REBIRTH, REINCARNATION, BUDDHISM & ADVAITA VEDANTA

MAN GIVES UP EVERYTHING
In 2015, aged 47 an English businessman gave up everything and travelled Asia to find true happiness. Now a Buddhist Monk, living a simple life in Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, he shares the continuing story.
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Phra Dan (Bhante Dhammarakkhita, Bhikkhu) is a Theravada Buddhist Monk who lived in India from 2020, Thailand and now Sri Lanka. Born in Sussex, England in 1967. Educated by French Catholic Monks. A successful businessman in Estate Agency and Financial Services during the 1980's and 90's. Married, now divorced with 3 adult son's. 2000 marked change and travel including South Africa returning to the UK in 2003 to continue different work and business activities until 2012. Gradually materialistic values turned to renunciation, simplicity and meditation, living nomadically in an old Ford Transit van full time for 3 years. Van life and meditation led to Buddhism and a Thai Forest Tradition, Theravada Buddhist Monastery in the UK. During 2015 travelling the Buddhist Holy Sites of India, deep faith reinforced desire for Ordination. In 2020 after 5 years of intensive meditation practice between Thai Forest Monasteries in Thailand and England he was Ordained in India where he lived for 3 years until returning to Thailand in 2023 and now Sri Lanka.
Sabe Satta Sukhi Hontu
#englishmonk

[@jahvarino1770]

Thank you for repeating and re-emphasizing the teaching where you say: "keeping Sila is the greatest giving we can do, keeping moral virtue, the gift of fearlessness!!!" That's truly a profound point you are making here, and I wouldn't have gotten it so clearly had you not re-emphasized it over and over in numerous videos. Keeping pure Sila IS a gift to everyone around you, THAT'S the gift I can give!!! Thank you Bhante! Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu! What a gift to be able to see this and benefit so greatly! If I can now REMEMBER THIS and keep Sila, and be a gift of fearlessness to the world and to those around me, what a gift you are to have helped me to remember to do that! THANK YOU! BE WELLloving

[@englishmonk]

Anumodana Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu

[@lukemckean6155]

Q and A Q1. Rebirth 1:58 Q2. Advaita Vedanta 18:19 Q3. Returning to the UK 32:02

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@brandonsubia9090]

🙏Namo Buddha

[@englishmonk]

Namo Buddhaya Sukhi Hontu

[@Dennis14222]

Thank you for again a great talk on the damma Bhante.

[@englishmonk]

You're welcome it's my pleasure. Be happy and stay well

[@venkat4167]

Namo Buddha 😊 Greetings from India and thanks for your videos.

[@englishmonk]

Namo Buddhaya Sukhi Hontu

[@michaelcole8703]

HI Phra Dan, i'm not much of a buddhist and when i'm intoxicated your videos on a pure life do not seem appealing, but even when I am high, I open your videos and immediately I notice my stresses calming. Sometimes I dont realise that I am stressed, but 99% of youtube video content triggers stresses whereas your content is very calming. Maybe one day I will watch your content sober and learn to meditate in the morning. We're all on our journey. Thank you Phra Dan

[@englishmonk]

I'm happy it's useful and helps a little. Be happy and stay well

[@jens6754]

Thank you, Phra Dan 😊 I'm reading a book called "Cave In The Snow" about Tenzim Palmo, a Buddhist nun of a Tibetan branch. Wow! The practice is very different than that of Theravada! I personally prefer the Theravada approach, the Tibetan style of practice being much too esoteric for me. But it's neat to see things from another perspective. Sukhi Hotu ❤

[@englishmonk]

good book, helped me with Tumo practice when enduring British winters, be happy and stay well

[@smlanka4u]

A quiet place helps to develop a consistent Samadhi/concentration. Also, only one emotion or a feeling can continue a consistent state of Samadhi. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@simeondawkins6358]

Its not needed what is is finding that inner silance stillness and staying in that so the Light of the mind grows so does the love peace and clarity etc

[@smlanka4u]

@@simeondawkins6358, Right Sati (Mindfuness) meditation is the 7th step in the noble eightfold path. Right Samadhi (stillness/concentration) is the 8th (final) step. You are talking about the 7th step, but it is a very important step.

