Buddhist instructions

genkaku

In almost any Buddhist practice, there are directions to be followed. Starting with The Eightfold Path, there are instructions for any aspect of practice worth mentioning. Thought, word and deed are pointed towards a more healthy and peaceful existence. Those who practice Buddhism do their best.

But do you think that such instructions and efforts are pointed towards an elevation or broadcasting of something called "Buddhism?" If "Buddhism" were the point, what sort of Buddhism might that be? And, if there is some point that is not "Buddhist," what is it?

Jeffrey

I think that I don't know the essence, but that something has resonated with these teachings in the past. I feel that the teachings on sitting with difficulty overcome the tendancy to layer additinal bad feeling on an existing problem.

You can call anything buddhism. I think people could call some very awful even behaviour buddhist and we wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

If there is a point that point is important, not whether you call it buddhist or not.

max

I have noticed that Buddhism in America is tailored for Americans & I would like to know why.I have done my best learning on my own and call myself a Buddhist cause I have tried my best to learn from Buddha's teachings long ago. There will always be those who may call themselves Buddhists etc. but have turned the teaching around to fit their mind set. That can be seen in other religions as well.

genkaku

There will always be those who may call themselves Buddhists etc. but have turned the teaching around to fit their mind set. That can be seen in other religions as well.
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Agreed. In the USA and perhaps in large segments of the European world, Jesus is depicted as being a pink, rather than a brown, man. And statuary of Gautama seems to look a lot like the people in whose country Buddhism may be practiced.

nibbuti

In almost any Buddhist practice, there are directions to be followed. [..] towards an elevation or broadcasting of something called "Buddhism?" If "Buddhism" were the point, what sort of Buddhism might that be? And, if there is some point that is not "Buddhist," what is it?

Hi Genkaku

Sure, one can get lost in definitions, even in practise itself. I think there are two tendencies.

One infatuated with isolated practise, delighting in fewness of instructions, perhaps even thinking 'there is no Buddhism', or 'this is not Buddhist', being lost in space.

And the other tendency, infatuated with guidelines, maps, books, thinking 'everything is Buddhism', delighting in diversity, missing the point of practise.

The Buddha gave us the core instructions, Simsapa leaves. We can use them to support ourselves on the journey. What we do further is up to each one to decide.

fivebells

Why do you ask, @genkaku?

NOTaGangsta

Basic Buddhist instructions are pretty much common sense. Why make it complicated?

It's good idea to not kill, not lie, not commit sexual misconduct, not drink/drugs and not to steal for average every day people.

genkaku

Why do you ask, @genkaku?

I guess I ask because I think that every once in a while it is good to reflect on what we are doing and why. As nibbuti points out, there are the difficulties associated with too few rules and regs and difficulties associated with being snared by too many. To my mind, human beings invented "Buddhism" as a means of discovering the truth of Buddhism, the truth of suffering and release from suffering that comes in as many packages as there are people. They did not invent it as a way of chiseling something called "Buddhism" in stone.

Just something to recall from time to time, I think.

Tikal2012

The Buddha did not wish to promote or elevate 'buddhism,' or anything for that matter. The Buddha was an awakened being who out of compassion taught others how to transcend suffering. The eightfold path is the fourth noble truth and the instructions that he taught us so that we can realize Nibbana. Good luck. . .

Spaceless

Basically, you love yourself, living beings love themselves. Living beings practising eight fold path and 4 noble truth because they love & care, likewise as you walk along the journey of emptiness truth to actualize buddha nature. Awesome!

federica

A wonderful Monk of my acquaintance explained to me that practically every teaching the Buddha gave comes back to the 4NT/8Fold path, and 5 precepts (for lay people).
The 4, the 8 and the 5.
He also explained that essentially, everything important the Buddha gave his followers is condensed into the Dhammapada.

He explained that if people simply focussed on really understanding and realising the 17, this would be a lifetime study - but all anyone would need.
It's all there.

A delightful bikkhuni advised me to condense the 17 down, even further:

simplify. Just live simply, choose wisely and smile.

Actually, I found it hard to find any truly viable argument to that, which couldn't be classified as my own protest and resistance to something really so true and simple.

(Let's not confuse 'simple' with 'easy').

zenff

Yes, we have a luxury-problem.
All written sources, many recorded teachings and various schools of Buddhism, are available to us.
In ancient times many people would be fortunate when they had access to one or two sutra’s and a teacher.

Yesterday I re-read the Diamond Sutra; and I thought it said it all.
What’s the point of the rest of the sayings, if one saying does the trick?

We built big rafts and bigger ones.
But we just need a small raft to get us across the river.