In the Image of God

[gib]

@One Liner

As I have said Gib, your confusing Hinayana and Theravada Buddhism: “In 1950 the World Fellowship of Buddhists declared that the term Hīnayana should not be used when referring to any form of Buddhism existing today.”

^ Oh, well we should certainly abide by that, then. Let’s not speak of the H word ever again.

BTW, is the World Fellowship of Buddhists anything like the Fellowship of the Ring?

[One_Liner]

The uncomfortable moment when a person is found out to be misinformed.

[phyllo]

This assumes that concern for the welfare of others is the only thing that might cause unrest in a person’s mind. The sociopath may still worry about going to prison, or be frustrated by the fact that he has to follow social rules, or if he doesn’t care about any of that (and consequently goes to jail one day), will certainly be disappointed about how his life ended up.

The point is, the sociopath, though without feelings of guilt or concern for other people, isn’t ultimately any more free of the mundane material worldly attachments than the rest of us. It’s true that he is not burdened by guilt (at least not as much as the rest of us) but that’s quite different from saying he isn’t burdened by any negative feelings or angst in general. The peace of mind that Buddhism promises (not just Theravada Buddhism) is a matter of quieting the mind (so they say). Is this the state of mind of the sociopath in your opinion?

Sure, there are other reasons why a sociopath may want to got to a monastery. But I doubt if these are really strong motivators for such an action. Sociopaths are also egotistical and they blame others for their own problems. It seems more likely that a sociopath would try to solve his problems by manipulation and lies rather than a retreat from society.

I wonder what the statistics are regarding the number of sociopaths in monasteries.

Top 10 professions selected by sociopaths (although clergyman/person is #8, I don’t think that it means lowly monk) :

1. CEO

2. Lawyer

3. Media (Television/Radio)

4. Salesperson

5. Surgeon

6. Journalist

7. Police officer

8. Clergy person

9. Chef

10. Civil servant

mic.com/articles/44423/10-profe … .xEo2U3ZD1

[gib]

@phyllo

Sure, there are other reasons why a sociopath may want to got to a monastery. But I doubt if these are really strong motivators for such an action. Sociopaths are also egotistical and they blame others for their own problems. It seems more likely that a sociopath would try to solve his problems by manipulation and lies rather than a retreat from society.

Well, I’m not saying being a sociopath draws you towards Buddhist monasteries. I agree that he would probably try to solve his problems by other means, but I think this is true of anybody, not just sociopaths. What I’m saying is that the peace of mind that Theravada Buddhism promises should be just as applicable to the sociopath as it is for everyone else (at least I see no reason why it wouldn’t be).

@phyllo

I wonder what the statistics are regarding the number of sociopaths in monasteries.

^ Might be interesting.

1. CEO

2. Lawyer

3. Media (Television/Radio)

4. Salesperson

5. Surgeon

6. Journalist

7. Police officer

8. Clergy person

9. Chef ← Really???

10. Civil servant

[Arcturus_Descending]

@One Liner

@gib

@One Liner

I think you have come to the wrong conclusions about Theravada as being a solitary path which it definitely is not (maybe falling to the false belief that it is a Hinayana path which it is not).

Then again, I ask you: what do you know about Theravada Buddhism (and Hinayana Buddhism for that matter)?

What do you want to know?

I would like to know why trees do not hug me back when I’ve hugged them.

[Ultimate_Philosophy (Ultimate Philosophy 1001)]

@gib

@phyllo

Sure, there are other reasons why a sociopath may want to got to a monastery. But I doubt if these are really strong motivators for such an action. Sociopaths are also egotistical and they blame others for their own problems. It seems more likely that a sociopath would try to solve his problems by manipulation and lies rather than a retreat from society.

Well, I’m not saying being a sociopath draws you towards Buddhist monasteries. I agree that he would probably try to solve his problems by other means, but I think this is true of anybody, not just sociopaths. What I’m saying is that the peace of mind that Theravada Buddhism promises should be just as applicable to the sociopath as it is for everyone else (at least I see no reason why it wouldn’t be).

@phyllo

I wonder what the statistics are regarding the number of sociopaths in monasteries.

^ Might be interesting.

1. CEO

2. Lawyer

3. Media (Television/Radio)

4. Salesperson

5. Surgeon

6. Journalist

7. Police officer

8. Clergy person

9. Chef ← Really???

10. Civil servant

How do they actually get these statistics? Do they interview everyone at the job and ask if they are sociopaths?

[gib]

@Ultimate Philosophy 1001

How do they actually get these statistics? Do they interview everyone at the job and ask if they are sociopaths?

Probably from sociopathic convicts and the jobs they held before being convicted.