[@lukemckean6155]

There are some thai forest monks on the East coast of Australia! Maybe not as famous as Ajahn Brahm but they’re definitely there. Happy to provide some names if required 🙏

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@fingerprint5511]

@@halcyon2864 Wat Sangharatanaram in Nerang. And Gold Coast Buddhist Association Inc is Sri Lankan, inland a bit at Advancetown

[@Jess-hm7ft]

🙏🌹🙏🌹🙏

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@NewYorkLofi]

Thank you so much ❤❤❤

[@englishmonk]

You're welcome it's my pleasure. Be happy and stay well

[@Cole_Loristril]

Sadhu sadhu sadhu.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@branimirsalevic5092]

Thinking about rebirth after death is a waste of time. It is like thinking, "when I die and go to Paris, will I see Mona Lisa?" I mean, you've lost your mental sanity right after the word "die". You can see your past lives only within this very lifetime - your life as a baby, a child, a teenager, a businessman, a monk... A student, a husband, a father...an employee or an employer... a driver or a pedestrian... You can also see that you are born as a demon in hell realm every time your mind burns in rage and you act out of this rage - everyone around you can witness this birth. And everyone can witness the death of this demon once your mind cools down and exits the hell realm. The "realms of existence" are "modes of existence" and not some exotic places somewhere, nobody knows where... You are also reborn in others, in people with whom you interact, exchange ideas. You adopt the pieces of other people's minds in this way, their minds are literally reincarnated in you, become you. And in the same way you are reborn in others - so beware: if you treat others like a demon would, you will be reborn in them as a demon because that's how they experience you. And if you treat others with love and respect, then that's how you will be born in them. Because in this world, you are what you do - you are your kamma. - As for the birth from the mother's womb, that happens once and that's all there is to it.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@branimirsalevic5092]

@@fingerprint5511 thanks for your input. Now consider this: dhamma is dependent arising, it is neither dependent rebirth nor dependent reincarnation. Why is this? P.S. I am ignoring the rest of your comment because I don't want to add fuel to the fire of your rage.

[@borninwashingmachine4582]

Well, for sure next month bills come anyway. I wouldn't resist if l have any an option. Seriously on prescriptive next life if l have an option to choose, definitely life like my dog's life

[@englishmonk]

Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu

[@catjewel108]

🙏🙏🙏

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@fingerprint5511]

Thank you Bhante, a good talk and I'm so happy you are safe but what did the Surgeon say when you went for the check-up last week? Also there definitely Forest Monks in Eastern Australia, Wat Buddha Dhamma is a Monastery in the Ajahn Chah tradition North of Sydney right in the bush far from civilisation, Ajahn Tiradhammo has been staying there for some time with Abbot Ajahn Khemavaro and also Sujato Bhikku is in Western Sydney at the Lokanta Vihara AKA 'Monastery at the End of the World' who as we know runs Sutta central, rewriting the Suttas and there's Bodhisaddha Monastery south of Sydney which is practically lile a Thai Monastery with Thai Abbott and in case this person is female there is Santi Forest Tradition Monastery south of Sydney 🙏

[@englishmonk]

All ok thank you, just need more time to heal. Thank you for the information.

[@fingerprint5511]

@@englishmonk Yes you do, be kind.

[@AdvaiticChrist]

*I am seeing some hostile attitude of people trying to defend Ādvaita. I respect you even if you have misunderstood Ādvaita Vedānta. Because atleast you have freed yourself from material bondage of the world. People like you inspire me. It can be a Christian monk who has overcome the world. Why not? Still an inspiration!* _Words like Shunya and Purna are misleading as it often makes one think either nihilism or God, respectively, on the surface level._ *The Shentong school of Buddhism is like Ādvaita Vedānta. But Madhyāmaka will reject it. Because once we give names like Brahman then it becomes limited to just Nāmarūpa.* _Jesus in his gnostic Gospels has also told us that we are not limited to body/mind complex._ *We have to approach things from both perspective. This will create the attitude of an (Om)nist in a person. Resulting in more peaceful behaviour amongst us.* Namaste. 🙏🏽🕉️

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@simeondawkins6358]

Nivana is in us all even cats dogs etc its just humans are not aware of it The peace is who u are!

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@colinlloyd708]

I attend a Dharma class once a week with a Sri Lanka Theravada monk, and the subject of eating came up. Bhante said when eating it must be done silently, I understand monks observe this mindful eating patterns,but when i asked about family meals or with friends ,should this silence be observed.As a father ,Grandfather with a large family a meal is a joyous ,pleasing occasion and conversation and laughing naturally happens .What are your thoughts?

