Ep12: Meeting A Wandering Ascetic - Bhante Jason
37-year old Bhante Jason is an Australian monk who left a career in law to wander the countryside as an aescetic Buddhist monk. Ordained in the Theravanda tradition in Sri Lanka over eight years ago, he lives outdoors without possessions except for his robes and begging bowl.
Seeing hypocrisy in much of modern Buddhism’s approach, Bhante Jason describes his approach to Buddhist practice as ‘Classic’ and chooses to live as closely as he can to the strict monastic rules of the historical Buddha.
I travel out to his rain season retreat cave in the Blue Mountains to meet this unusual and charismatic wanderer.
Topcis Included:
– A tour of Bhante Jason’s meditation caves
– The 8 Precepts that allow lay people to temporarily practice as a monk
– Bhante Jason’s early interest in Buddhism and his teenage preoccupation with the problem of suffering
– Disillusionment with Zen practice in New York
– The influence Bikkhu Bodhi’s translations of the early Suttas
– How reconnecting with the historical Buddha ignited Bhante’s inspiration to become a homeless monk
– Travelling to Sri Lanka for ordination and training
– The hypocrisy of later Buddhist doctrinal developments
– Abuse of authority by Buddhist leaders
– The safety mechanism of asceticism
– The moral authority of purity
– Bhante’s first experiences in Sri Lanka and his love for the culture
– Novice initiation, monastic camaraderie, and getting painted in tumeric
– Bhante’s monastic vows
– Going beyond the monastic training to become a wandering monk
– Early lessons in surviving outdoors, finding water, and avoiding mosquitos
– Bhante’s training in meditation and his unique personal approach
– Meditation vs walking your dog
– Bhante’s 2-step meditation instruction
– Training your body to become stronger in the face of negative emotion
– Using posture, breath, and thoughts to train the body
– The dangers of Darth Vader meditation
– Living as a homeless monk in Australia
– Surviving long journeys through the bush
– Choosing his meditation cave
– Bhante’s daily practice routine
– Sexuality and celibacy on the monastic path
– Bhante’s poem about sexual energy
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James