Buddhism Basics

[ViolinGoddess]

I'm a christian witch that is interested in Buddhism. I would like to learn more about Buddhism to hoepfully incorperate it into my path. Of what little I've learned and what few people I've met that were buddhist, I have quite a bit of respect for it. I would like to learn more. COuld you steer me in the direction of so good, simple, not to complicated books on the basics of buddhism so I can educate myself? WHat the beleifs are, practices, sects, etc. Thanks!

Violin Goddess

[Toby Stimpson]

The best place I would suggest you go is Buddhanet at www.buddhanet.net It has the largest selection of etexts I have seen on Buddhism and the various sects as well as many books for beginners. I would also take a look back at all of the forum threads currently listed here as a lot of them have Buddhism and Hinduism in them. Are there any questions first of all that you would like to ask, off the top of your head, perhaps the best way for you to learn the basics is to have it in a discussion format :).

Namaste

Tobias

[Neosnoia]

You might want to lurk HERE (http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php). They have great info. :) And if you are interested in having a learning discussion on this forum, I'm in. I'd like to learn too.

[ViolinGoddess]

ALrught, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I don't know enough about Buddhism to ask question. So a forum would not be helpful to me. I just want to read a book or two so I can get a rough feel about what Buddhism is all about , what it's beleive systems and teachings are, and how its practitioners use it in daily life.

Violin Goddess

[Toby Stimpson]

Sometimes the best way is by asking questions...look you've already started!

Basicly the idea of Buddhism is to completkly detach one's self from an idea of self and look past the concept of this world to the reality. When one finally achieves an idea of the reality behind the universe, ego disapears and we become enlightened beings devoid of a concept of self so thatw e can join into perfect bliss.

Now, there are many ways and many schools to go about this...which is why emditation is so important. Meditation is seen as a vital key to attaining this as there is a mainstream view hat the key to attaining a selfless existance is found deep within...as well as in evidence in the physical universe.

As Gautama Buddha lived over 2500 years ago, there has been a LOT of time to create and form different philisophical schools. the Two major streams are mahayana and Therevada. mahayana is the northern school, mostly comprising the countries of Mongolia, China, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, TTaiwan, and Japan. The Therevada school is mostly Sri Lanka, the south east asian countries (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia) and Indonesia.

Therevada is one of the older schools and is chiefly following the Pali Canon. It's schools focus more on the basics and fundamentals of the message, and are strictly following what they know the Buddha was said to have preached. They believe in Gods, but do not honour any other form of supernatural beings. Theyre emphasis is on action and karma rather than scriptural mantras or rituals.

Mahayana on the other hand seems to have a much wider form of philosophical schools, the two most popular in the west being Tibetan Vajrayana and Japanese Zen. In truth, the reason Mayana is more prevalant in the north is partly becasue of some of it's focus. There is a lot more supernatural elements, and entire pantheosn of figures. There is also in most schools the Bodhisattva/Pu'sa phenomenon, where by so called beings who have stepped back from entering enlightenment to teach and guide other souls. While Buddhism and Gautama generally did not direct fllowers to follow Gods, in areas where the original religion was theistic...Buddhism incorporated the Bodhisattva ideal to cope with the minds of the new followers. There are many more ways in Mahayana to achieve enlightenment, through cleaning one's karma through both action but also by ritual, mantra, and soemtimes through Bodhisattva 'worship.'

Err, what else did you want to know?

I would also very much go to Buddhanet...thats my best suggestion...better than any book i can think of.

[Neosnoia]

Alright, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I don't know enough about Buddhism to ask question ... I just want to read a book or two
I'm partial to Zen (a Buddhist / Taoist blend) and would recommend pretty much anything bu Suzuki. Here's a partial list of books you might like.

Zen Mind, Beginners Mind - Suzuki
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0834800799/sr=8-2/qid=1154318139/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-9721175-1595243?ie=UTF8)
Not Always So - Suzuki (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060957549/ref=pd_sim_b_1/002-9721175-1595243?ie=UTF8)

An Introduction to Zen Buddhism - Suzuki (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802130550/ref=pd_cp_b_title/002-9721175-1595243?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155)

The Way of Zen - Alan Watts (who was also Christian) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375705104/ref=pd_sim_b_5/002-9721175-1595243?ie=UTF8)

The Idiots Guide to Zen Living (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159257243X/sr=1-1/qid=1154318673/ref=sr_1_1/002-9721175-1595243?ie=UTF8&s=books)

Anything by Thich Nhat Han is great. And Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk, combined Buddhism and mystical Christianity into a beautiful path that is explained in most of his books.

