Theos-Talk Archives (July 2005 Message tt00021)

Frank,
Well from an American English perspective in my opinion "mundane" when used 
in reference to Buddhist Orders means "of the world" or "worldly" and seems 
to characterize one who has not "Left Home" ie; a "Lay" person. I am casually 
acquainted with Chinese Buddhism (Ch'an) and my "Lay" name given to me by 
Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua (passed over) is Kuo Chuang, as a Lay Person I am not 
"Left Home" even though I took Lay Vows, a Left Home has formally entranced the 
Order and taken the Vows and observations not taken by Lay Persons and has 
"Left Home" by leaving his family and former life and become a Monk living at the 
monastery. Some Buddhist Orders also allow marriage and production of 
children (tibetan) and sexual abstaintion is not observed. A Lay person can also be a 
practictioner of Buddhism anywhere in any sect of Buddhism
Frank, even if one restricts one's reading to only Blavatsky original 
written works how many different usages for Dharma does one find? There are many. 
And in terms of both the Hindu and Buddhist Literature there are even more, 
Dharma has the breadth of the universe for it's play ground.

John


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