Welcome to Gaia! ::

I would first like to say that i aknoledge the possible contradiction involded with encourageing individuals and practices aimed at elevating themselves from illusion and non-reality, by placing them in an online world fake as fake can get.
my arguement against that is, that the decisions and actions of individuals on towns is still very very real, the other people are real, the thoughts are real the practices are real and have 'reasonable' effect, and the challenges are very real against them the only difference is one illusion is made by something unconceivable and the illusion in towns is a code made by freindly fellow humanbeings.

what also i find is it may possibly be a noncommital experimentation in monastic life, for those who are looking for soemthing to introduce them to the experiences without having the possibilities of making a serious mistake in trying it out.

ofcourse this is all open for discussion as well. im sure someone has something to say.

The Barton Town Buddhist Monestary is a place for those with an affinity and intrest in gathering the Buddhists of Gaia togather to practice in towns and elsewhere in gaia.

In the monestary friends can join together to learn how to apply The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path (Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.) The activities of the monks are as follows:

-Cleaning Towns, through picking up the trash from all around towns, not only to learn humility but to learn of the temporaritly of action in life, as once one cleans an area after little more than a few minuets the ground will be littered once more. The will also practice cleanlyness and devotion in this activity. All of the material found that can be salvaged will be sold in the market place and the money thus earned will go to the beautification of the monestary and to organised charities established by the monestary members.

-talking to other users and members of Gaia, this will be practiced as any usual day only as a member of the monestary one is too keep in mind the eightfold path in every word they speak.

-observation and meditation, gaia is a perfect place to learn observation, one may just sit where ever and watch the various members of gaia, and other things in towns and elsewhere in the site. allowing ones self to sit and watch keeps one from acting harshly, one learns patience, and how to raise questions of human nature as well as other things. perhapse even learning when is a good time to speak and when it is not. (right speech & right action)

- meetings and group conversation, this is perhapse the most important, conversation between the members of the monestary on life in and out of gaia, and how it applies to buddhahood.

im just hopeing my fellow buddhists and thinkers of gaia will appreceate and enjoy themselves here.

the monestary home is currently bare with the exception of a rug. but this is the address for it

4 Barton, 011114

awesome!!!! yeah i only have one other member right now her name is D!SH, i think she is going ot set up the forum, she has already made logos for it, really amazing ones infact ^_^









but if you want to join up or anything just let me know and we can get right down to the nitty gritty of it all. ^_^

they are beautiful, really beautiful. made by the first person to join the monestary, D!sh a realy fantastic person. ^_^


all we need are members to converse with and help the monestary establish it. there is no commitment, and there is no obligation to do anything while a member of it.

its really very casual and fun actually.

i want to also make a correction,


the lotus temple has been moved to 9 barton 002311

the old temple location 4 barton 011114

and the lovely tea room 7 barton 001498

and any help is welcome ^_^

we also have a forum in the guilds forum, the link is in my sig ^_^ feel free to check it out. im pretty impressed with D!sh's work witht he icons and organization ^_^

This is a great idea! I would participate if my computer liked flash. I hope others will give this a try! 3nodding

well, even if you cant go on towns, you can still hang out in the forum discussions, the link to it is in my signature, but basicly the same deal as with my main man above;

send me a short little description of yourself, include your name, your age, your denomination (which form of buddhism you are if you are.) your aims in life and how you to be buddhist/ what ever other spiritual and religious station you are today.

and of course welcome.

at the monastary forum we have just started discussions about how to apply the precepts to our activity here on gaia, in towns and elsewhere.

i mean how do we apply the precept do not kill, and do not partake in the consumption of intoxicating substances.

in kill i suppose that that can be translated into do not flame, harras or otherwise make another gaian's activities on the site unhappy.

but i have no idea if there is a way to adapt the intoxicating substances precept.

also the additional three precepts create especialy astranged directions from those applicable to gaia.

6. avoid eating after midday.
7. avoid indulging in song, dance and music, and do not decorate onesself with perfumes, consmetics, and ornaments.
8. avoid sitting on high or luxurious seats or beds.

i suppose 7. can be addapted into not dancing or singing obviously, but would do not decorate onesself with perfumes and ornaments mean keeping one's avatar from dressing too lavishly?

more important what about #8? im trying to look at things more metaphoricly, and im not sure at all how to apply this one.

i only ask because we really need more help in discusing this all, not too many people partake in conversations there, and im hoping that here it will be more involving and more conversed. i just think the more creative minds come down on the subject the more creative applications towards the precepts will be produced. so if you can help please!