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Dhamma Talk and Puja
with Pandit Bhikkhu
Saturday 30th September
THE PARABLE OF THE KAO SAN BACKPACKER
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Overview:
- 1:30-3:30pm @ Rojana Center, Sukhumvit Soi 23 (Asoke BTS/Sukhumvit MRT)
- Free of charge
- no need to book in advance
- in English
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Topic:
The Parable of the Kao San Backpacker – adverts for meditation promote it’s healing effects, but this is not the intent in the original teachings of the Buddha. The historical voice of the Buddha clearly states there is a goal higher, deeper and more ancient than healing the body, or the mind. We’ll be jumping between ‘Cargo Culture’ superstition, why Buddhism is not new age healing, and a curious exchange between the Buddha and a brahmin who – like armchair Buddhists of today – thought he knew what the Buddha was talking about.
All delivered with the clear articulation and vivid English of Pandit Bhikkhu ( 🙂 )
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The Speaker:
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Presenting is the little Bangkok Sangha organiser Pandit Bhikkhu – a British born monk, ordained in 1996 in Thailand. He finished a degree in psychology, and one day will finish his Masters Thesis in Buddhist Studies, at Mahaculalongkorn University.
You are guaranteed crisp clear English, and a light hearted approach to this deep topic. Some past talks of Pandit Bhikkhu are on the Youtube Channel here.
‘Original Buddhism’ Well… there was no Youtube 2500 years ago, but there was a fantastically accurate recording system nonetheless, expressed in the ‘sutta’ threads. These are the Early Buddhist Texts – the closest we can come to the actual teachings of the Buddha. They are bewildering and logical, other-worldly and practical, and never quite what you expect. You don’t have to be Buddhist. Your interest might be academic, might come from scratching your head about Thai culture, or come from meditation experiences. These texts will be presented in an accessible manner. |
Getting there:
Please follow the map. It is VERY precise. It is easy to find: there are only one or two turns depending on which direction you are coming from. It is an 11 minute walk from Asoke BTS and even closer to Sukhumvit MRT
Go down Sukhumvit 23 to the first four way intersection. Turn right, and then turn right again at the end of the road.
Or just ask the motorcycles inside Sukhumvit 23 – they know the way.
Or if you need more definite pointers:
A few tips:
- Don’t ask locals or taxi drivers the way – they will not know the Rojana Centre, and will send you somewhere else instead. They will all know Sukhumvit 23, so go there and find your own way.
- Follow the map – plenty of landmarks are shown and it it extremely precise!
- In Thai the centre is known as Rojanatam
- Quite a few other foreigners will be heading there at the same time.
Here is the Google Map link, if you prefer this method
Here are the GPS coordinates if you prefer : 13.739356, 100.564748