--- nina van gorkom <nilo@...> wrote:

> Dear Yong Peng, Piya and friends,
> I am glad you draw our attention to this sutta. No
> need to abandon company,

Hi Nina,
That sutta describes what the proper attainment of
solitude is, but it does not describe the training
process that one goes through to arrive at that
successful cultivation of alone-ness.
In other words, the practice of physical seclusion
does not guarantee attainment of the proper definition
of seclusion, but that does not logically imply one
should not practice a large dose of physical
seclusion. If we examine the whole body of pali
suttas, it's very clear to me that the training
process involves "abandoning company" for the vast
majority of the time. In one sutta, where disciples
are training together, although they are cooperating
and working together on chores while dwelling in the
same community, they work together in noble silence.
On average, in 7 days of training, they might spend a
few hours on one day of the week to verbally discuss
the dhamma with one another, but the rest of the time
they are essentially "abandoning company" and
practicing in virtual solitude. In another sutta, the
Buddha criticizes his disciples for too much frivolous
talk while doing chores together.

-fk


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