtj_LgSCTM
Monk's Using Money - Why Is It So Bad? (Excerpt from Interview 3)
2019-06-22
This is small excerpt from an interview with Nikita my old friend who used to be a monk with me. He asked me why I spoke so strongly about monks using money. This was my answer. In short, the unwholesome kamma of breaking the rules adds up really quickly. It is different from breaking a simple one time rule. As long as money or objects bought with money are held and used, one accumulates many repeated offenses very quickly, too difficult to count. If one eats at the wrong time, he incurs a single offense for every time he swallows. What more can be said about using things bought with money, even a house, or a refinished floor that is not allowed?.. . Drop by drop the cup fills up... and it fills up quickly. This is why Ven. Pa-Auk Saydawgyi does not visit Theravada monasteries where \"normal\" monks stay. \"Normal\" monks collect money and then build their monasteries, in addition to putting it in their personal bank accounts. The whole monastery is not allowable. \"One offense for every footstep\" is often quoted from the Buddha by Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadawgyi. If his junior meditation teachers actually asked Sayadawgyi for permission to go to such monasteries, Ven. Pa-auk Sayadawgyi would never give direct permission. He would simply restate and remind the teacher or student about the rule that is being broken and how many offenses would accumulate. He would neither say yes or no and the one who asked would get a clear message not go visit such a monastery. Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadawgyi rarely says no, yet that is how he says \"No.\" Original video (over one hour) is found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUInyERnZmc
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