I remember having a conversation years ago with my friend <\/span>Patia<\/a> about this and she told me, \u201cyour an introvert.\u201d<\/span> Her theory, which I think is correct, was that if you get energy<\/span> more from being around people, then you\u2019re an extrovert. If you get energy <\/span><\/span><\/span>more from your alone time, you\u2019re an introvert.<\/p>\n Of course introverts love<\/span> being around people at times, and extroverts love being alone sometimes too \u2013 but you have to think about \u2018on average, where and when do I get most of my energy?\u2019 For me it\u2019s definitely in extended periods of silence.<\/p>\n This week, and for two more, I have been house-sitting for a friend in what might be described as a modest prairie-style bungalow: 2 bedroom, 1 bath with attic room and full basement<\/span>. It\u2019s cozy, spacious for one person and comfortable for two (I lived here briefly as a renter in \u201905). The space and silence has been incredibly welcome<\/span>.<\/p>\n It is almost<\/span> like being on retreat. It reminds me a bit of the time I spent at the Bhavana Society<\/a> last year. In your space you are<\/span> in your space<\/span>. <\/span>And outside of that, sure there are other people, but it is as if you have a social contract: each is aware of the other, but each is still in his\/her space<\/span>. Everyone is there, doing work <\/span>inside<\/span>, a sort of team-effort for the silent, introspective alleviation of suffering<\/span>. We are all there, together, working individually on our own minds.<\/p>\n As I am not actually<\/span> on retreat it remains to be said what work<\/span> I am really doing. As I look back over past years of my blog, and think back further still, I know that both my meditative and academic work was at its best when I had similar periods of quiet.<\/p>\n The work I should <\/span>be doing is my thesis: \u201cBuddhist and Kantian Ethics, a Comparative Approach.\u201d <\/span> What have <\/span>I <\/span>done<\/span>?\u2026 I almost submitted a proposal for an upcoming conference on Sustainability<\/span> (ties in mostly with my work), I actually<\/span> submitted a proposal for next year\u2019s American Academy of Religion conference (which I\u2019m highly enthusiastic about), and\u2026. not much more.<\/p>\n Oh, some Pali<\/span> work, taking steps toward memorizing the Metta Sutta<\/span><\/a>, first in English, then in Pali. I suggested that Matt, my fellow Pali-fairer, and I plan to teach<\/span> a class (informally) on Pali and metta<\/span> (loving-kindness) in June. That should push us both a bit to be more motivated, though I\u2019ve been very grateful<\/span> for his motivation to keep us going for the last month or so as it is. If you want to learn Pali, which I think will incredibly deepen anyone\u2019s Buddhist practice, I highly recommend going to <\/span>this page<\/a> and downloading everything, but mainly focusing on the Elementary Pali Course<\/span>.<\/p>\n Well, I think that\u2019s enough for now. I will leave you with a lovely Japanese painting and Buddhist story:<\/p>\n \u201cThe one who was shown the head replied, \u2018The elephant is just like a water jar.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe one was shown the ear replied, \u2018it is just like a winnowing basket.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe one was shown the tusk replied, \u2018it is just like an iron rod.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe one was shown the trunk replied, \u2018it is just like the pole of a plow.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe one was shown the body replied, \u2018it is just like a granary.\u2019<\/p>\n And so on\u2026.<\/p>\n \u201cSaying, \u2018The elephant is like this, it\u2019s not like that. The elephant\u2019s not like that, it\u2019s like this,\u2019 they struck one another with their fists. That gratified the king.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the same way, monks, the wanderers of other sects are blind and eyeless. They don\u2019t know what is beneficial and what is harmful. They don\u2019t know what is the Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful, not knowing what is Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma, they live arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, \u2018The Dhamma is like this, it\u2019s not like that. The Dhamma\u2019s not like that, it\u2019s like this.'\u201d<\/p>\n Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:<\/p>\n Some of these so-called And so we are, even us Buddhists<\/span>, merely seeing one side<\/span>.<\/p>\n It has been all too rare lately that I have been reminded of just how much of a recluse I am at heart. I love being alone. I remember having a conversation years ago with my friend Patia about this and she told me, \u201cyour an introvert.\u201d Her theory, which I think is correct, was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_fyeYpxfdjuI\/SbNLSdzqx7I\/AAAAAAAAAYM\/BTvkJkhfdoQ\/s320\/Blind_monks_examining_an_elephant.jpg\")
<\/a>
This illustrates the famous \u201cBlind Men and the Elephant<\/a>\u201d parable, which can be found in various cultures, including Buddhism<\/a>. In the Buddhist version, in the Udana<\/a>, the Buddha recounts the story of a king who sends several blind men to examine an elephant. Afterward, the king asked them what they have found (edited):<\/p>\n\n
priests & contemplatives
are attached.
They quarrel & fight \u2014
people seeing one side.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/7907151-7455893795330047561?l=americanbuddhist.blogspot.com\")