[Agaliha]

In my thread floating around here there are books and links listed. I'll find it: Buddhism (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=108239) You can skim that. That was during my Buddhist phase.

For basics, try these:

ReligionFacts.com-- Buddhism (http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/index.htm) simple explainations and summaries, yet informative

Basic Buddhist Guide, with snapshots (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/basic-guide.htm)

Beliefnet's Buddhism (http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10001.html) area. Articles, discussions.

Buddhism Beliefs (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geur7Rlc1EAfYAPXtXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE3OHNzbTFzBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMgRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANFMjQ2X zEyMg--/SIG=12cbktcif/EXP=1154410321/**http%3a//www.allaboutreligion.org/buddhism-beliefs-faq.htm)

An Introduction to Buddhism (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geur7Rlc1EAfYAT3tXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE3bGdvcjAzBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANFMjQ2X zEyMg--/SIG=1241215k0/EXP=1154410321/**http%3a//www.ship.edu/%7ecgboeree/buddhaintro.html)

Teachings/lessons by email (http://www.buddhism-connect.org/)

Basics (http://www.letusreason.org/Buddh1.htm)

ReligiousTolerance's Buddhism (http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm)

Wikipedia's Buddhism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism)page on the left there is a table thing to more Buddhist articles.

That should do it! Let me know if you want more, I can find other sites for you. I think I have tons still saved to my favorites.

There are a lot of good basic books out there as well, I mentioned a few in my thread...I think one is lost in the pages somewhere, but I mentioned some on the first post.

[Lets Go Bowling]

ALrught, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I don't know enough about Buddhism to ask question. So a forum would not be helpful to me. I just want to read a book or two so I can get a rough feel about what Buddhism is all about , what it's beleive systems and teachings are, and how its practitioners use it in daily life.

Violin Goddess

Stephen Batchelor's "Buddhism Without Beliefs" may be a good start since you already have you're religion sorted out. Also try Robert Thurman's "Inner Revolution" which gives a broad sweeping version of Buddhism and it's movement through history in a very direct down to earth manner. It goes over the various developments from Early Indian Buddhism to modern Vajrayana.

[ViolinGoddess]

I think what I am also looking for is how to put Buddhist wisdom into daily practice.

Violin Goddess

[Lets Go Bowling]

I think what I am also looking for is how to put Buddhist wisdom into daily practice.

Violin Goddess

Oh.

You can try thinking about the suffering or angst that is in life. Look for its causes. Let go of those causes. And see that you can let go of those causes.

Buddhism says that our attachment to our cravings or desires is what causes our dissatisfaction...suffering or angst. So if you can let go of them, you can find unconditional happiness and peace and freedom. The Buddhist lifestyle or path is about living in such a way as to do that.

That's the nutshell version of Buddhist wisdom.

If you have any specific questions, post them here or let me know. I am not a teacher or anything, but I have been on this path for a long time now and maybe there is something I have discovered or realized that may help.

[ViolinGoddess]

If you have any specific questions, post them here or let me know. I am not a teacher or anything, but I have been on this path for a long time now and maybe there is something I have discovered or realized that may help.

Again, I don't know enough about Buddhism to know wht to ask. I'll have to read some of the begining books that people suggested.

Violin Goddess

[Toby Stimpson]

These things are almost entirely best learned through discussion hun...they are religious and spiritual in nature...Books are guides yes, but without proper interpretation or feeling then the things inside them eman nothing. Thats why a lot of us here are asking questions, becasue in amny ways a lot of us didnt know anything about Buddhism, Wicca...Hidnuism whatever but started to ask questions. One question that I asked way back many years ago on another forum was, "Is Buddha a God?"

That sparked many good posts on this other forum. Well, the question again to be debated, is Buddha a God? Im almost certain you will elarn soemthing that will spark another question Violin...

Namaste

Tobias

[Lets Go Bowling]

That's true.

Though I answer that the Buddha was or is not a god, but a human being who matured and woke up. The historical founder of Buddhism said in response to a very similar question posed to him that he was awake. He wasn't a god, an angel or some other sort of being, but awake.

One of the appellations given to the Buddha (or any Buddha for that matter) is "Teacher of the humans and gods." Because gods are not thought of in Buddhism in the same way as more theistically aligned religions. To us, gods may live longer and have more powers and such, but they are still impermanent beings like the rest of us and they still have problems with suffering and delusion.

This makes Buddhism more properly called nontheistic rather than atheistic or theistic, because it takes an entirely different angle than the whole "does god exist" issue. It acknowledges that there are probably other 'higher' beings than us humans, but that we cannot ultimately rely on them. We must learn to be lamps for ourselves and others. That starts with ourselves first off. So Buddhism is concerned about life down to earth.