[@colinlloyd708]

what does just an emoji of a heart symbolize Bhante?

[@chrisdon9360]

Dear Phra Dan, this morning I meditated cross legged on the floor for one hour and eight minutes which is a record for me. It easily surpasses my previous record. I did feel slightly more alert afterwards and I noticed that my body was not in so much pain towards the end. I only stopped as I had to go work. My question is is it childish to set goals or records in terms of length of meditation time? I appreciate that quality of focusing on the breath is more important but time is important too, no? Did you note records lengths of time in your early days of meditation?

[@englishmonk]

Thank you for watching and your comments. I will talk about this in a Q&A's video coming soon. kzbin.info/aero/PLiX6s1kV1fRMCQyR6F7b6HxXuBUn9Zgck&si=7nWb2Y5dT2JpZjzj Be happy and stay well.

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

Soul and Afterlife? First we need to understand the meaning of Soul. Broad opinion is that it is something within us and it travels after death That means it has to be of some Form because formless cannot travel.There is no such thing as Soul. It is just a concept of humans created out of Fear. If there is any Soul then we should have remembered our past lives. But we don't remember and hence the concept of soul contradicts the premises. So then Who are we ?. Will there be any injustice to anyone ? In this eternal cyclic movement every animate matter is nothing but Knowledge point. Your own continuation is their in the cyclic movement and according to your own actions you have to face new conditions. As the cycle progresses, so does knowledge point. Cycle continues forever and whatever is happening has happened and will happen exactly for infinitely. So nothing travels after death. It is such a marvelous design that moment you die your next continuation is ready somewhere in the cyclic movement as animate matter is nothing but Knowledge point. No injustice will be done with anyone from any angle. Existence and it's knowledge goes together. One cannot be without another. The only way this Principle can be in reality is through eternal cyclic movement with division of subject and object in it.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@Infiniteemptiness]

Advaita is more related to Shunyata Of Nagarjuna And Advaita permanent self is no self of Buddhism One coming from postive perspective and one coming from negative approach. Reading perhaps would make much older, and it's interesting to note that Adviata is based on vedanta no vedas i.e., Upanishads and some of these advaita upanishads are pre buddha like brihadaranyaka upanishad and historians relate some influences from these principal Upanishads and there's no gods, God sitting above, individual self or material universe in advaita

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@seachd2268]

Thanks for your video its the first one i have seen that you have done i am now going to follow your journey to wish you well. i do have a question, can you still call yourself a buddhist if you do not believe in rebirth ?. i am personally agnostic about it. and i always understood it to be the karmic effects that carries on is that right ? also although i want to believe in rebirth and can just about get my head around it if i think about it as the 'knowing' going back into a big melting pot of karmic universal knowing but find it hard to see how it would be specific to someones else's future life.. thanks again

[@englishmonk]

Thank you for watching and your comments. I will talk about this in a Q&A's video coming soon. kzbin.info/aero/PLiX6s1kV1fRMCQyR6F7b6HxXuBUn9Zgck&si=7nWb2Y5dT2JpZjzj Be happy and stay well.

[@StopFear]

I have a kind of question that may appear as a joke at first but is actually a serious question. I thought about it when I was thinking how the Buddhist monks often walk barefoot. At least indoors. Basically, can someone be a Buddhist monk if they for whatever reason do not have 1 or had both legs amputated? I guess same question can apply to missing an arm. Could they follow the precepts if they lack the limb(s) the precept is associated with?

[@englishmonk]

Thank you for watching and your comments. I will talk about this in a Q&A's video coming soon. kzbin.info/aero/PLiX6s1kV1fRMCQyR6F7b6HxXuBUn9Zgck&si=7nWb2Y5dT2JpZjzj Be happy and stay well.

[@beatrixveres2506]

Hello, it is quite strange, that this half an hour seems to be not enough of listening....usually I do not have the patience anymore to listen to everybody. Anyway, these talks are useful for me to ease my basic anxiety, which comes from fear? Do you know what anxiety is teaching us?

[@englishmonk]

Thank you for watching and your comments. I will talk about this in a Q&A's video coming soon. kzbin.info/aero/PLiX6s1kV1fRMCQyR6F7b6HxXuBUn9Zgck&si=7nWb2Y5dT2JpZjzj Be happy and stay well.

