| | I have been working too much. Sorry for the delay.
Thanks for all the excellent and more timely responses above.
To take on the questions asked:
1) Regarding household vs monasticism or something like that, it is all just stuff at this point, albeit stuff with consequences, habits, tendencies, etc. From a very conventional point of view, I currently believe that I can accomplish more of what I wish to accomplish working, as it gives certain freedoms that monastics do not easily have, like the ability to speak out against ancient dogmas without risking being kicked out of the Sangha or not fed. 2) Regarding my relationship and sex, no particular difference that I notice except the standard fundamental one which doesn't really apply to anything in particular in any special way. 3) My wife does her own thing and I'd leave it to her to explain if she wished or not. 4) Regarding implications for work, I am not sure I can quantify or qualify this one in some normal way. I suspect most people who work with me don't noting anything remarkable that wasn't mostly there before, though I do like to speculate that there is some deeper appreciation for the realities and commonalities of the human condition. 5) Regarding whether or not this is special or some related term, yeah, it is. It is the most worthwhile, sane, fundamentally satisfying and worthwhile thing I ever did. It fundamentally rights something that was distorted at the very core of the way reality is perceived, and thus has global benefit in a way that nothing else I could realistically imagine could. That said, this body and mind are still very human, as has been explained above. 6) Go get stream entry as soon as possible. I really mean this. It will help, you will be in the flow of the thing and it explains a lot and hints at a lot more. 7) Sorry if the term "arahat" threw you. Using it as I do is a very mixed bag. |