tc101

Is it true that in 1960 Buddhist monks were banned from teaching about contentment?  I just read this:


The liberation goal in this context might be defined as santutthi, or contentment. This involves freedom from desire and attachment - the opposite of dukkha, or suffering. One is content with what one has and is. Thai scholar Pibob Udomittipong describes how deeply this concept challenges modern consumerism. Soon after the first Thai National Economic Development Plan was drafted in the 1960s, the government banned Buddhist monks from teaching about contentment. The official governing body of the monks, the Sangha Authority, sanctioned this decree, apparently accepting the reasoning that santutthi was a barrier to the ideals of economic growth. The late Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, a very revered and socially engaged Thai teacher, argued against the ban, pointing out that contentment leads to the development of wisdom and is therefore essential for real human progress.

From here:

http://www.amalthys....onsumerism.html

What is the best meditation technique for stress and anxiety?  I am using some techniques I learned at a Goenka retreat many years ago.  I sense the breath at the nostrils, and I slowly scan through the body, detecting body sensations.  Are there any better techniques?  I am having problems with stress, anxiety and insomnia.  There is no big external cause for this.  It seems to just be coming up.

I like Thai Visa.  Are there other good online discussion forums similar to this?  What are your favorites?