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

ANSWER TO ALL QUESTIONS First we need to understand Questions and Answers itself. Those are nothing but words given by humans to what is in front of us (Premises). Based on the Premises, logical conclusion comes out that both Questions and Answers are dependent on one another. When a Question is raised then by default it means there has to be an answer to it. Think deeply on our actions you will realize it. For animate matter it is connected to Life and Death. Broadly, If No Death then No Question. All negative feelings like hatred, anger has its root in Death. So then to solve it, We need to ask why life and death ? OR We need to find root cause. Root cause is " Existence and it's knowledge goes together. One cannot be without another. The only way this Principle can be in reality is through eternal cyclic movement with division of subject and object in it." OK so we got the root cause. Based on the above root cause it is derived that each and every physical and non-physical aspect is dependent on one another. Everything is dependent on one another in eternal cyclic movement. Also you need to understand How the medium (Human body) is designed to align with the HOW and WHY of Universe or Existence. Beside HOW and WHY we broadly don't have any questions and everything in this universe or existence comes only under HOW and WHY and nothing else. HOW is -----simply dependency of one on another and nothing else. Each and Everything is dependent on one another, whether physical or non physical. WHY is------- Existence and it's knowledge goes together. One cannot be without another. The only way this principle can be in reality is through eternal cyclic movement with division of subject and object in it. If you contemplate deep on the above two aspects of HOW and WHY of Universe or Existence you will find all answers. Animate matter is Knowledge point which has broadly following factors in it:- Actions (survival) + Subconscious (habits) + Comparison (logic ). Input is in form of feelings from objective world and output is the self-knowledge and actions based on it. That self Knowledge is the answer to all Questions. If your self Knowledge is not equal to All is One (eternal-infinite-absolute) then there will be infinite regression of Questions. So Answer is purely subjective and cannot be explained objectively. Subsonscious factor plays very important role in it. For Further information please explore---- FBP(Face+Book+Page) "Why something rather than nothing ?" 😊

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

😊

[@englishmonk]

Be happy and stay well

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

@@englishmonk Happiness is just an emotion dependent on Sadness which in turns depends upon ignorance. I am neutral to both of them which is nothing but Desireless of Happiness plus acceptance of sadness simultaneously 😊

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

@@englishmonk Wellness of Body can only be achieved after knowledge of existence. Until then there is ignorance which is nothing but Fear and Ego related to the body 😃

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

DIFFERENT VIEWS ON WHY EXISTENCE ? Advaita :- Hey Vishistadvaita you know I am pure consciousness and rest of this universe is just a illusion or dream. Vishistadvaita:- Hey Advaita you know I am eternal along with Lord but somehow because of my bad decision I am engaged in this Maya or world and my duty now is to chant my lord's name so that I will not return back to this world and leave peacefully serving my Lord. Advaita :- You fool...if you are eternal how come you don't remember because eternal doesn't change. Vishistadvaita:- You too are fool ..Why are you getting trapped in your own dream. Dream something beautiful instead of Life and death or get out of dream right now. Hearing the above conversation Buddhist said you both are fool... everything is zero or nothing...no world...no Brahman. Then dualists came and they said you all are fools. God has created this and we just need to be slave of him. Let him enjoy life and death of ours . Then came Science and said you all are fools. This Existence is just by chance or BigBang and it doesn't has any purpose. All above philosophies are illogical and incorrect because it contradicts the premises on which it is taking out the conclusion. That is the reason, each one of them unknowingly or subconsciously contradicts other . Each one of them knows that the other party is incorrect but because of lack of knowledge they don't know How ? So they subconsciously think they are correct. They can't simply answer Why the Universe has to be the way it is ? Why it cannot be stable ? Society is based on fear and hence you will never find the truth openly circulating. Reality and Correct and logical philosophy is---- Existence and it's knowledge goes together. One cannot be without another. This Principle can be in reality only through eternal cyclic movement with division of subject and object in it. 😀

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

@@englishmonkIf Happiness of body is considered then "May all be Happy" is just another ignorance. It can be never be until there is ignorance. And When knowledge of existence is achieved there is no desire of happiness 😊

[@ahim224]

I am wondering as a buddhist monk, do you sometimes use self inquiry techniques in the Vedic school to help with maintaining total awareness? As compared to single- point awareness etc. 😇 Buddha mostly (it seems) was more focused on single points at a time, whereas the Vedics (similar to Dzogchen buddhism) proposed total body awareness by means of self inquiry. Just am mostly curious on your insight. Sorry if this is a loaded one!

[@englishmonk]

No. Be happy and stay well

[@nahanng7791]

Vedanta has nothing to do with Therevada Buddhism. Advaita vedanta consists of a Self in their teachings. Which is absolutely wrong.

[@riccardo5405]

Why do Theravada monks and Buddhists bow 3 times to teachers and to the Buddha? Are they reciting something while they bow?

[@englishmonk]

Thank you for watching and your comments. I will talk about this in a Q&A's video coming soon. kzbin.info/aero/PLiX6s1kV1fRMCQyR6F7b6HxXuBUn9Zgck&si=7nWb2Y5dT2JpZjzj Be happy and stay well.

[@danlevitas7815]

Hi - in your comparison of Buddhism vs Advaita You mentioned that sometimes there are apparent qualities carried over from previous lives ie speaking foreign languages etc. Aren’t these attributes of personality? It always seems to me that an Individual mind reborn is the same as the individual essence of advaita- The meditation practice of resting the mind in its unmodified state also appears the same I think this is the position of the Swami you mentioned Your Thoughts?🙏

[@englishmonk]

This is not a comparison because I do not know anything about Advaita Vedanta

[@danlevitas7815]

Sorry comparison was the wrong word it’s just that this is such a big question that seems to divide advaita Vedanta from Buddhism when in practice it’s beyond most of our experience and as you and so many others point out practice is the important thing . Thankyou for your videos which serve as a repeated reminder and inspiration 🙏

[@tylerthompson5828]

Ill never follow any path that denies self & soul.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY----- Science is based on conclusions drawn on observations observed after doing some objective experiments . Whereas , Philosophy is based on conclusions drawn on observations observed without doing any objective experiments. So From above definitions who can answer ultimate root of all "WHY" ? Can Science answer it ? NO because after doing objective experiments it can tell HOW things work but not WHY. Example :--- Modern science says it's Bigbang, multiverse or cyclic. But is unable to answer WHY ? Because doing some objective experiments will again lead you back to the same from where you started. Example ---- Science started for looking What is inside of anything or what is outside of anything but in the end at the Quantum level it is at the same position which it was at the gross level. It cannot further go inside nor it cannot come outside universe. Science will never be able to answer WHY. Only logic or philosophy can answer it. Below is the Answer ------ Existence and it's knowledge goes together. One cannot be without another. The only way this principle can be in reality is through eternal cyclic movement with division of subject and object in it. One cannot search oneself by breaking oneself ( like Science does in Quantum physics) NOR one cannot search oneself outside oneself like ( Science does in Cosmology). Any attempts will lead to illusion or trap. Thanks 😀

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

😊

[@englishmonk]

Be happy and stay well

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

@@englishmonk Happiness is just an emotion dependent on Sadness which in turns depends upon ignorance. I am neutral to both of them (which is nothing but Desireless of Happiness plus acceptance of sadness simultaneously) 😊

[@rupesh_sahebrao_dhote]

@@englishmonk Wellness of Body can only be achieved after knowledge of existence. Until then there is ignorance which is nothing but Fear and Ego related to the body 😃

[@jayantbhatt007]

Sir recommend your top three books? 🙏

[@englishmonk]

Sutta Pitaka, Stillness Flowing & Wat Marp Jan Chanting Book

[@jason6360]

Your definition of Citta(one who knows) is virtually identical with the Vedanta term 'Sakshi'. It's too bad modern Buddhism is so astray from the Buddha's true teachings. It's probably why modern Buddhists don't awaken.

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@simeondawkins6358]

yes u r as much the body as u r the sky etc also as much control lol

[@englishmonk]

Sukhi Hontu

[@roh-mj6em]

You clearly do not know much about advita. Next time please can you learn about them before giving teachings or talking about them.

[@englishmonk]

I do not know anything about Advaita Vedanta and said that

[@roh-mj6em]

@@englishmonk that's what I observed, because you got wrong understanding of Advaita vadanta fullness and how they see god. So I felt your comparison is not accurate. You can watch Swami sarvapriyanada video on advita and Buddhism, as he also studied Buddhism.

[@avi2125]

Bhante is v clear abt whr he stands. He makes it clear. If u wish to believe in Advaita's permanent self/Brahman, that is your privilege. He explains the Buddhist point of view abt permanence...and non-self