This seems like a negative, but if you believe in God or some other being, you get to keep that beliefand what not. No Buddhist teacher will tell you that you must leave your God or your religion in order to learn from Buddhist wisdom (since Buddhist wisdom is really wisdom you can find in other traditions too), or even if you wanted to become Buddhist.

[Jenne]

From my own studies of Buddhism...I find it is a perspective or a way of life, rather than a religion.

[Lets Go Bowling]

From my own studies of Buddhism...I find it is a perspective or a way of life, rather than a religion.

That's true. I see it more as a movement or a series of cultures and lifestyles which contains religion, psychology and philosophy. But in reality, if I want to express what it really means to be a Buddhist I use the words of Tsongkhapa from around 1398. He said that "Emptiness is the central path."

[Toby Stimpson]

That's true.

Though I answer that the Buddha was or is not a god, but a human being who matured and woke up. The historical founder of Buddhism said in response to a very similar question posed to him that he was awake. He wasn't a god, an angel or some other sort of being, but awake.

One of the appellations given to the Buddha (or any Buddha for that matter) is "Teacher of the humans and gods." Because gods are not thought of in Buddhism in the same way as more theistically aligned religions. To us, gods may live longer and have more powers and such, but they are still impermanent beings like the rest of us and they still have problems with suffering and delusion.

This makes Buddhism more properly called nontheistic rather than atheistic or theistic, because it takes an entirely different angle than the whole "does god exist" issue. It acknowledges that there are probably other 'higher' beings than us humans, but that we cannot ultimately rely on them. We must learn to be lamps for ourselves and others. That starts with ourselves first off. So Buddhism is concerned about life down to earth.

This seems like a negative, but if you believe in God or some other being, you get to keep that beliefand what not. No Buddhist teacher will tell you that you must leave your God or your religion in order to learn from Buddhist wisdom (since Buddhist wisdom is really wisdom you can find in other traditions too), or even if you wanted to become Buddhist.

I couldnt have said it better myself. :)

[Cerulean_damselfly]

What they said...


I couldnt have said it better myself. :)

And just another link...it may help clear some puzzlements I've seen posted.

http://www.livingdharma.org/Misconceptions.html

Best regards,

Cerulean_Damselfly

[La Fortuna]

Hi Violin Goddess!

Just thought I would add my 2 cents here since I was a practicing buddhist for 30 years.

I belonged to Nichiren Shoshu for 30 or so years as a practicing Buddhist. The important distinguishing characteristic of this sect is that the followers focus upon something called the Gohonzon. This is a scroll inshrined inside a Butsudan (cabinet). To simplify, the Gohonzon is inscribed with the life condition of Nichiren Daishonin who is referred to as the True Buddha. He said that the law should be venerated and not the person.
This is a practice devoted to oneself as well as others.

Nichiren Daishonin was, of course, talking about the law of cause and effect, the law of the universe. We chanted morning and evening from the Lotus Sutra written in Chinese and Sanskrit. We also chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.


From Wikipedia: "Broken down, Myōhō Renge Kyō consists of Myōhō (妙法), "Sublime" or "Mystic" Law, the Dharma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma) underlying all phenomena; Renge (蓮華), the Lotus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo) Flower, which blooms and bears seeds at the same time and therefore signifies the simultaneity of cause and effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cause_and_effect), the "natural" law that governs karma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma); and Kyō (経, "thread passing all the way through a bolt of cloth", but also "scripture"), meaning a teaching of the Buddha. Kyō also connotes sound, such as that of voices, and some Nichiren Buddhists cite this as the reason that they pray using Nam(u)-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as an invocation."

This sect of Buddhism is distinguished from a group called Nichiren Shu where the adherents venrate the image, usually in the form of a statue, of Nichiren Daishonin. This concept completely opposed to by members of Nichiren Shoshu.

I am certain that there is a Nichiren Shoshu group or Temple near you for you to find out more.

I must say that I learned a good deal about responsibility, good manners, respect, and putting others first as a result of my practice.

Transmission of any Buddhist pratice is mostly only possible through face to face interaction with a guide or master of the sect. Buddhism is not found soley in books although books are a valuable resource.

There are several hundred and perhaps thousands of sects of Buddhism, perhaps going to a particular temple and connecting with a particular priest or monk would further help you to understand how you can incorporate Buddhism into your life. Certainly, reading about all the sects and their particular dogma can be confusing and perhaps guidance from a mentor is the answer.

Well, good luck and happy seeking!! La Fortuna:fpraise: