[Buddha-l] Re: Diversions, distractions and off-topic discussions

[Mike Austin]

In message <002601c5cc46$206f28a0$2930cece at charlie>, jkirk 
<jkirk at spro.net> writes

>Like much found in ancient scriptures, what is said can be 
>contextualized and then a slightly different reading appears. The 
>Buddha and his sangha did not live in democratic societies with civil 
>rights, they lived in kingships and were dependent on kings from time 
>to time for protection, alms, public support, donations of land for 
>monasteries, and so on. Kings in those days maintained spies, and my 
>guess is that it was dangerous to criticize the monarch, even as today 
>in Thailand, in a sort of democratic kingdom where the King's public 
>persona and roles are modeled on Brahmanic patterns of yore,  if one 
>criticizes the King, one is subject to the death penalty. Thus, it 
>behooved the monks and their leaders to mind their own business and 
>concentrate on the vinaya. In those days, the idea that public comment 
>and or participation (demonstrations?) could affect politics was 
>unthinkable. Times have changed, and to my mind the sutta quoted here 
>is mainly applicable to monastics, although it is also good advice in 
>some contemporary contexts as well.

Are you of the opinion that Buddha's words on the topics of conversation 
were merely tailored to sustain sponsorship and avoid punishment? Do you 
not see anything in these words  that could provide us with guidance for 
this day and age - or indeed any day and age?

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin